I’ve just completed an article on the use of Google Earth as a teaching tool to make decisions about wind farm locations. Read article: Investigating Wind Energy with Google Earth
The suggested activites make use of a number of web sites. Creative Commons images linked to Google Earth come from Geograph. The MAGIC interactive map, an excellent UK government resource provides geographic information on a wide range of environmental themes. The lesson also uses the DTI wind speed database.
Investigating Wind Energy gets students to use a number of fairly simple, yet powerful applications to arrive at a decision about a site for a wind farm. They are handling real geographical data, giving the task lots of credibility. Wind energy is an emotive subject and the exercise will get students to question their own values and attitudes. There is plenty to challenge students of different abilities along with an option to extend the activity with some simple modelling in Sketch Up and Photoshop Elements.
I would welcome feedback!
Noel, this is marvellous stuff and you’re really blazing a trail. Keep it up!
Noel,
liked this wind farm idea lots. We are in Braunton, N.Devon and I originally came from Combe Martin one of the proposed sites on your activity. Thought you might like to know if you don’t already that here in North Devon for a while now there has been debates and planning considerations for a proposed wind farm at Fullabrook Down about 5 miles from Combe Martin between Ilfracombe and Braunton. Lots of info in local press type fullabrook down into google and pages of reference are avaialble.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Nick
Real geography…great. I would like to use this with my GCSE group (when I get GE on the network). The sites could be ’scored’ according to the different criteria as in the OS mapzone activity. The difference being that in this activity the students have to think in detail about what evidence to use and generate their own ’scores’. I am particularly interested in the use of photomontage as it has been the cause of much controversy in a planned local off-shore windfarm development (Scarweather Sands, Porthcawl). The students have been using images from different interest groups to argue for and against it.
Nick – I didn’t include Fullabrook Down as there isn’t any high-resolution coverage of the area in Google Earth. It doesn’t make sense to leave it out, considering the forthcoming public enquiry, so I’ve added it as a placemark along with an overlay to improve the ground detail. Thanks.
Tom, I’ve included a link to the GIS Mission in the Map Zone activity. I’d forgotten about that one. I wish the interface was larger, but it’s a good introduction to GIS. The MAGIC site I refer to is a genuine GIS, and really enhances this activity I think.
Noel