Google Earth Blog

The amazing things about Google Earth


Back to School – Educational Uses with Google Earth

It is close to the end of summer in the northern hemisphere. Many kids are heading back to school after a summer break. For those of you who are educators and have thought, or heard, that Google Earth would make a good tool for geography lessons – let me suggest you look closer. Google Earth (GE) is not only a great tool for geography – it has the ability to entice kids to learn about information tied to location in a huge variety of important educational subjects. When you first load GE you have a wealth of information available at your fingertips. Thousands of aerial and satellite photos, dozens of layers of information: city names, country borders, airport locations, photos, road maps, National Geographic content, volcanoes, and more. Since Google Earth is an intuitive and fun tool, I believe you could use it as a visualization and educational tool for almost any subject. Once students prepare their own content, GE can be used to present their work – or even share their work with the world.
Below you will find a sample of possible useful content for Google Earth in a variety of subjects such as geography, literature, science, history, and more. Basically, any information which can be tied to a location on Earth can be illustrated, and made interesting, using GE. Juicy Geography is a web site, by Noel Jenkins in the UK, designed to help teachers learn more about tools like GE for the classroom and suggests possible lessons. Also, check out a summary of educational uses for Google Maps by GoogleMapsMania. And, Google has their own site on educational uses for Google Earth. Continue reading the rest of this post for more information.


Google Earth is a powerful visual tool for visualizing and presenting information tied to location. And now, with Google Earth 4.2 there are even more reasons to use GE in education (GE 4.2 adds the new Sky mode which is wonderful for astronomy lessons, the flight simulator mode for teaching about aviation, and a wealth of new features in KML 2.2 which will greatly enhance educational presentations with GE). GE can also be used as a tool for students to study or even prepare their own presentations. If I were an educator I would use GE for many topics. You can use the “Search” or “Categories” on Google Earth Blog to find more information. Or, you can go to the Google Earth Community to look for materials as well. Here are just a sample of some of the material available organized by subject:

Literature

Science

History

Geography

Try turning on the Geographic Web layer. How about basic geography information about countries of the world? Turn on the Borders layer. Or, try the CIA World Factbook for GE (more details).

About Frank Taylor

Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.

Reader Interactions






PLEASE NOTE: Google Earth Blog is no longer writing regular posts. As a result, we are not accepting new comments or questions about Google Earth. If you have a question, use the official Google Earth and Maps Forums or the Google Earth Community Forums.

Comments

  3. Derrick Hickman says

    I zoomed and zoomed. Wow! This was very interesting. I zoomed to different parts of the world and saw countless opportunities to include math and social studies. This website gave me a chance to explore different parts of the world that I have never been (most of my students also) to. Think how this will benefit my students. The kids will love this site and at the same time they will be able to polish their skills in other subjects too.

  4. albert davis says

    Google Earth is amazing. It is the closest thing to actually being there.

  10. Educational Travel says

    Don’t forget creative writing. I used Google Earth street view to explore the streets of NYC before I had been there, so I could write about it as if I had. It’s not exactly the same, but it certainly helps the imagination. We plan educational tours for student groups, and Google Earth would be a great way to learn about their destination before they go. This is a great post and a great tool for educators.

  11. Find Your Education says

    Science teachers definitely must be having a field day with all the things they can do on Google Earth. In generally, teachers have many more tools at their disposal to give their students a better education.

  14. Freight Factoring says

    I wish I was a student again and back in school. I can’t imagine how much easier it would be to learn today with all of the additional tools and technology such as Google Maps. I guess that may be conterbalanced by all the distractions such as Facebook 🙂

  19. Mr. Maagzuur says

    Sometimes i still think of the good old fashion days, when a great tool like Google Earth was still considered to be ‘magic’. Still feels like that though, but to this new generation it’s just normal. Nowadays we cant go without these new technical tools!

  24. DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL says

    Google earth is awesome and main thing is all world is in circle of common people and it giving a lot of benefits.Thanks for sharing Google earth application in education field also.

  27. aambeien says

    Hi Thare! i need to say that i mainly use street view to explore other city’s outside my country, it helps me get in the vacation mood so that i can decide better where to go on holiday haha! Thanks for your good info! (sorry for my bad English im European) Good day everybody greetings

  30. Testking VCP-410 says

    Google have given new dimensions to life and making life easier and convenient which great service to humanity.Google Earth is one of its service and guide to coming generation about it is good step.

  31. security says

    I think this is a great post. One thing that I find the most helpful is number five. Sometimes when I write, I just let the flow of the words and information come out so much that I loose the purpose. It’s only after editing when I realize what I’ve done.

  36. Phone Sex says

    Awesome read. I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. He actually bought me lunch because I found it for him! So let me rephrase: thank you for lunch!

  37. cordless sds says

    it as a visualization and educational tool for almost any subject. Once students prepare their own content, GE can be used to present their work – or even share their work with the world.

  47. Dakisolatie says

    e as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought you have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.

  50. compare car insurance says

    I think I am quite troubled about this technological getting together with and I want to know the reviews of this getting together with.I am sure it will be an incredibly useful one and all those will go to it will be quite valuable.

  51. iphone 4s case says

    I am hoping the its same high-grade blog post from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing skills have inspired me to get my own blog going now. Actually blogging is spreading wings and growing quickly. Your write up is a great example.

  52. apply for cash says

    My partner and i acknowledge together with your results and can thirstily look ahead to your current upcoming improvements. Thanks and also go on submitting more valuable info.

  53. water damage northridge says

    Just be sure that you simply will pursue to establish a talk designed to help make everybody share more. Anyone need to be vigilant at everything you said or maybe you might be set into a situation where nobody is ever going to reply.

  54. water damage northridge says

    Just be sure that you simply will pursue to establish a talk designed to help make everybody share more. Anyone need to be vigilant at everything you said or maybe you might be set into a situation where nobody is ever going to reply.

  55. water damage northridge says

    Just be sure that you simply will pursue to establish a talk designed to help make everybody share more. Anyone need to be vigilant at everything you said or maybe you might be set into a situation where nobody is ever going to reply.

  58. Tous Catalogo says

    I am hoping the its same high-grade blog post from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing skills have inspired me to get my own blog going now. Actually blogging is spreading wings and growing quickly.

  60. Rio says

    Google earth is awesome and main thing is all world is in circle of common people and it giving a lot of benefits.Thanks for sharing Google earth application in education field also.

  63. cheap beats by dre says

    I do love the way you have presented this situation and it does indeed supply us some fodder for thought. On the other hand, through what I have observed, I basically trust as other remarks stack on that people keep on issue and in no way get started on a tirade of the news of the day. Still, thank you for this exceptional point and while I can not necessarily concur with the idea in totality, I value your point of view.

  66. thermal analysis of solar facades says

    This is my first time I visit here. I found so much entertainment stuff in your blog, especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the leisure here! Keep up the good work.

  67. massage beijing says

    as all of us already know that Google Earth is equipped with a visually distinct, extensive database of satellite imagery and 3D models.so we can fully use this great tool,and put google earth to good use.really great resource of google earth in this article. already bookmarked for future reference.

  68. bra tape says

    Interesting post and thanks for sharing. Some things in here I have not thought about before. Thanks for making such a cool post.



PLEASE NOTE: Google Earth Blog is no longer writing regular posts. As a result, we are not accepting new comments or questions about Google Earth. If you have a question, use the official Google Earth and Maps Forums or the Google Earth Community Forums.