Descriptions of Elements of Good Field Trips: Virtual field trips are a 21st century

teaching approach to connect the curriculum to world experiences, however this cannot
be accomplished without specific criteria. Such elements that make a virtual field trip
successful include a strong connection to state standards, interactive activities utilizing
pictures, video/audio, and other forms of multimedia, a comprehensive learning
objective, and a correlation to the learning curriculum.
Virtual Field Trip #1: Virtual Tour of Washington, DC
http://ahp.gatech.edu/dc_map.html
Description: This interactive field trip of the nations capital allows students to get a
first hand look at Washington, DC without leaving the classroom. This virtual tour of
Washington, DC allows an individual to click on different buildings shown on screen
on the map. When a building is clicked a new browser window opens which contains
a tour of the building, the building history, and a tour of the different exhibits or
aspects of the building.
Standard Course of Study: 5.C&G.1: Understand the development, structure, and
function of government in the United States. 5.C&G.1.3: Analyze historical
documents that shaped the foundation of the United States government.
How Students Would Experience: Throughout this virtual field trip to Washington,
DC students will use their laptops/ IPads to go to the website and click on at least
half of the buildings on the map where they will be directed to the informative/ tour
website. At this website students will receive the virtual guided tour as well as read
the presented information to gain knowledge on the majority of the buildings. As the
students watch the tour and gain facts on each building they will take notes on what
they believe is essential information.
Project:
o Objective: Students will independently write two descriptive sentences about
five buildings that they virtually toured. Students who earn at least 8 out of 10
points will have met the objective.
o Project Directions/ Description: After virtually touring the nations capital,
Washington, DC, choose five building that sparked your interest or you would
like to gain further knowledge about. Read over the information on the
buildings from your notes. Write 2 complete descriptive sentences using
facts, detail words, and descriptions to describe each of the five buildings.
o Summary of Assessment: I will assess students based on their descriptive
sentences about each of the five buildings. In order to receive a point for the
detailed sentence, students are expected to describe each building in terms of
how it looks, historical significance, current use, fun facts, etc. Each sentence
will count as one point with two sentences for each building. Therefore, there
will be a total of 10 points.
Virtual Field Trip #2: National Zoo Virtual Tour
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WebCams/?hpout=webcam_link
Description: This virtual field trip to the Smithsonians National Zoo is an interactive
approach for student learning about animals, ecosystems, and their behaviors. This
virtual field trip consists of three live cameras that feature elephants, lions, and
pandas. Individuals can view the live feed 24 hours on the Smithsonian National Zoo
website.

Standard Course of Study: 4.L.1: Understand the effects of environmental changes,

adaptations, and behaviors that enable animals to survive in changing habitats.
4.L.1.2: Explain how animals meet theirs needs by using behaviors in response to
information received from their environment.
How Students Would Experience: Students will experience this virtual zoo experience
through utilizing a laptop/ IPad to go to the Smithsonian National Zoo website. On
the website, the students will observe each animal live feed (elephants, lions, and
pandas) for 10 minute increments each. Throughout the ten minutes, the students will
take notes on the different animals, ecosystems, behaviors towards their distinct
environments, and any other observations in order to properly complete the assigned
project.
Project:
o Objective: After observing different animals and their ecosystems, students
will independently write four sentences about each of the three exhibits.
Students who earn at least 10 out of 12 points will have met the objective.
o Project Directions/ Description: After observing the three exhibits for ten
minutes each and taking notes read over the notes you took on each exhibit
and write four descriptive sentences for each animal which include the
description of the animal, conditions of their environment, their behaviors
interacting with their environment, and how the animals behaviors would
change if their environment changed and their needs were not accurately met.
Make sure you use complete sentences with detail fully answering each of the
four questions.
o Summary of Assessment: I will assess students based on their four sentences
regarding each of the three exhibits for a total of twelve total points. For each
question the student properly answers, one sentence per question, they will
receive one point. Students are expected to describe the animal,
environmental conditions, behaviors with the environment, and what would
happen to the animals behavior if the environment changed.
Virtual Field Trip #3: Ellis Island Interactive Tour
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/stop3.htm
Description: This interactive tour of Ellis Island developed by Scholastic contains
different forms of media to allow students to take a virtual educational field trip while
receiving knowledge about Ellis Island and immigration. On the virtual tour website
there is a 10 page story that describes the events of the immigrants arriving to Ellis
Island in chronological order with pictures and fun facts. The website also contains
data and a virtual field trip that is a 30 minute video.
Standard Course of Study: 5.G.1: Understand how human activity has and continues
to shape the United States. 5.G.1.4: Exemplify migration within or immigration to the
United States in order to identify push and pull factors (why people left and why
people came).
How Students Would Experience: Students will experience this virtual field trip to
Ellis Island by using an IPad/ laptop to go to the Scholastic Ellis Island website. On
the website, the students will read the ten page story under the Explore Ellis Island

