1. Bringing the world to the classroom using Google Earth and Google Maps Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop Director, Digital Explorer Ed Parsons Geospatial Technologist, Google BETT 2010 Playful Learning Zone
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Brief intro about JBD - teaching and expedition background Digital Explorer Google Earth training
Intro to Google Maps maps.google.co.uk web based service 2D not 3D My Maps collaborate, embed, share, etc easier to use for pupils to add content
Intro to Google Earth earth.google.com separate application to download 3D world making and sharing kml/kmz import GPS and other data
There are different levels of using Google Maps and Google Earth in the classroom. They range from the very simple using these geo products as a virtual atlas to organising enquiry based local studies into issues such as crime or the school environment. The presentation will take the audience through the different levels of what’s possible.
Use Google Earth to browse or search for a place relevant to the lesson. Examples: History – site of battle / event Geography – case study English – setting for a play or novel Maths – real world example of e.g. geometry
Use Google Maps to browse or search for a place relevant to the lesson. Examples: History – site of battle / event Geography – case study English – setting for a play or novel Maths – real world example of e.g. geometry
Use the Layers in Google Earth to explore a whole range of information. Interesting layers include historical maps, UN map of the changing environment and ancient Rome in 3D
Access Google My Maps to see a host of other content created by Google, organisations and individuals.
Example of loading the places of interest map.
The next stage on from viewing the map and viewing other people’s information is to start to produce your own. Teachers can add a variety of different items such as placemarks, paths and polygons, as well as image overlays and shape files. Teachers can also insert a range of content into the descriptions – video, photos, rich text, internet links
The next stage on from viewing the map and viewing other people’s information is to start to produce your own. Teachers can add a variety of different items such as placemarks, paths and polygons. Teachers can also insert a range of content into the descriptions – video, photos, rich text, internet links
The completed maps can then be shared or embedded into a blog or website.
Google Earth can start to be used as a 3D gaming/scenario planning environment. Models of wind turbines can be downloaded and pupils have to decide where to place them. Pupils could work on a disaster relief plan for an earthquake affected area. This kind of lesson is ideally suited to subjects such as citizenship, geography and business studies.
Think differently about how pupils could learn about calculating distance, speed and time. Ask your class how long it would take to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge – starting at the foot of Ben Nevis and climbing that before driving to Scafell, etc. More fun that doing problems from a textbook?
Google Earth becomes really powerful when it is combined with pupils gathering information and making their own tours and maps. In this example pupils from schools in the Middle East interview the politician Alan Duncan.
Project maps can be made identifying issues in the school environment. This map highlighted the worst bins around the school and was shared with school leadership as part of a wider project.