The Benefits of Virtual Field Trips

Presented By:Brandi SmithAmy Archer

What is a Virtual Field Trip?A virtual field trip is a guided exploration through the use of technology organizes a collection of thematically-based ideas into a structured online learning experience. (Foley, 2003)

Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced. -- John Keats 1800

Benefits to DiscussEnhancing Gifted & Talented ProgramsEnhancing Vocabulary ComprehensionProviding Real-World Experiences to Disadvantaged StudentsEnhancing Content Delivery/InstructionCost & Time-Savings to Districts

Gifted & Talented Programs

Provides an outlet to bring in enriched contentProvides a new stimulation to a sometimes predictable lessonBroadens their understanding of complex ideasIntroduces them to a foreign languageIntroduces them to a foreign country

Options to Enhance VFTPartnership with another school across the state, U.S., or worldGlobal Nomad group (www.gng.org)Add a Foreign Language ASMSATour museums and places of historical significance

All experience is an arch, to build on.-Henry Brooks Adams1838

Content-Specific VocabularyProvide opportunities to introduce, enhance and master new vocabularyResearch indicates that children need more planned, but contextualized introduction and experiences in vocabulary.

Vocabulary StudiesHave students practice words Build new word knowledge on previous word knowledgeGive multiple exposures to the words that include experience or real-world contact with them

Why so much hoopla?There is clear evidence that vocabulary is associated with socioeconomic status--presumably reflecting differences in opportunity (as documented by Hart and Risley, 1995; and Snow, Burns, and Griffin, 1998).

Other disciplinesMusicArtHistoryLanguage ArtsCharacter EducationWorkforce Education Electives

From the moment of his birth the customs into which an individual is born shape his experience and behavior. By the time he can talk, he is the little creature of his culture. -Ruth Fulton Benedict, 1922

Advantaged vs. DisadvantagedWorld View from Poverty: sees world in terms of local settingWorld View from Middle Class: sees world in terms of national settingWorld View from Wealth: sees world in terms of international view

How Can we Bridge the Gap?Fill in gaps in background knowledgeProvide experiences for vocabulary acquisitionBring the world to the childGive them experiences!

Find experiencesNASA Around the World by The Museum of Television and Radio (www.mtr.org)Albany Institute of History & ArtRock & Roll Hall of FameCollaborations with other schoolsExplore career choices and talk to experts

Enhance Instructional DeliveryEnhance lesson planning Includes an activity that addresses all learning stylesIntegrates technology in a new and exciting wayBackground knowledge

Instructional DeliveryEnhances understandingPromotes mastery through experienceMany are cross-curricularProvides public speaking skillsProvides writing opportunities

9-12 Science ExampleCephalopods: The Jet Set from the Alaska Sea Life CenterCDL.7.B.3, CDL.7.B.21, NS.11.B.2Appreciate the diversity of animals in Phylum Mollusca. Understand the natural history and characteristics of Class Cephalopoda. Describe the internal and external anatomy of a squid through dissection. List 4 members of Class Cephalopoda.

Other 9-12 Science VFTsMendels Peas from Camden Childrens GardenAgriculture & the Good Earth from The Center for Agricultural Science & HeritageChemistry Roots from the Louisville Science Center

Elementary Science VFTsPlants from The Center for Puppetry ArtsLS.2.2.6, LS.2.1.4, Identify basic plant parts, describe functions of plant parts, engage in a discussion about photosynthesis and pollination, identify fruits and vegetables as different plant parts, create a working rod puppet tied into science curriculum

Elementary Science ExampleEat or Be Eaten from the Alaska Sea Life CenterAwesome Adaptations from the Bronx Zoo The Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar from Camden Childrens GardenCaptain Cosmic from Challenger Learning CenterLet it Rot: A Look at Recycling

Before the VideoconferenceOrient the students to the technology let them play!Prepare questions for the videoconference.Have the students practice Do all the pre-conference activities as suggested. Invite your principal to drop in to watch the videoconference.

During the VideoconferenceTeachers: resist the urge to talk! Use the "mute" time to prompt students if necessary. Set the camera so it shows the whole room. If possible for lower elementary students, have a designated question area.Don't make the students take notes, unless the presenter is asking them to write something.

After the VideoconferenceIf any post activities have been provided by the presenter, do them with your students as a follow-up. Have the students write about what they learned and react to/evaluate the session.

Believe an expert; believe one who has had experience. Horace 65-8 B.C.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. = Patrick Henry 1765

The life of the law has not been logic: it has been experience. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. 1925

*Have this screen at the beginning of the videoconference.Switch to self: Introduce my self - distance learning coordinators coops Each site to tell me how many participants and give me a breakdown. For example, WBMills 10 people. 4 elementary teachers, 1 science teacher, 2 counselors, 1 GT Coordinator, 2 math teachers.Now, give short intro into this conference. We will begin with a few definitions for background knowledge.

