The Golden Treasures of Google! - Part 1 (Google Maps, Street View and Google Earth)

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Most of us know of the Googley Goodness of Google Drive and related apps for education, but did you know there is much, much more that Google offers for FREE! There are so many hidden gems for teachers and students.

This blog series will explore the lesser-known Google tools. (It wouldn’t all fit in one post, and I find something new and interesting all the time!) Some of theses tools are made by Google, Inc., and some are made possible with Google tools. Either way, fasten your seatbelt and get ready to get your Google on!

This post will focus on tools that utilize Google Maps, Street View and Google Earth.

Create and share custom Google Maps!

My Maps (formerly Maps Engine Lite)

</p> <div> <strong><font size="5">In the Classroom:</font></strong></p> <ul> <li><span>Create interactive lesson journeys</span></li> <li><span>Visit historical landmarks</span></li> </ul> <ul> <li><span><font size="5">Travel through a Novel or Story</font></span></li> <li><span><font size="5">Create an Amazing Race adventure!</font></span></li> </ul> <p><font size="5"><strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/10YLdGjwJk9ufYrvvzorrrMCQPqrU1Bh-nzhXIfNdWWQ/edit" target="_blank" title="">My Maps Cheat Sheet </a></strong>(by <a href="https://teachingforward.net/" target="_blank" title=""><strong>Jennifer Judkins</strong></a>)</font></p> </div> <div> <div></div> <hr /> <div></div> </div> <h2><strong><a href="https://smartypins.withgoogle.com/" target="_blank">Smarty Pins</a></strong></h2> <p><span></span><span><a><img decoding="async" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%200%200'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="Smarty Pins" data-lazy-src="https://shakeuplearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/592412940.png" /><noscript><img decoding="async" src="https://shakeuplearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/592412940.png" alt="Smarty Pins" /></noscript></a><span>Smarty Pins</span></span></p> <div> <span><span><font size="5">Google Maps based geography and trivia game.</font></span></span><br /> <span><br /> <font size="5">Google generates a random trivia question about a specific city or country, and you must drop a pin on the correct location on the map. Players can choose from six trivia categories: Featured Topics, Arts & Culture, Science & Geography, Sports & Games, Entertainment, History & Current Events.</font></span><br /> <span><br /> </span><br /> <span><font size="5">Although you cannot choose the location for your students, this is still a fun way to introduce some geography to your students.</font> </p> <p></span></div> <hr /> <div> <div></div> <hr /> <div></div> </div> <h2><strong><a href="https://geoguessr.com/" target="_blank" title="">Geo Guesser</a></strong></h2> <div> <span><span><font size="5">Game using Google Maps StreetView that drops the player in a random location and challenges them to find out where they are. You cannot choose an exact location, you can choose from collections of cities, countries and continents. Perfect for a little social studies virtual excursion!</font></span><br /> </span></div> <div> <div> <a><img decoding="async" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%200%200'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="Picture" data-lazy-src="https://shakeuplearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/414050216.gif" /><noscript><img decoding="async" src="https://shakeuplearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/414050216.gif" alt="Picture" /></noscript></a></div> </div> <div></div> <div> <div></div> <hr /> <div></div> </div> <h2><strong><a href="https://www.googlelittrips.org/" target="_blank">Google Lit Trips</a></strong></h2> <div> <span><font size="5"><em>From the Google Lit Trips website</em>, “Google Lit Trips are free downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth. At each location along the journey there are placemarks with pop-up windows containing a variety of resources including relevant media, thought provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about “real world” references made in that particular portion of the story.”</font></span><br /> <span><br /> </span><br /> <span><font size="5">As a former ELAR teacher, I LOVE this! What a fun way to explore and integrate Google Earth in the classroom!</font></span></div> <div> <div> <a><img decoding="async" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%200%200'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="Picture" data-lazy-src="https://shakeuplearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/609037090.png" /><noscript><img decoding="async" src="https://shakeuplearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/609037090.png" alt="Picture" /></noscript></a></div> </div> <div></div> <div> <div></div> <hr /> <div></div> </div> <h2><a href="https://tourbuilder.withgoogle.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Tour Builder</strong></a></h2> <div> <font size="5">Create and Tell Stories through Google Earth!<br /> </font></div> <ul> <li><font size="5"><span>View Gallery of Stories</span></font></li> <li><font size="5"><span>Create Your Own Tours</span></font></li> <li><font size="5"><span>Great for Student Projects</span></font></li> <li><font size="5"><span>Note: Only works in 32-bit browsers (use Firefox or Safari)– I know! Hard to believe!</span></font></li> <li><font size="5"><span>Must have the Google Earth plug-in</span></font></li> </ul> <div> <div id="388774246577930581" align="left"> <iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJBDyseyh3E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"><br /> Smarty Pins

Google Maps based geography and trivia game.

