Tip:
Those who use Google Earth discover that the world is smaller than they think. The program combines satellite images, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world at your fingertips. The free version lets you.
- Type in an address and zoom right in. Fly from space to your neighborhood.
- Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.
- Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings.
- Save and share your searches and favorites. Even add your own annotations.
The program, great for PC users, does not work with Macs for now. Upgrade to Google Earth Plus ($20) to add GPS devices and Google Earth Pro for professional and commercial uses (more than we need). Okay – pretty cool, especially when you fly all the way into an address. But some of the pictures are over two years old.
Check out Earth Browser, which has the advantage of working with PCs and Macs. You can download a demo version or purchase for under $20. There is also a low price license for schools. So try the demo first to see how you can use this program with your teachers and students.
- Rotate the earth with the browsing hand
- Check the temperature of different locations with a click
- Turn on Webcams and get a real birds-eye view of different places around the world.
- Turn the clouds on and off.
- Check the 5-day forecast of different locations.
- Show volcanoes, earthquakes, storms, icebergs, sea surface temperatures, and even buoys.
You have to check both of these programs out. What a great way for you and your students to learn geography. You’ll keep asking is this real? How do they do that?
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