Google Maps Labs: Measurement Tool

Their seem to be an infinite number of uses for Google products in the classroom. My most recent discovery was the distance measurement tool in Google Maps.  After a weekend spend walking around Manhattan I was wondering just how far I had ambled around the island.  A quick google search and I soon discovered the Distance Measurement Lab in Google Maps.  What a great tool, and so many great ideas for use in the classroom came to mind.  

To enable the distance measurement tool, just go to Google Maps, and then look carefully in the lower left hand corner of your screen for the "Maps Labs" link. 

At that point a small ruller will pop up in the corner of your map. Clicking on it will bring up the distance measurement tool. 

Your options for units are quite expansive.  In basic view you can choose between Metric and English.  However, a click on "I'm feeling Geeky" will reveal a plethora of measurement options.  For the record from NYC to Hellertown, Pa is 219,080 Egyptian Old Royal Cubits (as the crow flies).  Other options include football fields, furlongs, and Potrzebies (a measurement equal to the thickness of Mad issue 26).  The possibilities for math related to unit conversion alone are endless!

Once you chose your unit, simply click on the map and it will tell you the distance between the points.  Super easy, and so many lesson ideas.  Elementary students can practice estimation based on scale and then test their guesses with the rules.  Social studies teachers can have students figure out approximate distances between battles of the Civil War.  Math teachers can create fun interactive word problems based on locations on a map.  If you have any other ideas, please add them to the comment section below. 

In case you were wondering, I walked approximately 11.08 miles around the island of Manhattan last Saturday... no wonder my feet hurt!