Using Technology Tools - Virtual Field Trips
School budgets are tightening and formative and summative testing windows are ever-present, and in response, schools are increasingly turning down field trip opportunities. Is there a way to get your students "out there" anyway, using tech?
Virtual field trips are a popular way to allow your class to at least feel like they've gone somewhere. With videos, 360 degree imagery and even content expert videoconferencing, virtual field trips are worth incorporating what you teach. All you need is a decent desktop, laptop or mobile device, and an Internet connection to transport your class around the globe.
Google Earth and Maps
Google Earth is an incredible tool for showing your class geologic features and geographic locations for pretty much anywhere that Google's fleet of cars, planes, bicycles and even hikers have roamed with their unique 360 degree camera system. You can now visit Google Earth completely online (Links to an external site.) - although the online version has some limitations over the downloadable Google Earth Pro (Links to an external site.) version.
Google Earth at a distance uses imagery via aerial photography, Global Information Systems (GIS), and its Keyhole Satellite system, which was purchased from the CIA in 2004. The system provides updated images of Earth, with visible definition of up to 3 feet in some locations. You can drop Pegman, the little man in the menu system, to zoom in to "Street View" level, and information collected on the ground by Google staff and uploaded by its users takes over.
I'd recommend taking the time download the Google Earth Pro version on Macs and PCs, and sticking to the online version when on a Chromebook.
Google Maps also allows you to look at any location, then overlay satellite imagery, and even drop Pegman to obtain Street View imagery. Again, this version is limited when compared to Google Earth Pro.
Whichever version you choose, you will be able to zoom into France, and show exactly where the Maginot Line was placed prior to WWII, or just how imposing the Grand Canyon is. Or where people actually sat and watched the battle of Gettysburg. Consider taking a look at the new Voyager feature, designed with the classroom in mind.
Edutopia: Engaging Students Through Google Maps (Links to an external site.)
Microsoft Bing Maps
Microsoft is still working on catching up to Google when it comes to Maps. You can access Bing Maps online (Links to an external site.), and scroll around to about a 3 foot visual definition with their aerial view overlay. There's a My Maps portion, which allows you to save places if you've got a Microsoft account.
Sorry, but no 3D effects in aerial mode.
Google Sky (and Moon, and Mars...)
Google has taken their Earth idea, and moved it to the stars, so to speak. With Google Sky (Links to an external site.), you can now search the universe for major locales, including planets, distant stars, quasars, nebula, pulsars and more. Anytime you are discussing something in space, why not take your students there to get a view while the conversation continues?
Once you visit Google Sky, you'll also see navigation links to both the Moon and Mars (Links to an external site.), which you can move around similarly to Google Earth - albeit limited given no fleet of personnel navigating through and recording the nooks and crannies of these two celestial bodies.
Type in a location, like, say, Crab Nebula, Pillars of Creation, or Abell 1689, and off you go, whisked through the galaxy to your location. Some of these have high quality imagery overlaid from the Hubble Telescope, which you can zoom even deeper into.
As with Maps, the downloadable Google Earth's Sky, Mars and Moon additions are easier to navigate, and far less buggy than the web-based version. If you can, I'd recommend going there.
Google Streetview & Oceans
I previously mentioned Google Maps and Earth's Street View, wherein you drop Pegman to see things from ground view. Google has also some visually stunning collections of navigatable street views, located at their Street view website (Links to an external site.).
Did you know that Google has divers who have gone below the ocean's surface, to share what's under the waves? This part of Street View is known as Oceans (Links to an external site.), and it contains high definition 360 degree images under the water at important worldwide locations, such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands.
I'll bet you never had a field trip underwater before, have you?
By the way, in Google Earth Pro (the downloadable version,) you can dive underwater and sneak peeks at the ocean floor, where you'll be able to bring your students to important features caused by tectonic shifts and underwater earthquakes, as well as underwater mountains and volcanic formations.
Google Cultural Institute
I know, this page is filled with Google goodness. Frankly, it's hard to ignore what Google has to offer, including the Google Cultural Institute (Links to an external site.). Here, you'll find high definition images of historical artworks, as well as visually interesting multimedia presentations on the wonders of the world and historical events.
Want to teach about different styles of art by the masters? You can zoom in quite a bit on ultra high definition images of paintings, to see each individual brush stroke.
Learn about the history of the Samurai, or how chairs have changed over the centuries. Learn more about Latin Culture, or the treasures hidden in the Forbidden City. Explore museums from the inside, using Street View. If you're covering an aspect of history, I'll bet there are artworks and stories in the Google Cultural Institute that will add color and flavor to your lessons.
Virtual Tours Across the Web
There are hundreds of larger museums that have virtual collections online for your students to click through....
The Louvre (Links to an external site.) Guggenheim (Links to an external site.) National Gallery of Art (Links to an external site.) The British Museum (Links to an external site.) Smithsonian (Links to an external site.) The Vatican (Links to an external site.)
Simply perform a search for a topic or museum, and add the words "online collection" or "virtual tour"...
