Google a day challenges – Maps historical street view enables kids to go back in time

The number of features that google is developing ensures that there is always something new to learn.

This week I took the kids back in time. They had to find a building that no longer exists.

From the slide above, some children merely typed in ‘CTV building’ into google maps. Once they were reminded to cross-check their information they quickly realised that the street names didn’t match. 

However most of the class were able to use information from the photo, the name of the building and the street signs to find the corner of Cashel and Madras, using google maps.

But when they looked at the location in street view there was a problem. The building wasn’t there!

During the challenge, many of the children had found out that this building collapsed in the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch. The children were curious how many buildings had disappeared and quickly began exploring the area to see for themselves the scale of the damage that was inflicted on the Christchurch CBD in the earthquake.

Disaster isn’t the only context I could see this being used in. Cities, particularly in Asia, are growing at a phenomenal rate. Here is a view of the Singapore skyline in 2008. The iconic Marina Bay Sands is under construction.

By 2009, the building is nearing completion. And here is the view in 2013, the cranes have vanished revealing a new skyline.