Google Earth in the Classroom - Kid Tested, Teacher Reviewed

A review of Google Earth for the Classroom 

Google Earth has amazing promise for adding energy and autonomy to my history lessons. First let me say that it is so easy to use! My 6 year old is definitely able to navigate through the Google earth platform, maybe even better than I did the first time! By giving students choice in what they learn and discover, they can engage more deeply with the content and develop skills using the tools provide. 

Here's a few of the amazing features Earth offers. 

1. 3D Street Level Views

    - Let me tell you, this is such a fun tool to use. Students from primary to secondary school will be excited about this virtual passport to any place in the world! Landmarks, museums, statues, anything you might be interested in is available to view and tour in 3D within Google Earth. Index cards give students more information about the landmarks and geographic structures they are seeing. 

2. Curated Voyages

Google has done an amazing job of curating guided tours for students on a number of topics. Students can travel along the same wilderness that Lewis and Clark explored!

3. Historical Maps

There's access to a library of historical maps. The maps overlay the current landscape so students can see and analyze any changes. I loved this feature. 

4. Ability to "Fly Home" 

Kids can click the button to fly home at any minute! They're sent to there home address and can virtually "walk" their neighborhoods on Google Earth! I found this feature helpful when I wanted to start a new search as well.  

5. GAMES

Yes, my friends, games. From food origins to holiday traditions, Google makes learning fun for students as they travel the globe asking fun trivia questions! Here's an example, you answer a question about what British monarch made Christmas trees popular in England. Once you answer, you fly on over to view Buckingham Palace in 3D where you can explore or move on to the next question. So fun! This would be a great lesson filler for those pesky half days before Christmas Break. 

I would highly recommend this tool to educators, particularly in the social studies field. I will definitely be using this in my classroom in the fall!