Abstract

Originally called Earth Viewer in 2004, Google Earth was the first virtual globe easily available to the ordinary user of the Internet. Google Earth, at earth.google.com, is a free, 3-dimensional computer model of Earth, but that means more than just a large collection of pretty pictures. It allows the viewer to "fly" anywhere on Earth "to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3-D buildings, and even explore galaxies." The webpage "Google Earth for Educators" suggests that teachers first practice moving freely around in the virtual environment by changing the viewing angle and position of the globe with a click of the mouse. These views may show geographical or man-made features. In this article, the authors demonstrate how Google Earth can be used to teach fundamental skills of geography in the elementary classroom. (Contains 6 notes and 6 online resources.)

Citation

Britt, J. & LaFontaine, G. (2009). Google Earth: A Virtual Globe for Elementary Geography. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 21(4), 20-23. Retrieved August 6, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/72457/.

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Keywords

• Basic Skills
• educational technology
• elementary education
• Geography
• Satellites (Aerospace)
• social studies
• teaching methods