Wouldn’t you love to be able to take your students to Paris or Milan, sit front row and watch the latest season’s runway fashion shows? How about taking your students to some of the world’s most famous art museums and allowing them to walk the halls and experience famous artists and their work? Or, spend the afternoon at a cosmetic manufacturing facility, allowing students to see how beauty and wellness products are created and distributed? Or, what if you could take your students on a tour of the human body?
The great news is, you can! How? By way of virtual field trips, which allow your students to encounter these valuable learning experiences from the comfort and convenience of your classroom. All you need is an internet connection and a browser to travel the world and bring your lessons to life!
Much like traditional field trips, virtual field trips are designed to be entertaining and educational. The question is, where exactly can you go on a virtual field trip? Just about anywhere!
Trip experiences can vary depending on your lesson objectives and/or needs. They can be very simple or elaborate; a simple photo tour, a live video feed, or an interactive virtual 3D tour with video and audio to make the experience very engaging for students.
How to plan your virtual field trip:
- Do your research – a quick search on the internet for “virtual field trips” is a great place to begin. Make certain your trip matches your curriculum.
- Additional virtual field trip links include: Microsoft, Louvre, and YouTube
- Hold your students accountable – just like a traditional field trip, students might get sidetracked. Make certain your students have an assignment to complete afterward. Have them list 3 new facts they learned or have them identify how they will personally utilize the information in their new career. As we know, when our students know they will be held accountable, they are more likely to stay focused and present.
Field trips are a powerful way to bring your lessons to life by allowing students the ability to experience places they never dreamed of going.