tab as well as watch the 30 minute virtual field trip video. Throughout both the
reading and video, students will jot down notes on important facts and information.
Project:
o Objective: Students will independently create a photo book with pictures and
text using Story Jumper about the events of Ellis Island after reading the story
and watching the video. Students are expected to earn 18 out of 20 points.
o Project Directions/ Description: After reading and watching the virtual trip
on Ellis Island, go to storyjumper.com to create your own photo book. In your
book, pretend you just migrated to the United States and were passengers
landing on Ellis Island. Include at least 10 pages describing why you left,
where your from, and the process of events that you under went when you
first arrived to Ellis Island using the ten page story on the Scholastic website
as a reference. Be sure to include pictures and detailed text about your
experience.
o Summary of Assessment: I will assess students based on if they include
detailed text and pictures for at least 10 pages for their photo book. One point
will be assigned for text on each page and one point for the use of pictures on
each page. There will be a total of 20 possible points.
Virtual Field Trip#4: Clearwater Aquarium Field Trip and Forest Comparison
http://www.seewinter.com/turtle-web-cam & http://www.upmforestlife.com/#lang=0
Description: This interactive virtual field trip of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
allows students to observe different animals and their different types of ecosystems.
This virtual aquarium experience consists of three live cameras that observe three
dolphins, otters, and sea turtles for 24 hours a day. For the second part of the virtual
field trip, the UPM forest life website contains a tour of the forest with a tour guide
giving different facts and information on the forest ecosystem.
Standard Course of Study: 5.L.2: Understand the interdependence of plants and
animals with their ecosystem. 5.L.2.1: Compare the characteristics of several
common ecosystems including estuaries, salt marshes, oceans, lakes, ponds, forests,
and grasslands.
How Students Would Experience: Students will experience this virtual aquarium field
trip by using an IPad/ laptop to go to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium website where
they will observe each live feed (dolphins, otters, sea turtles) for ten minute
increments each. Throughout the ten minutes the students will jot down notes about
the different animals, the components of their ecosystem, and how the animals
interact with their environment. Students will then go to the UPM forest life website
where they will learn information about the forest ecosystem. On this website,
students will take notes about the forest conditions and wildlife.
Project:
o Objective: After observing wildlife and ecosystems, students will
independently write two complete and descriptive sentences for each
aquarium exhibit, two sentences on the ecosystem environment, and two
sentences comparing and contrasting the aquatic and forest ecosystems.
Students are expected to earn 8 out of 10 points.

o Project Directions/ Description: Read over the information that you wrote
down about each aquarium exhibit, and write two complete and detailed
sentences for each exhibit describing the animal, the components of their
ecosystem, and how they interact with the environment. Then use your notes
from the UPM forest website and write two descriptive sentences describing
the forest ecosystem, wildlife, weather conditions, etc. Finally, write two
sentences comparing and contrasting the aquatic ecosystem to the forest
ecosystem.
o Summary of Assessment: I will assess students based on their two
descriptive sentences about each exhibit. Here, students are expected to
describe the animal, their ecosystem, and how they interact with their
environment for each exhibit for a total of six points. I will also assess
students on the two descriptive sentences about the forest ecosystem, for a
total of two points. I will then assess students on the two complete sentences
comparing and contrasting the aquatic ecosystem to that of the forest
ecosystem. Students are able to earn a total of 10 points for the project.
Conclusion:
1. Are virtual field trips a viable resource for elementary school teachers?
Why?
Yes, virtual field trips are a viable resource for elementary school teachers because it
allows students to gain real word experience without having to leave the classroom.
In addition, virtual field trips are a resource for elementary school teachers because it
reinforces student learning in a fun, creative, and innovative way without spending
money or at the expense of leaving the classroom environment.
2. What barriers must be addressed in order to effectively use virtual field trips
in an elementary school classroom?
Barriers that should be addressed in order to effectively use virtual field trips in an
elementary school classroom are to guarantee that each student has access to a laptop
or a computer, provide information on safe internet browsing, teach basic technology
skills, and ensure that students stay on task to the assigned virtual field trip and they
do not start surfing the internet. I believe that if such barriers are addressed,
discussed, and resolved virtual field trips will enable success in the classroom in a
multitude of ways.
3. How do the ideas for post-field trip products enhance the virtual field trip
experience?
Ideas for post-field trip products enhance the virtual field trip experience by
reinforcing the learning and knowledge that the students obtained throughout the
virtual assignment. With an assigned task post-field trip it enhances the virtual field
trip, as they are able to see how the information they just received relates to realworld application through the use of a post-field trip assignment.
My Story Jumper: https://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/26175828

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