TOP PICKS | 20 TOOLS
Middle and High School Geography Apps and Websites
Top Picks
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Explore Interactive Multimedia and Games
National Geographic Education
Top geography resource site provides global exploration opportunities
Bottom line: This is a must-bookmark site for classrooms across the curriculum hunting for inspiring geography-based resources.
Google Lit Trips
Google Earth-powered tours explore how stories and geography connect
Bottom line: With some initial fiddling, this can be a good option to increase student interest in -- and add depth to -- literary study.
Stack the States 2
Geography trivia game balances facts and fun
Bottom line: This is a clear go-to if you're looking to help students memorize state locations, shapes, capitals, history, and more.
Expeditions
Fire up the warp drive to bring VR field trips to your classroom
Bottom line: With stunning scenes and a flexible delivery method, your students will thank you for journeying together through space and time.
GeoBee Challenge HD by National Geographic
Geography buffs can hone their knowledge of places, landmarks
Bottom line: For kids who already know their geography, this is a good way to practice for geography bees, but for kids trying to learn, it can be daunting.
Montessorium: Intro to Geo
Map memorization drills offer comprehensive but monotonous coverage
Bottom line: This is a great database of basic information about the world's countries; the repetitive drills will work for some kids and circumstances, but not others.
Oddizzi
Kids travel the world, cultivate global curiosity and responsibility
Bottom line: Kids get a sense of culture and global responsibility via kid-friendly articles and great multimedia.
Google Earth VR
Explore the world with an incredible new perspective and sense of scale
Bottom line: An amazing experience that brings the world to life, despite the heavy investment in VR required.
Esri GeoInquiries
Captivating, focused map activities support larger curricular lessons
Bottom line: These inquiry-based activities are a valuable visual and investigative resource for teachers and students in many different subjects.
Geoguessr
"Just one more turn" gameplay jazzes up geography
Bottom line: It's not a typical educational game, but Geoguessr inspires students to explore the world and encourages them to think critically about what defines a place, including culture and geography.
Seterra Geography
Drill geography facts with oddly compelling, no-frills app
Bottom line: A basic but useful way to drill and memorize geography basics.
BiomeViewer
World habitat app full of intriguing visual comparisons, useful data
Bottom line: This biome reference app helps students get local when understanding their planet Earth.
Geocaching
Leave and locate hidden packages in a real-world treasure hunt
Bottom line: Kids learn problem-solving, teamwork, and mapping skills, but the site doesn’t provide instruction or explanations for most of those topics; educators will have to fill in the gaps.
StoryMapJS
Pro-oriented storytelling and mapping tool has classroom potential
Bottom line: Getting comfortable with StoryMapJS will require some focus, but students who take the time will gain a new perspective on digital storytelling.
Get Lost in Atlases and Maps
Google Earth
Cool geographical exploration tool has endless classroom applications
Bottom line: Google Earth is an engaging and completely open-ended app perfect for use across the educational spectrum.
Maps101
Maps and more in this vast history, geography, and civics resource
Bottom line: A well-rounded selection of helpful classroom and research materials; better organization would help kids navigate the site with ease.
StrataLogica
High-quality customizable maps help students understand their world
Bottom line: This map app takes time to learn to use but offers both teachers and students highly useful tools for creating custom maps and interactive social studies and science presentations.
Geo Walk - World Factbook 3D
Dazzling look at the world via an interactive atlas
Bottom line: Credible resource for introducing students to the world, which is likely to encourage them to research areas of interest further.
Google Maps - Transit & Food
Cool extras bolster top navigation app
Bottom line: Google Maps is an essential navigation tool that can empower students to explore their world.
