Google Earth -
more than just a map
In this course, you'll discover how to make the most of Google Earth, from checking out famous tourist attractions to taking guided tours of remote parts of the globe.
In the following activities, you'll learn how to find your way around Google Earth, understand the menus and add a wealth of extra detail to maps.
You'll also learn how to research and plan your next holiday, as well as tour the world using Google Voyager.
To get you started, below is a short, animated video showing you some of the more advanced features of Google Earth and introducing you to Voyager.
Transcript
Welcome to 'Google Earth: More than just a Map'. Google Earth is like an interactive encyclopaedia that helps you explore the world. In this video, we're going to use the Chrome browser to see how the Map Styles and Photo options add detail to the maps on Google Earth. You'll also learn how to use Voyager to explore the world from your armchair. While the steps in this video will look a little different on a mobile device, don't worry. You should still be able to follow along.
Let's look at the different ways you can view maps on Google Earth. To begin, type earth.google.com into your web browser. When the page loads, click the Launch Earth button, and a virtual globe will appear. From the menu on the left, click on the Search icon. It looks like a magnifying glass. In the Search bar, start to type Manhattan, New York. You'll see relevant suggestions appear. Click Manhattan when it appears. The earth will zoom and spin to locate Manhattan. From here, we're going to click on the List icon. It looks like three horizontal lines. From the options, click on Map Style. By default, Google Earth shows maps in Exploration mode, with place names, major roads and international borders added. Clicking Clean mode removes most information from the map. This view shows the satellite imagery of the area as it appears from space. For lots of information, click Everything to see features such as roads, suburbs and landmarks. This gives a very detailed view, similar to a map or atlas. Choose your preferred style and then click the List icon to close Map Styles and return to the main menu. Google Earth can help you visit places you've always wanted to go.
Let's take a virtual trip to Paris. Let's click on the Search icon. Start to type Eiffel Tower into the Search bar. You'll see relevant suggestions appear. Click Eiffel Tower when it appears. Paris, here we come! The landmark tower appears in 3D. The information card is blocking the view so let's reduce its size. Click the up arrow in the top left corner of the card to make it smaller. What an amazing view! Click 2D to change the view. The map will change to a bird's-eye perspective. Click the plus button to zoom in and see more detail. You can go in as close as you like. Click 3D to return to the previous view. Now you can see the landscape in 3D. Click and drag with your mouse to look around. Now, let's go take a closer look. Click and drag the Street View icon to where you want to go. Imagine that the little person you're dropping on screen is where you would like to drop yourself onto the map. You can drop the Street View icon wherever there is a blue line or circle, even on a river. Let's look at the Eiffel Tower from the Seine. You can click on the arrows to move around, or click and drag the image with your mouse to rotate the map until the Eiffel Tower comes into view. Now you have a front seat on a French river boat! Click the information card to learn about the Tower. These cards usually include some history and interesting facts about a location. Click People also explore to see information about nearby sites. Click the right arrow on the bottom right to find out about other attractions. When you find one of interest, click the Fly Here icon to go there. Arc de Triomphe, here we come! You can learn more about the world with Voyager interactive tours and Google Earth maps.
To get started, look for the Voyager icon on the main control panel. It looks like a ship's helm. Click it. The Voyager home page will appear, with a range of topic categories to choose from. There are topics and destinations here to match every interest including nature, games, culture, education, and more. Let's click on Education. Here, you can view all relevant content in the Education category. There sure is a lot to explore. Scroll down and click on one of the options. To begin this expedition, click Explore. Zoom in and out on the map by clicking the plus and minus symbols on the map controls. Click the right arrow to scroll through images and information. Click the left arrow to go back. Scroll down through the text to learn more. Click Read More to find out more about the different traditions of poetry. Voyager combines everything that's great about Google Earth in one place. Where will you go on your first voyage?
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1
What can Google Earth do?
6 min
2
Using the control menu
9 min
3
Add Map Styles and Photos
7 min
4
Take a virtual trip!
7 min
5
Introducing Voyager
8 min