Where I Live (Google Maps and Pixie)

First-grade students learn about where they live using Google Maps and Pixie. Students type their address into Google Maps, which places a red marker on their street. They use the “Prnt Scrn” button to take a screenshot of the map. Next, students switch to Pixie using the Windows Taskbar and paste their map. Once the map is pasted, it can be resized (using the corners) to fit the page.

Students repeat these steps zooming out further each time. Each page has a sentence starter (e.g., I live in the town of ____________.), which tells students what to look for next. By using the zoom out button, the map marker stays pinned to their address, making it easy to see their address from any zoom level as they identify town, state, country, and continent. On the last page, students glue down the world map and draw a line from their address to the next country they will study.

The project has taken about 3-4 class periods to complete. The process may seem a little complicated, but students are eager to learn new tools and stay engaged throughout. Students’ addresses can be written on slips of paper and distributed to students early in the activity. We also found it is helpful to pair students. The final project is a PDF or ebook, which can be sent home electronically or printed.