Technology TIP

If you have ever used Google Earth, you have experienced what a powerful tool it can be for a geography teacher. Spin the entire planet, zoom in to different continents, countries, regions, cities, and even neighborhoods. Turn on the labels, and each of these locations can be identified. If you teach body systems, you now have a very similar tool… Google Body. A scroll bar allows users to peel away layers, exposing muscles, bones, organs, blood vessels, and nerves. Rotate the body and zoom in for a closer look; click on any body part to view a descriptive label. Sounds cool, right… so why haven’t more people heard about it? Google Body is actually a website… but it requires a specific browser to interact with the virtual model. Follow these two steps to begin exploring (you will not be disappointed):

1. Download & install Chrome Canary (this browser needed view Google Body)
2. Copy and paste this URL (http://bodybrowser.googlelabs.com) into the Chrome Canary address bar.

Update (06/01/11) :: For security reasons, Google has changed the Chrome Canary browser’s default settings. If you want to use this in your classroom, please contact me. I will make the configuration changes on your computer.

I am a fan of Richard Byrne’s blog, Free Technology for Teachers. He writes about an amazing number of technology resources and ideas for classroom use. In January, he started a series of articles titled, “11… Resources to Try in 2011.” Take a look at the resources related to your subject area:

• 11 Mathematics Resources to Try in 2011
• 11 Science Resources to Try in 2011
• 11 Social Studies Resources to Try in 2011
• 11 Foreign Language Resources to Try in 2011
• 11 Language Arts Resources to Try in 2011
• 11 Art & Music Resources to Try in 2011
• 11 Health & Phy Ed Resources to Try in 2011