Exploring the World through Google Earth

Exposing children to the world they live in is essential for their personal and academic growth. I feel that children these days do not learn enough about geography of the entire world, and their lessons are narrowed on the country and and the state they live in. I took a geography course last year at MSU that really opened my mind about what things I can teach in terms of world geography and how I can teach it. Google Earth is an excellent way of providing a visual to students. Instead of just informing students about a particular culture or landmark, you have the original image on Google Earth. Google Earth allows users to view maps, terrain, 3-D houses and buildings, and even galaxies in the sky. It has special features that allow you to "tag" the places you have been, save places, and share them with others.

However, there are a few disadvantages to Google Earth. A season to not use Google Earth might be because it allows anyone to locate any place on Earth, and can be a method of stalking, etc, since it is so exact. Google Earth might also be a tool that is too advanced for some special education or early education classes. The computer and search engine skills needed could confuse young children, whereas a tangible map or picture might work better.

As a future teacher, I could create lessons that incorporate the usage of Google Earth. We could focus on all seven continents and the countries in them, and I can provide visual images of places in each country (for example, the Great Wall of China, Sydney Opera House, Eiffel Tower, Egyptian pyramids, even local shops and houses in those areas). When I was studying abroad in Australia this past summer, we visited an elementary school in the city of Canberra. While in one of the first grade classrooms, we used Google Earth to show the students Michigan State University! We were able to show them some of the dorm buildings we live in, Spartan Stadium and the MSU library... and the students loved it! The students were able to get a feel of a large university in America and compare it to schools in Australia. I am very interested in travel and teaching abroad, so I definitely want to use Google Earth with my students. Google Earth is exciting, educational, and remarkable!


Click here to see a street view of the Eiffel Tower!