Moving at the Speed of Creativity - Fun with Google Maps

Fun with Google Maps

Published by Wesley Fryer in edtech on April 10th, 2005

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Have you spent time lately playing with Google Maps, now that they have added satellite imagery? This resource is a geographers dream! What fun!

I have been reading about many bloggers who have been spending time on the Google Maps website, since last week they added a mind-blowing new feature: the ability to toggle between a map view (showing street and street names) and a satellite view– that is zoomable and draggable! Here are some AMAZING things I did tonight using the site:

- I did a street-level flyover in Lubbock from my house to the TTU College of Education, where I work– tracing the commute path I usually follow each morning.
- I zoomed in on my old neighborhood in Manhattan, Kansas, and did a flyover from my old house up to the high school.
- I zoomed in from above to the US Air Force Academy, and checked out the buildings in the cadet area.
- I headed south and looked for Mexico City and the Valley of Mexico, as well as the two 17,000+ volcanoes that are south of the city: Popo and Ixta.

So cool! I took a few screenshots and put together a quick webpage that uses layers and javascript mouseover links (pretty simple to do with DreamWeaver) that shows my virtual travels tonight! Check it out!

I included some locators for my freshman and senior squadron areas at USAFA, other spots in the cadet area, and the location of our College of Education building at TTU. No, I did not include a map to my house, tho that is quite easy for anyone to do using this resource and public address info.

The satellite imagery of Texas Tech here in Lubbock is dated pretty closely by the fact that our College of Education building, new in 2002, was not yet complete at the time the (current) satellite images were taken. You can see the construction is still underway on the English/Philosophy building across the courtyard from our building. So I estimate these satellite images of TTU in Lubbock were taken in 2001.

GOOGLE MAPS IS AN AMAZING RESOURCE!!! And it is free. There are so many potential educational uses I can think of. And this is just in beta, what are resources like this going to be like in 10 years?!