Using Technology Tools - Virtual Field Trips
Using Technology Tools - Virtual Field Trips
School budgets are tightening and formative and summative testing windows are ever-present, and in response, schools are increasingly turning down field trip opportunities. Is there a way to get your students "out there" anyway, using tech?
Virtual field trips are a popular way to allow your class to at least feel like they've gone somewhere. With videos, 360 degree imagery and even content expert videoconferencing, virtual field trips are worth incorporating what you teach. All you need is a decent desktop, laptop or mobile device, and an Internet connection to transport your class around the globe.
Google Earth and Maps
Google Earth is an incredible tool for showing your class geologic features and geographic locations for pretty much anywhere that Google's fleet of cars, planes, bicycles and even hikers have roamed with their unique 360 degree camera system. You can now visit Google Earth completely online (Links to an external site.) - although the online version has some limitations over the downloadable Google Earth Pro (Links to an external site.) version.
Google Earth at a distance uses imagery via aerial photography, Global Information Systems (GIS), and its Keyhole Satellite system, which was purchased from the CIA in 2004. The system provides updated images of Earth, with visible definition of up to 3 feet in some locations. You can drop Pegman, the little man in the menu system, to zoom in to "Street View" level, and information collected on the ground by Google staff and uploaded by its users takes over.
I'd recommend taking the time download the Google Earth Pro version on Macs and PCs, and sticking to the online version when on a Chromebook.
Google Maps also allows you to look at any location, then overlay satellite imagery, and even drop Pegman to obtain Street View imagery. Again, this version is limited when compared to Google Earth Pro.
Whichever version you choose, you will be able to zoom into France, and show exactly where the Maginot Line was placed prior to WWII, or just how imposing the Grand Canyon is. Or where people actually sat and watched the battle of Gettysburg. Consider taking a look at the new Voyager feature, designed with the classroom in mind.
Edutopia: Engaging Students Through Google Maps (Links to an external site.)
Microsoft Bing Maps
Microsoft is still working on catching up to Google when it comes to Maps. You can access Bing Maps online (Links to an external site.), and scroll around to about a 3 foot visual definition with their aerial view overlay. There's a My Maps portion, which allows you to save places if you've got a Microsoft account.
Sorry, but no 3D effects in aerial mode.
Google Sky (and Moon, and Mars...)
Google has taken their Earth idea, and moved it to the stars, so to speak. With Google Sky (Links to an external site.), you can now search the universe for major locales, including planets, distant stars, quasars, nebula, pulsars and more. Anytime you are discussing something in space, why not take your students there to get a view while the conversation continues?
Once you visit Google Sky, you'll also see navigation links to both the Moon and Mars (Links to an external site.), which you can move around similarly to Google Earth - albeit limited given no fleet of personnel navigating through and recording the nooks and crannies of these two celestial bodies.
Type in a location, like, say, Crab Nebula, Pillars of Creation, or Abell 1689, and off you go, whisked through the galaxy to your location. Some of these have high quality imagery overlaid from the Hubble Telescope, which you can zoom even deeper into.
As with Maps, the downloadable Google Earth's Sky, Mars and Moon additions are easier to navigate, and far less buggy than the web-based version. If you can, I'd recommend going there.
Google Streetview & Oceans
I previously mentioned Google Maps and Earth's Street View, wherein you drop Pegman to see things from ground view. Google has also some visually stunning collections of navigatable street views, located at their Street view website (Links to an external site.).
Did you know that Google has divers who have gone below the ocean's surface, to share what's under the waves? This part of Street View is known as Oceans (Links to an external site.), and it contains high definition 360 degree images under the water at important worldwide locations, such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands.
I'll bet you never had a field trip underwater before, have you?
By the way, in Google Earth Pro (the downloadable version,) you can dive underwater and sneak peeks at the ocean floor, where you'll be able to bring your students to important features caused by tectonic shifts and underwater earthquakes, as well as underwater mountains and volcanic formations.
Google Cultural Institute
I know, this page is filled with Google goodness. Frankly, it's hard to ignore what Google has to offer, including the Google Cultural Institute (Links to an external site.). Here, you'll find high definition images of historical artworks, as well as visually interesting multimedia presentations on the wonders of the world and historical events.
Want to teach about different styles of art by the masters? You can zoom in quite a bit on ultra high definition images of paintings, to see each individual brush stroke.
Learn about the history of the Samurai, or how chairs have changed over the centuries. Learn more about Latin Culture, or the treasures hidden in the Forbidden City. Explore museums from the inside, using Street View. If you're covering an aspect of history, I'll bet there are artworks and stories in the Google Cultural Institute that will add color and flavor to your lessons.
Virtual Tours Across the Web
There are hundreds of larger museums that have virtual collections online for your students to click through....
The Louvre (Links to an external site.) Guggenheim (Links to an external site.) National Gallery of Art (Links to an external site.) The British Museum (Links to an external site.) Smithsonian (Links to an external site.) The Vatican (Links to an external site.)
Simply perform a search for a topic or museum, and add the words "online collection" or "virtual tour"...