Google and iPads as Tools for Learning Geography in Fifth Grade

Google and iPads are an excellent tool for elementary students when they are learning geography. In this project I will be focusing in fifth grade students. The learning objectives according to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Grade 5 are:

•         The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data.
•         The student understands the concept of regions in the United States.
•         The student understands the location and patterns of settlement and the geographic factors that influence where people live.
•         The student understands how people adapt to and modify their environment.

I am going to start explaining how Google could be used to help students in fifth grade learn about geography. First of all there is Google Earth, that is a software that will allow students to see very detailed photos or satellite images of any place around the world. So you are free to navigate the through the Earth! Also with this tool you can use different layers of information. One is the Weather layer and it helps you see the different type of weather around the world. Another one is the borders and labels, this one is very helpful for children because it defines states, the capitals of each state, countries and continents. There is also the ocean layer, which gives you information about marine life and sea temperatures among other things.

Besides students can practice latitude and longitude by locating coordinates, they can also look for a place they know and look for the exact location of it. Something that I also find amazing is the time slider, which is a tool that shows you how the geography has changed over time.

There is also Google maps gives you the benefit of looking for any address around the world and give you specific direction to get there. Also you can select between streetview, map or satellite view.

Another helpful tool from Google is Panoramio, which allows you to see many different pictures from all over the world. From here you can select between the map, satellite and hybrid view. You can browse for any place you would like to see pictures of. These were the most helpful tools I found from Google for children to learn geography.

From iPads we have different applications children can use. What is great about using iPads is that children love to use them; they are just amazed with them. So as educators, we can take advantage of this and have them use them in a way that is going to benefit them and help them learn.

The ipads already have the Maps application installed and it works just as the Google maps tool. Like mentioned before, with an iPad you can download many different application that are going to help children learn. One of them is Learn Geography which helps children learn the location of countries and states in a map and also to learn all the capitals through the use of flashcards and maps, and it also provides feedback. There is another application called Stack the States which through games helps you learn the name of every state, its location and geographical information about each state. Another fun and helpful application is the  iLearn: US States which helps children learn in a fun way the names of each state, its capital, different facts about each state, such as its flag, bird, and statehood. Students can review the information, play games, and also be tested.

There is also an application called the United States Puzzle Map, which contains puzzles with maps of the United States and each piece is a state, students just have to drag each state to its location until they complete the puzzle. There is also the National Geographic for kids magazine application available with photo galleries, information, games, quizzes and puzzles. And the National Geographic World Atlas HD, which offers high-resolution images of maps from the whole world. It has an interactive 3D globe, which you can spin or rotate, you can also select between classic, executive or satellite view.  It also shows the world flags and facts and you can even bookmark your favorite places with pins.

So with all these tools available you can make your students work in groups and assign each group a region of the United States. They will have to provide maps with different views of each region, information, the weather, important facts and places of the states in each region including pictures. They also need to show and explain how the geography in each region has changed over time and show the location of it in the globe.