Background
A virtual writing marathon is not new. The New Orleans Writing Marathon suggests virtual participants go to a location near them, write, and then post via Facebook and connect on social media. You can read about their virtual writing marathon here.
Below is another option for a virtual writing marathon using Google Earth. Participants can go onto Google Earth by clicking the link below. You'll see a map of Winchester, VA with several pins including Old Town Winchester, Patsy Cline Historic House, George Washington's Office, Handley Library, Shenandoah University, John Handley High School, and Jim Barnett Park (click on each location for further information if you are interested). You may also choose to explore other areas using Google Earth and Google Street View.
On how to use Google Earth
Click here: Virtual Writing Marathon in Winchester, VA Google Earth with Pins
Click on one of the yellow pins. A box should pop up in the right hand corner. The box may provide information regarding the location. For the purposes of this blog, I clicked on George Washington's Office. When you click on a pin, there will be a blue and white airplane icon. Click on it. This will fly you in for a closer image of the location.
You may zoom in and travel closer to the location, or you may choose to go directly into street view. To do this, notice the icons in the bottom left-hand corner. You'll see a globe and little icons around it. You want to click on the person. After clicking on the person, blue lines will appear on the street. You are able to click on a blue line or you may drag the person to where you want to go.
Notice by George Washington's Office there are street lines and across the street two blue dots. The blue dots, which are throughout the map, are locations inside buildings. If you click on the blue dots across from George Washington's Office, you will end up in 50/50 Taphouse.
To look around in street view, you can click on the white arrows that show up on your computer screen. To swivel or move throughout you can use your keyboard arrows, or you may choose to click on the screen and drag. Play around with it!
To exit street view, you can zoom out using the minus sign (-) at the bottom right of your screen near the globe.
The Writing Marathon
The NWP provides an outline of what happens in a writing marathon. See here. The steps for a virtual marathon follow the same outline.
Step 1: Everyone declares that they are a writer. Participants can swing over to the Facebook page and introduce themselves and discuss which pins they would like to visit. You may also choose to use a Twitter hashtag as a group (E.g. #WincWrites or #SVWPWM).
Step 2: Spend roughly an hour in each location, with ten or so minutes to write, then reading, then socializing. This time may be adjusted based on the nature of the online platform. Writers can post their pieces on the Facebook page if they wish, and others can thank them. Participants can also use this space to socialize.
Step 3: Repeat as many times as desired within the time limit in new locations.
Step 4: Come back together to the large group on Facebook, or choose to share and listen to the works of those in Winchester through Zoom or another video-hangout platform.
How could this be used in the classroom?
Using Google Earth (whether you are creating a guide on your own or using one of Voyager's --- check it out if you haven't) and the writing marathon formula would be an engaging and relatively easy to create and lead write to learn activity.
Example Lesson Idea
Students could follow the same guidelines above or teachers may choose to use a silent discussion lesson in small groups until the end. Students could then share their observations, thoughts, creative pieces, etc. at the end of class.
-English classes: Exploring the world of Harry Potter; Exploring Hemmingway's Hangouts; Following Charles Dickens
-Science classes: Exploring Biodiversity; Clouds from Space
-History classes: Exploring Lewis and Clark; Explorers: Age of Encounter
-Art classes: Frank Gehry's Buildings; Land Art from Above
-Health and Physical Education classes: Exploring Surfing; Historic Tennis Stadiums
