4th Grade Virginia Regions Interactive Map
Fourth grade is currently studying the regions of Virginia. I’ve described some technology projects you can do for this unit earlier in my blog: here’s a video project and here’s a Keynote project. But today at Pinchbeck, Mr. Stein’s class wanted to make an embedded map like I did this summer. So first we used PhotoBooth to create videos about the regions. You could either download a folder of pictures to use as backgrounds by clicking here, or you can let your students take their own pictures of the different regions! How? Go to GoogleMaps and zoom down into a region, then go to Street View and take a screenshot of an interesting place. You take a screenshot by holding down the Apple (or Command) key + Shift + 4. The screenshots are saved in the Documents folder. Then use those pictures as backgrounds in PhotoBooth. If your students are having trouble finding a good spot to take a picture, I have some saved on this website. After the students made their videos, Mr. Stein created a embedded map with markers representing each student, so when you click on the marker you can view the student’s video. Take a look at the finished map here. The cool thing about putting the project on an embedded map on your website is that students are eager to show it off to their parents and friends so the motivation to review is built into the project.