Google Lit Trips is another Google tool you might not have heard of. It has definite possibilities for use in the classroom, particularly for literature and history classes. Google Lit Trips uses Google Earth to “place” a novel geographically. It leads the “reader” on a tour of the places mentioned in the book. The options are mostly novels, though certain books like Night by Elie Wiesel and The Odyssey by Homer would be particularly useful for both literature and history professors. Lit Trips are not replacements for reading the books, but add to the experience to make it more memorable.
To use Google Lit Trips, you will first need to download Google Earth. Then you can download Lit Trips from the Google Lit Trips website. All downloads are free, though you must fill out a survey to be able to download Lit Trips. Use the site map on the Google Lit Trips site to be able to find titles more easily.
By ITA, Hillary Shipps