Google Earth is a free 2.0 application that I’ve done some research on for other projects in my class. If you’re not familiar with Google Earth it is a virtual globe/map of the earth in 2 and 3D views that show in-depth satellite and aerial views of just about every inch of the earth. What makes Google Earth so amazing is that it can be manipulated by the user to go and show whatever locations are desired right down to even showing a street view of a destination. Because of this great quality, I’m sure you can see why this free application could be such a great asset to any curriculum.
This article specifically titled “Using ‘Google Earth’ In The History Classroom” goes into depth about how history educators can use Google Earth to get their students involved with their lessons. Some of the ideas mentioned within this article are things like taking students on virtual field trips to places that they could not otherwise go on due to budget cutbacks or just simply because they are on the other side of the world. Because Google Earth allows for students to see what the landscapes look like as if they were actually there, both in an aerial and regular view, Google Earth works out great for geography lessons as well. They can discover why certain bodies of water exist or even why certain areas are more populated than other based on the landforms in that certain area.
Overall Google Earth is a wonderful free application that is so diverse and can be easily used in any content area, not just ones like the social studies. I’ve been able to use Google Earth in my own classroom experiences with literature. I was able to take my students on a tour of the city that was the setting for the book that we were reading in class. They were then able to “walk” around the city and go to the places that the main character visited. This made the book come to life for the students and they were able to relate to the storyline more so then if I would not have used Google Earth.
Tarr, R. (2006). Using 'Google Earth' in the History Classroom. History Review, (56), 26-27. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
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