As I mentioned in this week’s Practical Ed Tech Newsletter, Google Earth and digital mapping is an area of ed tech that I still get excited about after all these years. 

Google Earth is a tool that people often think of as being something that’s only useful for social studies lessons. However, there are many areas in which Google Earth is useful. One of those areas is in elementary school and middle school math lessons. 

Within the web version of Google Earth there is an easy-to-use tool for measuring distances long and short. You can use this tool to quickly measure a distance between two places, to measure perimeter, and to measure area. In the short video that is embedded below I demonstrate how to measure perimeter and area in Google Earth. 

Video – How to Measure Perimeter and Area in Google Earth

On a related note, completing my Around the World With Google Earth activity is a great way for students to learn how to use Google Earth and to create Google Earth projects.