Google Earth Engine Timelapse

Provided by: Google Earth |Published on: April 27, 2021

Data, Graphs, and Maps

6789101112

Scientist Reviewed ↗

Synopsis

This interactive time-lapse map lets students explore changes to land, water, or ice in 18 different locations around the world using Google Earth satellite imagery.
Images date back to 1984 and include changes in glaciers, lakes, forests, coastlines, rivers, urban areas, and industrial sites.
Students will explore changes in Alaska, Las Vegas, California, Brazil, Australia, Chile, Germany, China, India, Peru, Bolivia, Dubai, Alberta, Madagascar, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and Myanmar.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Geography

Authors: Google Earth

Region: Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, South and Central America, USA - Northeast, USA - West, United States, Oceania, New Jersey, California, Nevada, Alaska

Languages: English

View Resource

Teaching Materials

Positives

Seeing the changes to the Earth from satellite imagery is a powerful way to introduce students to a number related topics.
The progression of images can be paused and clicked through at the student's pace.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with the terms deforestation, mining, expansion, meandering, urban, infrastructure, and glacier.
Using wireless Internet or a slower connection may take longer for the images to load.

Differentiation

Students can use this resource as a whole-class activity, in groups, or individually.
Cross-curricular connections could be made with social studies, economics, and history classes when considering our current and historical use of land for agricultural purposes, natural resources, trade routes, or cities.
Ecology courses could use this resource to identify areas where wild populations may have been fragmented or isolated and connect it to biodiversity loss using this resource, this video on humans and biodiversity.
Other resources related to this topic include this Google Earth time lapse on urban sprawl, this sea level rise viewer, and the environmental impacts of food data explorer.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

Scientist Reviewed

This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.

Learn about our review process →

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.

Cookie Preferences

Google Earth Engine Timelapse

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources