Google

 Earth  

Activity 3: Exploring Google Earth

Google   Earth   makes   it   easy   to   create   a   map   with   annotations   -­‐   you   can   add   placemarks  
(points),  paths  (lines),  polygons  in  Google  Earth,  and  add  text,  images,  and  videos  to  the  pop-­‐up  
balloons.   This   tutorial   uses   Bristlecone   Pine   Tree   research   in   the   White   Mountains   as   an  
example.  

Let's  Get  Started!  

1 Open  Google  Earth  on  your  computer.  
2 In  the  Search  Panel,  enter  "White  Mountains,  Bishop,  CA  93514"  into  the  Fly  to  box,  and  

click   .  Google  Earth  will  fly  you  to  the  White  Mountains  region.  

1  
 3 Click   on   the   "X"   below   the   Search   Panel   to   clear   the   map   of   all   the   results:    

  2  
 4 Find   the   toolbar   above   the   3D   viewer:    

 
 
5 Each  button  on  the  toolbar  has  a  purpose.  Find  the  tools  for  create  a  placemark,  path,  
and  polygon:      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  3  
Add  Placemarks  

1 Click   the   Add   Placemark   button    in   the   toolbar.   A   placemark   is   automatically  
added  to  Google  Earth.  Also,  a  New  Placemark  dialog  box  appears.    
2 Move  your  placemark's  location  by  clicking  and  dragging  its  icon,  or  by  typing  a  latitude  
and  longitude  into  the  New  Placemark  dialog  box.  
3 In  the  New  Placemark  dialog  box,  type  in  a  name  for  the  placemark  in  the  Name  field.  
In  this  example,  we  typed  "Bristlecone  Pine  Tree".  
4 Type   in   a   description   for   the   placemark   in   the   Description   field,   which   will   be  
displayed  when  a  user  clicks  on  the  placemark.  In  this  example,  we  typed  "This  is  one  of  
the   world's   oldest   living   trees."    

 
 
5 Click   on   the   icon   button   in   the   top-­‐right  corner  of  the  window  and  choose  an  icon  for  
your  placemark  and  press  OK.  In  this  example,  we  chose  a  tree  icon.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  4  
 6 Click   on   the   Style,   Color   tab,   and   choose   a   color,   scale   (or   size),   and   opacity   for   the  
placemark  icon  and  label  text.  In  this  example,  we  choose  to  change  our  label  color  to  
green.      

7 When   you   are   finished   creating   your   placemark,   click   OK   and   your   placemark   will  
appear   in   the   Places   panel.   When   you   click   on   your   placemark's   icon   or   hyperlinked  
name   in   Google   Earth,   a   pop-­‐up   balloon   will   appear   with   your   placemark's   name   and  
description.      

Tips:  
• To   edit   a   placemark's   location,   name,   or   description,   right-­‐click   on   the   placemark   in   the  
3D   viewer   or   in   the   Places   panel,   and   choose   Get   Info   (on   a   Mac).   Click-­‐and-­‐drag   the  
icon  to  change  the  location,  or  edit  the  name  and  description  and  click  OK.  
 
 

  5  
Add  Paths  

1 Click   the   Add   Path   button    at   the   top   left   of   your   map.   A   New   Path   dialog   box  

appears,  and  your  cursor  changes  to   .  

2 Click  on  a  series  of  places  on  the  map  form  a  path.  Each  time  you  click,  a  new  node  is  
added  to  your  path.  You  can  also  click-­‐and-­‐drag  to  create  frequent  nodes,  which  makes  
a  smoother  path.  In  this  example,  we  will  create  a  path  marking  the  tree  line.  
3 In   the   New   Path   dialog   box,   type   in   a   name   for   the   path   in   the   Name   field.   In   this  
example,  we  typed  "Tree  Line".  

4 Click   on   the   Style,  Color   tab,   and   choose   a   color,   width,   and   opacity   for   the   path.   In   this  
example,  we  choose  a  dark  green  color,  a  width  of  5.0,  and  opacity  of  75%.  
 
Tips:  

• To  play  a  tour  of  the  path  and  fly  along  its  route,  click  the  Play  Tour  button:    

  6  
  
 
• To  edit  a  path's  location,  name,  or  description,  right-­‐click  on  the  path  in  the  3D  viewer  
or  in  the  Places  panel,  and  choose  Get   Info  (on  a  Mac).  Then  you  can  edit  the  title  and  
description  and  click  OK.  Right-­‐click  your  mouse  to  delete  recently  created  nodes.  You  
can  also  click-­‐and-­‐drag  any  nodes  to  reshape  the  polygon.  
 
 
 
Add  Polygons  

1 Click  the  Add  Polygon  button    at  the  top  left  of  your  map.  A  New  Polygon  dialog  

box  appears,  and  your  cursor  changes  to   .  

2 Click  on  a  series  of  places  on  the  map  to  form  a  polygon.  Each  time  you  click,  a  new  node  
is  added  to  your  polygon.  You  can  also  click-­‐and-­‐drag  to  create  frequent  nodes,  which  
makes  a  smoother  boundary  to  your  polygon.  In  this  example,  we  will  create  a  polygon  
around   the   White   Mountains   (you   may   have   to   zoom   out   to   see   the   entire   mountain  
range).    
3 In  the  New  Polygon  dialog  box,  type  in  a  name  for  the  polygon  in  the  Name  field.  In  this  
example,  we  typed  "White  Mountains".  
4 Type  in  a  description  for  the  polygon  in  the  Description  field,  which  will  be  displayed  
in   the   polygon's   pop-­‐up   balloon.   In   this   example,   we   typed   "The   White   Mountains   are  
home  to  Bristlecone  Pine  Trees."  
5 Click  on  the  Style,   Color  tab,  and  choose  a  color,  width,  and  opacity  for  the  boundary  
lines.  Choose  a  color  and  opacity  for  your  polygon  area,  and  determine  if  you  want  the  
polygon  filled  and  outlined,  only  filled,  or  only  outlined.  In  this  example,  we  chose  green  
colors,  a  line  width  of  "10.0",  and  medium  opacities.  
6 Click   on   the   Altitude   tab,   and   change   the   altitude   mode   to   "Relative   to   ground"   (for  
more   information   on   altitude   modes,   see   the   KML   Reference   guide).   Then   move   the  
slider  to  increase  altitude,  or  height,  of  the  polygon  if  desired.  Check  the  box  to  extend  
the  sides,  or  walls  of  the  polygon,  to  the  ground.  

