Virtual Field Trip



Virtual Field Trip

Grade Level: Elementary School Classroom

Topic: Virtual Fieldtrips in the Elementary School Classroom

Standards:

Virginia Standard of Learning (or your state standards of learning):

Objective: Virtual fieldtrips are enriching and exciting internet trips that allow individuals to visit destinations they might otherwise be unable to tour. Specifically, virtual fieldtrips are changing the way elementary school students explore our world! Teachers are currently incorporating these virtual fieldtrips into their classrooms to supplement a live upcoming fieldtrip, increase the frequency and variety of student excursions, or altogether replace the inaccessible or expensive field trip.

Materials: Accessibility. Virtual fieldtrips allow both students and teachers to visit destinations that would otherwise be inaccessible. It is likely that elementary school students from Williamsburg, Virginia would be unable to visit the Rocky Mountains in the west coast of the United States. Similarly, students from California are restricted by distance from touring locations such as the battle grounds of the Civil War. Thankfully, virtual fieldtrips eliminate the need to visit a local attraction. Virtual fieldtrips can expand a young student's knowledge base to include information about distant locations!

Inexpensive. Another advantage of virtual fieldtrips is the inexpensive cost of these excursions. Virtual fieldtrips are usually free of charge or very inexpensive. This low price allows a teacher the ability to take her students on numerous fieldtrips during the school year, virtually of course! Districts with little funding or schools populated with students from low socioeconomic statuses are no longer restricted from touring exciting and educational destinations.

Safety. Student safety is another positive aspect of the virtual fieldtrip experience. With live fieldtrips, numerous chaperones must accompany the classroom teacher in order to keep students safe and manage behavior; however, virtual fieldtrips eliminate this problem! Although internet safety is an issue associated with virtual fieldtrips, proper planning by the teacher ...