1: Go to www.google.com/maps
2. Type in the search box the name, address or postcode of the place you’re looking for. (Nicholls State University OR 906 East 1st St, Thibodaux LA 70301). Click on the icon of the magnifying glass to search or choose from the autocomplete suggestions if the place is listed.
3. Google will then present you with a list of places with this name (if there are more than one) and a map with a place marker (a teardrop-shaped icon containing a letter) to show its location. You can have it either in “road map” view or in Satellite view, depending upon your preference. (Click on Satellite to change the view).
4. Having found the place on the map, you can also ask Google for directions for either driving or walking there. Click Directions.
5. If you want walking directions – for instance, from a tube or railway station to your location – click on the image of the walking person. If you want to go by car or public transport, click the corresponding icon.
6. You will now be asked to give your starting point in box A. (Box B will already be filled in with your destination you searched for). You can either type in the name of your starting point and click in search or you can click on the map and choose your starting point.
7. Google will give you several possible routes in the left-hand column and possible routes on the map. When you choose one on the left, the suggested route will be shown as a blue dotted line from point A to point B. You can change the route to make a detour by dragging the blue line to redefine the way.
8.You can use the zoom toolbar on the left-hand side of the map window to get a closer view of the map of the area that you’re going to visit. You can either click the plus (+) and minus (–) symbols at the top and bottom of the toolbar on the right to get to the view you want, or you can grab the little ‘handle’ in the middle of the toolbar and drag it up or down.
9. The circle at the top of the toolbar can also be used to navigate the map. You can also have a street view of the map to see landmarks etc to plan your route. Click and drag the icon of a little man onto the map and then choose Street View to change to street view. Click back in the small square showing the map view to go back to the map.
10. DONE!
Google Maps is an app that allows us to get directions from point A to point B. Check out this beginners guide to help guide you in your traveling journeys for years to come! Regardless if you are planning to drive, walk, bike, take a bus, etc., Google Maps has the directions and timing you need!
Google Maps allows the individual user not only to be able to navigate on the web, but to also navigate offline. This is accomplished when the user downloads the map they are wanting to use again in the future. The map remains downloaded for thirty days. After the thirty day period, it expires, but it can be downloaded again.
Google Maps offers a really cool feature called street view. When in street view, the user can look at images that provide a 360° view of the surrounding area. This is a really great resource to use if you want to take a virtual field trip!
In grade 6, students are required to plot coordinates of latitude and longitude to determine location or change of location (6.3.2). Why not relate it to everyday life with technology? With Google maps, you can type in any location. When you right click on the location, select the What's Here? option on the drop down menu. This will provide a small box that states the location, latitude and longitude!
Have students pair up with another student. Each pair will be assigned to a computer with five different locations. Have the students search for the location, right click, select What's Here? from the drop down menu, and write the latitude and longitude of the specific area. At the end of the class, have the students say their latitude and longitude. The teacher will type them into Google Maps to display the findings on the interactive white board. The teacher will explain the specific location given is attached to the latitude and longitude.
In grade 2, students are required to be able to locate and identify the poles, equator, continents, oceans, the United States, Louisiana, and the local community (2.2.1). Google Maps could be the answer to this Louisiana Student Standard!
Throughout teaching this unit, it would be great to have virtual field trips to these areas. For example, explain the North Pole and South Pole are located at the top and bottom of the Earth and we show a globe. We can then pull up Google Maps and display it on the interactive white board. Call students to come and find the given areas! It will get harder and more challenging as they must find the specific oceans and continents. You can then limit it just to North America and have them find the United States, Louisiana, and the community in which their school is in. Take it a step further and put your school on street view! The students will love it.
A: In order to see in satellite view, you must enable it by clicking on the small square in the left hand corner that says satellite.
A: Don't worry! Google Maps allows you to see traffic areas! To find the places you should avoid, click on the menu button. From the drop down menu, select traffic. You will see roads in four colors: green, orange, red, and maroon. Green is the fastest traffic while maroon in the slowest.
A: Once finding the map and route you want to take, click on the menu button. From here, select print. Congrats! You have a paper Google map!