Google Earth and Google Maps are two of the free resources that I enjoy using with my students because they learn by creating when using Google Earth and Google Maps. Right now four of my students are creating videos about their community which will be added to a Google Map.
Rich Treves has posted, on his Google Earth Design Blog, two detailed lesson plans based on the use of Google Earth. One lesson plan deals with flooding in the Brahmaputra Plain and the other addresses Hawaiian volcano activity. Both lesson plans are suitable for use with high school students.
Applications for Education
Both of the lesson plans developed by Rich Treves could be used in geography and or Earth Science courses. The lessons do require users to have previous experience with Google Earth. Prior to attempting either of these two lessons you may want to spend a class or two with simpler assignments to introduce or refresh Google Earth use.