Appy-Picking Month: Live Street View

There seems to be a slight theme here of righting a few of the wrongs (though there are many rights) of iOS 6. Many may remember that I am a Googlephile as well as an Apple Fanboy, so I am not so pleased to see Google's near-exile from iOS 6.  One of the niftiest features of the previous Maps app, which I avoided writing about in past months since I knew it was going away, was Google Street View. With the new Maps app, this feature is gone, but I wanted to show a very cool "for now" replacement.

Live Street View (Free version has minimal ads, $.99 gets you an ad-free experience) allows you to touch-navigate the globe, or search specific locations, and simply tap to enter street view. From there you can tap on the arrows to move down the worldwide and extensive database of streets and turn onto adjacent streets.

However, this app improves on previous Street View experiences by using your device's gyroscope.  When you move your device in different directions, it will change the view accordingly, providing more of an augmented reality experience!

Language Lens:
Geographic visualizers such as Street View are fantastically motivating ways to tie in with social studies curriculum at many levels, from local community to world geography, while targeting descriptive language and spatial concepts.  Apps such as this also have uses for working with adults!

Common Core Connection:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.3a Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.