Fun with Google My Maps

Learning intentions

• To see the differences between 3 given architects
• To choose one architect to focus on
• To collect images and information about the chosen architect
• To showcase information about the three architects as a class using Google MyMaps
• To understand where in the world the buildings are that they have been researching.

My Year 11 class started their second project today (we haven't actually finished our pull along toys, but are waiting for the MDF to be delivered in order to produce the final thing).
This second project is about looking at the work of an architect and using the influence of that work to design their own product.
The first part of this work is to analyse an architect of their choice. I gave them a choice of three but also said that if they didn't like any of those then they could choose their own. Link to choices on the class site.
This work is set up on a Hapara Workspace too. We worked on the dark purple section today and collected images and basic information.

We then started on a shared Google My Map.

I made the map then shared it with the whole class so they could all edit it.

We decided to use the layers. So far, as of typing this, Moroni has got onto this part of the work. We will continue next lesson.
Link to the map here.

Using MyMaps for Year 11 Information Collection

My Year 11 group are on with their poster designs and are at the stage where they are collecting the information about their chosen architect and their work. We started with the usual method of using a Google Doc to collect the information and cite the sources. I decided to let them work in small teams of two or three to do this, depending on which architect they chose.
It then occurred to me that this would be a good opportunity to use the MyMaps option on Google Maps. I made an example of a Frank Gehry map to show them what I wanted to do with the application.




To introduce them to using the application, I made a map and shared it with the whole class for them to add two pins each. One pin was where they live now and one pin was where their family is from. I started off by adding my two pins, one in Glen Innes and one in England, and showed them how to add pictures of the place.
The students then added their pins and images.
It was a really good whanaungatanga as we were learning lots about each other and the students were leaning over and saying things like "is that where you live?" .. "is that where you're from?" .. "wow that's really pretty"...
There are a couple of "stray" pins on the map when one or two students decided to pin places like the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. Teenagers!





A couple of my students have made a start on their architect maps, and they are finding it interesting seeing where these buildings are as well as find the information about them to add to the map.

Another thing I have suggested they do, and some of them have started, is use Google Street View to see the buildings in place next to the other buildings on the street. This helps them to understand the effect these designs have on their surroundings. This was something that they have just started but are really enjoying.

Here is an example of a student produced map, about Antoni Gaudi.