Integrating maps with student projects and class-collected data is increasingly easy. Two straightforward ways to do this use online mapping services provided by ESRI (a geospatial analysis company) and Google. Both of these requires map-creators to have a user account (available for free for small projects), and allow users to add data to a variety of map backgrounds, placing icons, images, and linked content onto a basic interactive map.

Google Maps is the more common example, since users with existing Google Accounts can create and share  maps using the “My Maps” and “Map Engine Lite” features, as well as using “Google Earth”.  A description of how to do this in a classroom setting is here: Making magnificent maps – https://sites.google.com/site/geostrandgafe/making-magnificent-maps.