  7  
  
 
Tips:  
• To   edit   a   polygon's   location,   name,   or   description,   right-­‐click   on   the   path   in   the   3D  
viewer   or   in   the   Places   panel,   and   choose   Get   Info   (on   a   Mac).   Then   you   can   edit   the  
title   and   description   and   click   OK.   Right-­‐click   your   mouse   to   delete   recently   created  
nodes.  You  can  also  click-­‐and-­‐drag  any  nodes  to  reshape  the  polygon.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  8  
Organize  your  Places  with  Folders  
1 To  add  a  folder,  go  to  the  Add  menu  and  select  Folder.  
2 In  the  New   Folder  dialog  box,  type  in  a  name  for  the  folder  in  the  Name  field.  In  this  
example,  we  typed  "My  Google  Earth  Project".  

 
3 Click  OK.  Your  new  folder  is  added  to  the  Places  panel.  
4 Click-­‐and-­‐drag   each   place   (your   placemarks,   paths,   and   polygons)   into   the   folder   to  
organize  your  project.  

 
Tips:  
• To  play  a  tour  of  all  the  items  in  the  folder  by  the  order  in  which  they  are  listed,  click  the  

Play  Folder  button:    

• To  edit  a  folder's  name  or  description,  right-­‐click  on  the  folder  in  the  Places  panel,  and  
choose  Get  Info  (on  a  Mac).  
 

  9  
Embed  Images  in  your  Balloons  
Google   Earth   balloons   can   be   customized   using   HTML.   You   can   add   font   sizes,   styles,   and  
colors,  links,  tables,  and  images  into  your  balloons  by  including  it  as  HTML  in  the  Description.  
1 Choose   a   placemark   you've   already   created,   such   as   the   placemark   created   earlier   in  
this  tutorial.  
2 To   edit   the   placemark,   right-­‐click   on   the   placemark   in   the   3D   viewer   or   in   the   Places  
panel,  and  choose  Get  Info  (on  a  Mac).  
3 Click  on  the  "Add  image..."  button,  and  copy  and  paste  the  following  image  URL  (which  
references   an   online   photo   of   a   bristlecone   pine   tree)   into   the   Image   URL   box  
(http://earth.google.com/outreach/images/stories_adelia3.jpg  ).  Then  click  OK.    

4  You  will  see  the  HTML  code  for  the  image  automatically  entered  into  the  Description  
field.  
 
 

  10  
  
5 Select  the  text  "White  Mountain  Research  Station"  and  click  on  the  "Add  link..."  button.  
Copy  and  paste  the  following  URL  (which  reference  the  URL  of  the  research  station)  into  
the  Link  URL  box  (http://www.wmrs.edu/).  Then  click  OK.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.   You   will   now   see   the   HTML   code   for   the   link   automatically   entered   around   the   text   you  
highlighted  in  the  Description  field.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6  Click  OK  to  finish  editing  the  placemark.  
7.  Click  on  the  placemark  in  the  3D  viewer,  and  you  will  see  the  image,  text,  and  link  in  the  
placemark's  balloon!  

  11  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  12  
Embed  YouTube  videos  in  your  Balloons  
You  can  easily  embed  a  YouTube  video  into  a  placemark  balloon  in  Google  Earth.  
1 Upload  your  video  to  YouTube  or  choose  a  video  that's  already  uploaded.  
2 On  the  YouTube  video's  webpage,  find  the  Share  button  and  click  it  to  see  more  options.  
Find  the  Embed  button  and  click  it  to  see  more  options.  Look  for  the  checklist  of  
options  below  the  html  code  and  select  the  option  for  "Use  old  embed  code".  Now  copy  
the  HTML  code.  The  code  looks  similar  to  this:  <iframe  width="420"  height="315"  
src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Xrgr7AUNm50?rel=0"  frameborder="0"  
allowfullscreen></iframe>        
 

  13  
  
3 Choose   a   placemark   you've   already   created,   such   as   the   placemark   created   earlier   in  
this  tutorial.  
4 To   edit   the   placemark,   right-­‐click   on   the   placemark   in   the   3D   viewer   or   in   the   Places  
panel,  and  choose  Get  Info  (on  a  Mac).  
5 In  the  Description  field,  paste  the  YouTube  HTML  code,  which  you  copied  in  Step  2.  

 
6 Click  OK.  
7 Now  when  you  click  on  the  placemark,  its  balloon  has  the  YouTube  video!  

 
 
 

  14  
Save  your  project  and  share  with  others  
Google  Earth  allows  you  to  save  your  project  to  your  computer  in  the  .kmz  file  format.  
1 Right-­‐click  on  your  project  folder,  and  select  Save  Place  As...  or  click  on  the  folder  and  
then  go  to  the  File  menu,  and  select  Save  Place  As...  

 
2 Enter  a  name  for  your  .kmz  file,  and  click  Save  to  save  it  to  your  computer.  You  will  now  
find  your  KMZ  file  on  your  computer.  
 

  15