Finding Perimeter Using Google Earth

Recently I had the privilege of co-teaching with Ms. Pace at Ratcliffe Elementary. During our planning session we discussed different ways that we could give the students practice finding perimeter. It was a productive meeting, building upon each other’s ideas. The result of our collaboration was using Google Earth to measure the perimeter of real world buildings.

For this lesson we use the measurement tool in Google Earth. We first practiced using the measurement tool on a place where the students go all the time, the Target down the street.


The students recorded each side on a record sheet and then added the sides together to come up with the perimeter. The students then recorded their answers on a shared Google Document. The shared Google Document was awesome because students were able to see if their answers were similar to their peers. This opened up the students to discuss their answers and how they arrived at their answers. I love metacognition in students!

(Click for Larger Images)

The students then went on to measure the Great Pyramid, Parthenon, Temple of Zeus and Temple of Poseidon.

What to try this lesson out? Here are some resources I used during the lesson.

Locations
Record Sheet for Students
Google Document (Make a copy)