Google generates a random trivia question about a specific city or country, and you must drop a pin on the correct location on the map. Players can choose from six trivia categories: Featured Topics, Arts & Culture, Science & Geography, Sports & Games, Entertainment, History & Current Events.

Although you cannot choose the location for your students, this is still a fun way to introduce some geography to your students.

Geo Guesser

Game using Google Maps StreetView that drops the player in a random location and challenges them to find out where they are. You cannot choose an exact location, you can choose from collections of cities, countries and continents. Perfect for a little social studies virtual excursion!

Google Lit Trips

From the Google Lit Trips website, “Google Lit Trips are free downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth. At each location along the journey there are placemarks with pop-up windows containing a variety of resources including relevant media, thought provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about “real world” references made in that particular portion of the story.”

As a former ELAR teacher, I LOVE this! What a fun way to explore and integrate Google Earth in the classroom!

Tour Builder

Create and Tell Stories through Google Earth!

View Gallery of Stories
Create Your Own Tours
Great for Student Projects
Note: Only works in 32-bit browsers (use Firefox or Safari)– I know! Hard to believe!
Must have the Google Earth plug-in

In the Classroom:

Create interactive lesson journeys
Visit historical landmarks
Travel through a Novel or Story
Create an Amazing Race adventure!

My Maps Cheat Sheet (by Jennifer Judkins)

Smarty Pins

Smarty Pins is a Google Maps based geography and trivia game. Google generates a random trivia question about a specific city or country, and you must drop a pin on the correct location on the map. Players can choose from six trivia categories: Featured Topics, Arts & Culture, Science & Geography, Sports & Games, Entertainment, History & Current Events.

Although you cannot choose the location for your students, this is still a fun way to introduce some geography to your students.

Geo Guesser

Google Lit Trips

From the Google Lit Trips website, “Google Lit Trips are free downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth. At each location along the journey there are placemarks with pop-up windows containing a variety of resources including relevant media, thought provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about “real world” references made in that particular portion of the story.”

As a former ELAR teacher, I LOVE this! What a fun way to explore and integrate Google Earth in the classroom!

Tour Builder

Create and Tell Stories through Google Earth!

View Gallery of Stories
Create Your Own Tours
Great for Student Projects
Note: Only works in 32-bit browsers (use Firefox or Safari)– I know! Hard to believe!
Must have the Google Earth plug-in

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Comments

Brian McLane says

March 18, 2015 at 7:22 am

My favorite Google tool is Classroom. It’s fairly basic right now, but I’m sure Google will continue to improve it!
Kasey Bell says

March 18, 2015 at 9:04 am

Thanks for sharing, Brian! Classroom is a must-have for teachers!
Matt Arnold says

March 18, 2015 at 12:54 pm

favorite tool is Forms!
Kasey Bell says

March 18, 2015 at 1:22 pm

Good one, Matt! One of my faves. Thanks for sharing!
Ruth says

March 18, 2015 at 6:26 pm

Knew of My Maps and Tour Builder but not the others thanks. Google littrips will be great to use with my students. Need to create some littrips for NZ authors.
- Jane Krauss says
  
  March 31, 2015 at 3:50 pm
  
  Jerome Burg, innovator of GLTrips has great tutorials helping teachers and students create their own Google Lit Trips.
Kasey Bell says

March 18, 2015 at 7:31 pm

Thanks for commenting, Ruth! I’m glad you found some new tools. This is only scratching the surface! Many more posts to come!
Charlie Boone says

March 20, 2015 at 8:18 pm

These are great. I teach a mapping elective at my middle school most years that these will be helpful for. I particularly like the Smarty Pins.
Kasey Bell says

March 20, 2015 at 8:58 pm

That’s great to hear! Thanks for commenting Charlie.
jaime chanter says

March 30, 2015 at 9:14 am

Love the my maps! Thanks so much for these amazing resources!
Kasey Bell says

March 30, 2015 at 1:12 pm

You are welcome, Jaime! Thanks for commenting!
Kasey Bell says

March 31, 2015 at 6:32 pm

Thanks, Jane! Great resource!