Ok, so check it out, dawg…here’s an example of what you can do with the new “My Maps” feature from Google. Go on…go look.
Now, if your head ain’t swimmin’ with ideas like mine is… My children don’t know it yet, but they just became the map makers for all travel related to the Richardson family. (And we just figured out that the whole clan is going to Australia this summer.) I can’t wait to show them this.
I know this isn’t news, but this is the kind of stuff that still gives me butterflies. Stupid, I know. It’s also the kind of stuff that I want to go running into schools with, shouting “Look what our kids can create! Look what they can contribute!”
It’s a great time to be a learner, isn’t it? Very cool…
(And PS…if you haven’t seen this yet, check out Step #19 in the directions Google gives in getting from my town to Stockholm, Sweden where my relatives live…too funny.)
Wow!! And a la Jen Wagner, Happy Friday! Thank you for inspiring me and helping me and putting up with me and a million other thank yous!!! And all from Stockton, NJ. (I’m the one who grew up in New Hope, across the river. Mom & step-dad lived there, bwtn the river and canal. Dad was from Philly – East Falls)
That’s one long swim Will! Don’t forget your water wings!
Seriously though, check out the CNN video (http://news.com.com/1606-2_3-6173473.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news)- not only can you create the map but you can augment it with images, video, audio, weblinks. What a great way to liven up history? The civil war may not be exciting but have the kids generate a timeline of who, what, when and where and now you’ve got their attention!!!
Cheers,
John
http://edventures.whitemountaintech.net
Shout out to Will on Cyber Compliment Day for inspiring and teaching so many through his blog.
http://cliotech.blogspot.com/2007/04/cybercompliment-day-april-6th.html
I’ll second that Jen, thanks Will for your inspiration and perseverance!
Cheers,
John
I hope that it’s not too long before these tools (esp. embedded videos) are made available to Google Earth)
You so did NOT just write “dawg.”
Why do I now have an image of Sean Connery as Will Richardson in “Finding Blogster,” the story of an older edu-techie who takes a young, talented but lost blogger under his wing and mentors him to greatness.
“You da blogger now, dawg!”
Coming soon to theaters near you.
An exciting new tool! Thanks for sharing. I have no doubt that our technology integration specialist,John Calvert, will soon put it through its paces. He has already created a unique tool for our second grade students and teachers, which can be downloaded at http://www.tufsd.org/wlm/TUFSDatlasb.exe One really exciting part of the program is the Panorama images, accessed by clicking the panorama check box, then selecting one of the thumbnails for the map. It is exciting to see how the variety of new tools entices our students! Much of this has been inspired by conversations at various workshops of yours that we have attended (i.e. SLA and Mohonk), and for this we are grateful.
Other than being able to change the angles on the view this function pretty much gives you Google Earth in a web browser. I think one of the greatest parts is being able to export the kml file. Like Mike said, I really hope that GE has the ability for streaming video embedded in it sometime soon too (even if it is only YouTube). It would be great for virtual field trips.
Thanks for sharing this Will. This has a lot of possibilities for educators… mapping battles and timelines in History, tracing a storyline of a novel, documenting the migration of birds in Life Science, etc. The lesson does not dramatically change for teachers, but the ability to share and contribute information with the world is engaging for students.
Hello!!
great ideas —
now take it a step further — and start playing with Google Earth!!!
It will make your Google Map look simplistic.
BTW — Happy CyberCompliment Day! (a bit late!) I have learned a GREAT GREAT deal from you!
JenWagner
Thanks Wil!! This is a tool I will use for my next project on my trip to Greece and Austria this summer!
Janice Friesen
http://jfriesen.edublogs.org
http://malahinitx.blogspot.net (in October 2005 is my first blog project trip)
My head was “swimmin'” with details the moment I read this post. I’m thinking about the implications in literature classes. Creating a map for the Joad family, or where Odysseus might have traveled in non-fictional terms. I’m also thinking about how wonderful this could be with writing – a map of places students have lived or visited, or wish lists.
Thanks!
Great to hear that you’re heading this way Will. Is this is private journey or are you presenting anywhere – conferences, workshops, etc?
Michael (Adelaide, Australia)
I like My Google Maps, but I like Community Walk (based on Google Maps) maps better. Here’s why…
Pictures: you can associate multiple pictures with each location marker and you can annotate them.
Categories: you can have categories of location markers which the viewer can turn on or off. Kind of like the data layers in Google Earth.
And of course, just like Google Maps, you can save them as KML files.
Here’s a sample CW: http://www.communitywalk.com/superior_then_and_now/map/75086
Enjoy.
Ditto on Community Maps Lynn – great for embedding audio and video too!
Will, I’m also an Aussie and would like to echo Michael’s query re private trip or any presentations likely in Oz?
You’ve quite a followiong here in Oz, from Adelaide to here in Canberra! :o)
Marg O’Connell