15 Interesting Ways* to use

Google Maps in the Classroom

*and tips

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 3.0 License.

Google Maps Icon Buttons by bluman

#1 - Place PagesEach location in your search results in Maps has a unique webpage.

This is useful as a simple single page summary of information for children. They can use it during their own research on a place or landmark.

With the placemark open look for the "More Info" link.

The page includes relevant information, images, mini map, videos etc

Places are now available in the Google Maps mobile version 4.4.Each of the pages are editable too if the info is not correct

Whitby Abbey

#2 - MOLEUse & add to MOLE (Map of Outdoor Learning Opportunities). Add visitors into school, trips and other outdoor experiences. Use the map to discover new places to deepen learning experiences for your class.

Visit mole here. Find out how more here.

@primarypete_

#3 - Get to Know Your Neighbourhood

Use Google Maps to locate your school. Zoom in to Street

View and let students take a virtual tour to their homes. Mark them with map pins.

Measure distance

traveled using the labs measurement feature.

Michael Fawcett@teachernz

#4 - Distance Measurement ToolUse the Distance Measurement Tool and the varied units of measurement to compare lengths on your school grounds.Smoots Away!

#5 - Story MapsUse the map as inspiration to create a story.

Provide the children with a location that frames your narrative. Think about somewhere that would provide a rich visual stimulus from the available imagery.

Add a starter placemark that the children begin from or ask them to craft their own.

Often useful to work together as a class to start with.

Encourage children to use the different layers of information to help guide their narrative

Earth layerStreetviewWikipediaPanoramio images

#6 - Path Profile ToolUse the Path Profile Tool to see the shape of land on school trips.Smoots Away!

Then untick roads if you want to use paths

Then mark your map by clicking the route - use backspace to re-set a point

Then click popup!

#7 Home and Houses

When looking at different types of houses and homes e.g. Tudors/Victorian, why not add them to a map. The children can then click on a point and look at the house through Streetview.

Add to this map: http://bit.ly/housesandhomes @ianaddison

#8 Castles and the SeasideIf you're looking at a particular feature that isn't just in your local area, why not create a map? Ask others to add to it so you can build up a resource. Some examples are Castles around the world and one with beaches/ seasides. Children can zoom in or Streetview to see the local area.

Add to these maps: http://bit.ly/castlemap or http://bit.ly/giraffemap @ianaddison

#9 Ou est la boulangerie?Why not write a set of instructions for children to follow and see if they can get to the right place? It could be done in maths when learning directions or in language lessons. Where do they end up?

Children could then write their own instructions for someone else to follow.

#10 Habitats Map

Create a map of the different habitats in your area. Children could add pictures of the creatures they find in each one.

#11 Add images and locations for student holidays and school camps and excursionsWhen students return from trips they can upload their photos, showing the location where they were taken. Based on land-forms and land-marks other students may be able to guess where they visited.

#12 Students write the directions that they travel to school for other students to follow as procedural text.Use Google maps to assist students to visualise and record the directions they travel on the school bus route, or car travel to school. Another student follows their directions to see if they end up at the same location!

We’ve just started using Google Maps as a way of beginning our topic about India.

Children have been finding out about geographical features such as rivers and main cities or landmarks and adding a placemark to post images and information to share with their classmates.

The map has been embedded in our Learning Platform.

~ Steph Ladbrooke @sellyeve

#13 - Research

You can use the map measurement tool on Google maps to practice area and perimeter. Select places in your town to measure and compare. Work in decimals or practice rounding skills as you work with the measurements.

Compare "how the crow flies" distances between two towns to actual road travel distance.

If you are using "bar models" in math lessons, drawing direct lines between towns offers a wonderful visual bar model example for calculating how many more or less miles.

I haven't tried, but can you measure around the planet?

@c_arnett

#14 - As The Crow Flies

#15 - PostcrossingWhitehouse Common Primary have used a GoogleMap to keep track of their Postcrossing project, marking postcards that we've received in pink and sent in blue, changing to green when they arrive. A great online record of the project to go with the display of postcards in the entrance to school.

Lisa Stevens @lisibo @wcprimary

If you would like to: Contribute your ideas and tips to the presentation.Let me know how you have used the resource.Get in touch. You can email me or I am @tombarrett on Twitter

Thanks for helpingTom Barrett

Image: ‘Sharing‘

If you add a tip (or even if you don't) please tweet about it and the link so more people can contribute.

I have created a page for all of the Interesting Ways presentations on my blog.

The whole family in one place :-) Have you seen The Curriculum

Catalyst yet?