Field trips are one of the great joys of school for many students. They get to leave school and generalize learnings by interacting with artifacts, witnessing demonstrations, or meeting with experts. Unfortunately, COVID has denied opportunities to visit community locations. However, one interesting possibility remains- virtual field trips.
Traditional field trips have geographical limitations. What if you want to “take” your students to the Grand Canyon, London, or the Great Wall of China? Virtual field trips can make it happen!
Technology allows us to visit virtually any place without having to worry about cost, permission slips, or long bumpy rides on a school bus.
There are a couple of options for you to consider. For synchronous classes, you can lead a group lesson through a virtual field trip, pacing the experience to allow students opportunities to respond and interact. A great asynchronous option is to allow your students time to interact with a virtual trip on their own. If you choose this option, be sure to provide students with a list of expectations and an activity that allows them to reflect and summarize their learnings. You might ask them to collect “souvenirs” by taking screen shots along the way.
OK, if you are still reading you are likely interested in trying some virtual field trips. Let’s get to the good stuff. Here are 10 amazing virtual field trips to try with your class. Enjoy!
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
This virtual tour of the Natural History Museum is amazing! You use your cursor to move throughout the museum’s gallery. For example, students can navigate to the dinosaur room, the fossil lab, the mammal hall, and much more. They can even explore the café. J The site also includes a number of narrated video tours that explore specific artifacts and displays. There is enough great content here to carry you through an entire school year of learning opportunities.
Statue of Liberty
A field trip to see the Statue of Liberty in New York City is the dream of many teachers and students. Very few of us would ever get to offer this opportunity to our students. This virtual tour offers highlights of what we could expect from a live tour. In fact, you can experience beautiful 360-degree views from multiple spots in and around Lady Liberty.
Solar System
Navigate our solar system with the ability to zoom in on each of the planets and moons. Students can pause to learn detailed information about each planet such as size, surface temperature, structure, and distance from the sun.
Tour of London
This is a comprehensive tour of London that is effectively broken down into small segments that can be easily incorporated into your lessons. For instance, you can visit Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, or Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Beyond a general description of each location, you will also find links to views from Google Maps and a short instructional video highlighting the historical significance of each landmark. Don’t forget to hop aboard the London Eye for beautiful views of the city.
New England Aquarium
Boston, MA is home to the amazing New England Aquarium. Technology allows you and your students to visit from the comfort of your classroom or homes. You will find a lot of great options including educational videos of various wildlife, live webcams of the giant ocean tank & penguin colony, and a variety of projects & crafts.
Virtual Tour of Egypt
This collection of video tours will allow you and your students to check out a range of high-interest destinations in Egypt. You can select from 8 different experiences including a visit to Cairo, sailing down the Nile, and going to the pyramids at Giza.
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo might be too far away for many students to visit, but they have a whopping 12 different live cams available to view at any given time. Your students can periodically check in on favorite animals including giraffe, tiger, polar bear, elephant, and koala.
Washington D.C. National Mall
Follow the walking path around the National Mall and stop at each monument and memorial to learn some interesting facts and see the sights. This “walking” tour includes beautiful daytime and nighttime views.
Farms
A field trip to the farm can teach so many lessons. For example, a farm visit can be incorporated into units such as food chain, ecosystems, and job exploration. This resource offers a choice of 14 different farms that your students can visit including chicken farm, grain farm, pig farm, and apple orchard.
Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World– The ultimate field trip dream for many students. Perhaps you are savvy enough to work a virtual WDW field trip into your academic content. Maybe you use this as a class reward. This tour offers virtual rides on many of the parks’ most popular attractions. (My favorite is Pirates of the Caribbean!)
These 10 virtual field trips are excellent, but there are so many more options out there. Don’t be afraid to do a quick Google search to find experiences that will support the units that you are teaching.
Remember that while COVID restrictions have made virtual field trips extra popular, they can remain a great option after we safely return to full-time face-to-face instruction. How else will the same class ever get to visit London, the San Diego Zoo, and Walt Disney World?
Happy teaching!
