Hampden Teacher Wins Google Curriculum Contest

HAMPDEN (NEWS CENTER) -- A teacher from Hampden is being recognized for taking his students to Rome, Italy, not Maine without leaving the classroom

Internet giant Google hosted a contest for educators to design a new web-based curriculum using the company's new Google Earth: Ancient Rome 3-D mapping program.

Monday, social studies teacher Ben Johnson was named one of six national winners.

His curriculum, which is called "Walking in the footsteps of ancient romans", requires students to pick a famous roman and then use Google Earth to illustrate his or her impact on roman civilization.

Johnson encourages students to use web-links and video to explain their ideas.

"I was playing with Google Earth and trying to find ways to include it," Johnson explained. "With latin it is hard for kids to see the relevance with that, so if I bring in technology and attach stuff from two thousand years ago with stuff from today. Then maybe they can see the relevance and develop the skills they need later on."

As one of the winners of the contest, Johnson will receive a new Apple laptop, a digital projector, a digital camera, and a $500 gift card to Target or Office Depot.