Mapping Software Google Earth/Maps

Minutes to get familiar with
15-20 minutes (2 mins to download over fast network)
Ages suitable for
Any but most suitable for Y3-Y9

 

Key Features

• Search feature (key in postcode or place)
  
• Ruler (miles and km)
  
• Insert your own information on Google Earth (only for your class)
  
• Look at weather, videos, photos etc., of each searched location.
  

 

Health Warnings

• Watch the Flight Simulator with boys – very addictive!
  
• Information entered in Google Earth is not checked so suggest children cross-refer with other information sources (a bit like they need to do with Wikipedia).
  

 

How to introduce

Bring up Google Earth and spin the globe (use the mouse 

like a finger on a normal globe)

Explore your local area and different images, videos etc. 

Look at the HYBRID view and see images + roads to help 

everyone get orientation.

Take children on Googletour (free) http://www.googletouring.com/

 

Quick Activities (skills)

1)      Using the ruler:  Ask children to measure their route to school in kilometres and miles. Other measuring activities can be substituted. The length of the M1 or Old Kent Road or M62.

2)      Using Layers View images/places of interest in somewhere they have not been – Gabon for example

3)      Adding content: Ask children to insert on their map some information about your school or another

 

Longer Activities (capability)

1)      Google have provided some useful activities to use with Google Earth. They are free and can be downloaded here:  http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/schools/classroom.html

2)      Investigate physical geographic features such as: rivers, mountains, volcanos, lakes, settlements, valleys, roads, railways. Children can copy the image they want and then paste it into a word document, detail the specific feature and define the feature.

3)      Students can investigate an area they know well and add in their own detail be that text, digital images, video.