Google Earth and Maps

Hi,
Who doesn't like google earth? It is revolutionary in its design. You can travel anywhere that has been mapped. It gives the viewer a perception of what different areas might be like. Students are interested in looking at their own houses. Google earth certainly fits in with connectivism theories of learning. It is very authentic and very interactive.

A broader use of google earth with implications for SOSE would be to look at cities or towns and contrast certain elements of them. For example types of buildings, amount of traffic, park lands, etc. Geography cetainly could look at different terrain which can be examined and later researched. Also historical sites can be viewed. It can be used with numeracy intent for example measuring distances between points, looking for shorter or longer routes. Literacy can be incorporated when students look at directions and instructions.

It is possible to create your own maps and overlay projects with photos and images. Narration can be added to your own project. Maps can be embedded into blogs and websites. Google earth can be used as a site for investigating oil spills.

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Karen.

Google earth. Retreived from http://earth.google.com