SketchUp in the Classroom

This is a great example of how SketchUp is making it's way into the classroom for the next generation. In the architecture business, we use SketchUp as a tool to create new buildings... but there is a whole other community out there of people creating existing buildings (and not just for context). Being able to add a real-life location, model a building from Google Street View and showing the surrounding terrain are just a few ways that the earth is being modeled one building at a time.

In Hartford, VT, they are using it as a teaching aid in a history class. What better way to understand the history of your town, then to visit it's buildings, take pictures, research the history and draw what you see. Google Earth is allowing geography and history students the opportunity to "travel" to any place on the glove to view the history and the landscape of other countries. What was only seen before in picture, can now be seen in 3 dimensions.

Students are also using it in their Integrated Technology class. SketchUp lets them model components and items in 3D that before would have been impossible.

YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4FMGJQ4zfc

Creating Hartford Web Page:

http://creatinghartfordvt.com/