Annalise Jessen

Virtual Field Trips

A good virtual field trip has a lot of pictures so that the student feels
like they are in that place. The virtual world should be easy to understand
and access so that the student can explore it more on their own outside of
school. This is important if they have to create a project on the place. The
virtual tour should also go along with the essential standard that the teacher
is teaching. It should be used as an enhancer to a lesson.
1. 9/11 Memorial Tour- https://www.911memorial.org/take-virtual-visit1
Essential Standard- 3.H.1.1 Explain Key historical events that occurred
in the local community and regions over time.
Before the tour, the class will be given a short summary about the
history of 9/11. The students will write down a sentence or more about
what they think the memorial will look like. During the virtual tour, they
will write about how their thought of the memorial differed from the
actual memorial. This virtual field trip will give students the chance to
see the 9/11 memorial and understand how much the event impacted
our country. The teacher can use this website to look at the
surrounding area of the memorial as well. Google Maps is a great tool
because you can look at and move around many famous places in the
United States and in other countries.
Objective- Students will work in groups of three or four to write a five
sentence summary of what happened in 9/11 and create their own
memorial. Students are expected to earn at least 5 out of 6.
Project Directions- You will be broken up into groups of four to do
this activity. The summary of 9/11 should be written as if it was going
to be presented at a 9/11 memorial ceremony. After you have written
five sentences, read over them to make sure you used correct
grammar and sentence structure. You will then create your own 9/11
memorial with a group (3 to 4 people) that recognizes those that
passed away. You will be given a large sheet of paper to draw on.
Summary of Assessment- I will assess the students on the summary
that they write about 9/11. It is worth 5 points. They need to explain
where it happened, who did it, who was affected, and who created the
memorial. The creation of the memorial will be graded on if it is done
neatly or not. It is worth 1 point.
2. Independence Hallhttps://www.schooltube.com/video/1e66d07eba1047cdb155/Q4Wk1%20Virtu
al%20Tour%20of%20Independence%20Hall

Essential Standard-5.H.2.1 Summarize the contributions of the

Founding Fathers to the development of our country.
This tour shows the outside of Independence Hall as well as a
video of inside the building where the Declaration of Independence was

Annalise Jessen

signed. The man that is doing the tour tells different facts about the
place and the event. Schooltube is a more appropriate video site to use
in the classroom instead of YouTube. Before the tour of Independence
Hall, the students will have a lesson about the Declaration of
Independence, who wrote it, and why it is important to the United
States. During the virtual tour, the students will write down important
facts that stick out to them.
Objective- Students will write a paragraph about how Thomas
Jefferson contributed to the Declaration of Independence. What was his
role? What does it mean that he is a Founding Father? What
difference did he make? Students are expected to earn 4 out of 5
points.
Project Directions- Everyone will write 2 paragraphs (6 or more
sentences in each) independently about Thomas Jefferson and how he
contributed to the Declaration of Independence. What was his role?
What difference did he make? Make sure you explain what a Founding
Father is and how our history may be different if Jefferson did not have
a part in the Declaration of Independence. Also, be sure to answer the
questions that I asked. This will be done independently.
Summary of Assessment- I will assess the students if they answered
the questions I asked and included the information I told them to write.
This will be 4 out of the 5 points because there are four things I asked
them to include. The students are also expected to write 6 or more
sentences which is worth 1 point.
3. Rocky Mountains- http://www.360cities.net/image/glacier-creekrocky-mountains
Essential Standard- K.G.1.3 Identify physical features (mountains, hills,
rivers, lakes, roads, etc.).
The Rocky Mountain tour will show students a panoramic view of
the mountains and a river. 360 cities shows many panoramas in all
different countries and it makes you feel like you are there. You can
look up at the sky and at the ground and the quality will be great.
Before the virtual tour, the students will learn what physical features
are and how they can identify them on a map. During the virtual tour,
the students will be asked questions to identify the different things
they see. The tour will be done up front on the SmartBoard so
everyone can see it.
Performance- The students will draw their own picture of a mountain
and label it. They should add some type of body of water and label that
as well. The students are expected to earn at least 3 out of the 4
points.
Project Directions- Everyone will be given a sheet of paper. I want
you to independently draw a mountain and label it. You can add

Annalise Jessen

whatever you want on your mountain that we have learned about. You
also need to draw a river or lake on the mountain and label that as
well.
Summary of Assessment-I will assess the students if they have
completed their mountain drawing and included the things I asked
them to include. They get 1 point for drawing the mountain, 1 point for
labeling it, 1 point for drawing a body of water, and 1 point for labeling
it.
4. Hoover Damhttp://www.youvisit.com/tour/panoramas/hooverdam/85866?
Essential Standard- 3.G.1.3 Exemplify how people adapt to, change,
and protect the environment to meet their needs
The virtual tour allows students to see a panoramic view of the
Hoover Dam. The students will not be taught about the Hoover Dam
prior to this field trip. As the field trip happens, they will be given
information about what it is, where it is, and when it was built. The
project they will do allows them to learn on their own by doing research
on the Hoover Dam. During the virtual tour, students will make notes
of important facts that they learned.
Objective- Students will create a Story Jumper about the history and
purpose of the Hoover Dam. Students are expected to earn 11 out of
the 15 points.
Project Directions- Everyone will create a Story Jumper that is at
least five pages to tell the history and purpose of the Hoover Dam. A
picture should be included on every page. You are allowed to use only
the sites that I give you to research the Hoover Dam. This is done
independently.
Summary of Assessment- I will assess the students if they have
done five pages, if they included a picture on every page, and if the
book has good and reliable research. The students will be given 5
points for including five pages and 5 points for including a total of 5
pictures. They will also be given 5 points for good reliable research
information.
Example of Story Jumper:
https://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/26277058
Conclusion:
1. Are virtual field trips a viable resource for elementary
school teachers? Why?
Yes! There are many students that are visual learners and learn
from experiencing the places that they are learning about. Money
and distance are two factors that reduce the ability of students to

Annalise Jessen

be able to go on field trips. Virtual field trips are free and allow
students to have a similar experience as if they were at the place. It
gives students a break from reading books and not being able to put
a picture to what they are learning. This allows them to realize
these places and events are real. They are not just something you
read about in a text book.
2. What barriers need to be addressed in order to effectively
use virtual field trips in the elementary education
classroom?
It is important to remember that technology does not always work
how we want. It can be very helpful, but also a barrier. The teacher
should make an alternate plan for the class if the technology with
the virtual field trip decides not to work. It is also important to
address the barrier of children becoming distracted if they have
their own device at their desk. Students will often search on the
internet while they should be participating in the virtual field trip.
The teacher should be aware of this and constantly be checking in
on what students are doing.
3. How do the ideas for post field trip products enhance the
virtual field trip experience?
If the students think that the virtual field trip has no purpose and it
is free time, they will be less likely to learn and pay attention during
the tour. It is important to have a post field trip product so that the
students will be attentive during the virtual trip. They will learn
more by using the information they learned and putting it into a
project or a paper. It allows them to think about the information
more than just the few minutes that the virtual tour lasts. It helps
reinforce the ideas that you are trying to get across if the students
use and learn the information in different ways.