Exploring the World Through Virtual Field Trips

One of my favorite things to do is go to places I have never been. While I have been to 25 different countries so far, there is so much of the world that I still need to explore. With the technology available today, I am able to explore a dream location without leaving my house. While this might not be as fun, I will take this type of trip over never exploring it at all. 

In schools, students get on a bus once a year to take a class field trip. Unfortunately, the majority of the time the trip lands them in a location that is near where they currently live. While this can be a great learning experience, it generally happens once a year. With virtual field trips you can take students to locations around the world whenever you want. The students can go scuba diving in Australia, climb to the top of Machu Picchu, explore the International Space Station, hike Mount Everest, wander around a museum in London, and so much more. 

Here is my Exploring the World Around Us Through Virtual Field Trip presentation. It showcases over 15 different virtual field trips students can take, with example activities that accompany the location. This is a work in progress, so please leave a comment if you know of a resource I should include. 

One of my favorite trips is scuba diving in exotic places around the world. Close the blinds, turn off the lights, put on ocean sounds and let the students dive into the ocean to explore a shipwreck, swim with sharks, or examine the coral reefs.