*1996, but gained popularity in about 2000. More and more states began to see the impact that interactive experiences that seemed novel could have on their students, content, teachers and test scores.Virtual field tripsweb-based and IVC or CIV*I will include several quotes that I have found that tell us over and over how important real-life experiences are to learning, growing and succeeding in education. We must do a better job of moving concepts from abstract to concrete. Keats was an English poet that wrote about the importance of experience. Unfortunately we REALLY cant learn from other peoples experiences. If you dont believe that.just remember back to your parents. Told you and told you and told youbut you had to learn for yourself.*Briefly present each of the 5. Give disclaimer about handouts and intent of this VC. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Let your mind wander with me and when you leave today.we want you to be interested and know where to go, who to contact to get this going on your school or district. You will be on the cutting edge.a visionary!*Probably one of the reasons why so many bright students lack interest in going on to higher education is the lack of stimulation in the school program to which they have been exposed. Elementary and secondary schools all over the country have gone in for "how-to-study" courses, remedial reading, sight-saving classes, opportunity rooms and commendable special provisions for the handicapped and the slow, but very few devote as much effort to special handling of their most brilliant students. *State Arkansas History, studying rocks and minerals, studying communities, differences in geography, World cultures, language, customsDisease, poverty, global warming, economics, etc.Show global nomad group clip5 minute Group Activity Talk at your sites led by your facilitator about what you have seen so far. How can this help your GT students or all student for that matter. I will ask 2 sites to share.

*This quote in context. He was a journalist during the Civil War and his quote in context was regarding that each soldier got better each day because of the experiences he hadnot what he was told or taught.*The goal of all content-area teachers I for the students to learn and place needed terms and concepts in their lexicon. Studies show that the process to do this is through strategic integration! Teachers should plan, and think through the sequence of the lessons. That more care should be given to provide experience with necessary terms. Impaired verbal tools means they do not have the vocabulary to deal with the cognitive tasks. Vocabulary words are the building blocks of the internal learning structure. Research suggests that vocabulary differences are in considerable part the result of different learning opportunities.

*I am about to give you some examples of how we can provide these experiences that may help ensure that students are just learning for the moment and forgetting for the next year.If we are serious about "increasing standards" and bringing a greater proportion of schoolchildren to high levels of academic accomplishment, we cannot continue to leave vocabulary development to parents, chance, and highly motivated reading.

*Ruth was an American cultural anthropologist that was enthralled in the studying the effect that a childs home-life/culture had on his person and future. Our present day Ruby Payne.*These kind of experiences take the children outside into the world in a manner which was not possible before modern technology came along. As a result they mature as a person and they learn interpersonal skills. As a result, they are better prepared for and much more interested in the outside world when they leave school. Use Elmo to show as I talk about Justin and EastonDifferences in background knowledgeDifferences in vocabularyDifferences in out-of-school timeDifferences in experiences!

*Class Description: "Around the World" will take students to different places and provide a window into different cultures through television. Participants will consider how the natural environment and local customs shape and influence people's lives, as they journey to New York City, Kazakhstan, Namibia, the Philippines, and Italy. All classes are interactive, with guided discussion designed to encourage active observation and critical thinking. Vocabulary: As a group, provide definitions for the following words and concepts, which will be referenced during the class. CITY CLIMATE COMMUNITY CONTINENT COUNTRY GEOGRAPHY MAP STATE The Albany Institute's collection of art and artifacts from ancient Egypt and its two mummies provide students with an opportunity to learn about ancient Egypt hieroglyphs and symbols; funerary object, religious practices; and culture and customs of daily life.Program Format1. The program begins by activating the students prior knowledge of mummies and Ancient Egyptian civilizations. 2. Students will discuss the imporance of the Nile to the ancient Egyptians. 3. Students will observe a variety of images and objects and discuss their symbolism. 4. Students will learn about the history of the two mummies at the Albany Institute through images of the mummies, the coffin, and x-rays. 5. Students will discuss the practice of mummification - why and how it was done in ancient Egypt. rockin'theschools| grouptours {distancelearning} youthperformanceprogram| guidedtours| rockin'staffbios| otherprogramsandresources ON THE ROAD 2005-06 schedule and class descriptions Cost: $100.00 per class Each class includes: Online access to pre- and post- connection packets with lesson outlines, supporting materials, and classroom activities. A pre connection test call. An hour-long interactive videoconferencing class. Schedule: Classes are available on demand. Class Descriptions: Ball of Confusion: Rock Music and Social Change in the 60s and 70s Suggested grade level: 7-12 The history of rock and roll overlaps with some of the most turbulent times in U.S. history. In the 1960s and 1970s in particular, American society faced challenges stemming from the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and the Womens Liberation movement. During this time many people felt that the world was a Ball of Confusion, as described in lyrics of the popular Temptations song. This class features songs from the 1960s and 1970s and helps students identify ways that popular musicians have used messages of revolution, protest, and empowerment to question society, and effect change. Supplemental media includes recordings and videos of Hall of Fame Inductees. Hip-Hop Technology: From Turntables to Computers Suggested grade level: 4-12 Have you ever wondered how hip-hop producers develop their big beats? Have you ever wanted to know about the way music digital samplers or synthesizers are used in a song? This class shows students how music technology is an important part of hip-hop music and culture. It includes a live demonstration in which students help to create a new musical composition using the latest computer music software. Students also relate the musical techniques innovated in hip-hop production to larger social issues. Dont miss this chance to learn about the creation of hip-hop music and culture and gain insight into the world of music technology and production. Rock and Roll Reactions: Records, Radio and the Birth of Teenage Culture in 1950s America Suggested grade level: 4-12 In the mid-1950s the rise of rock and roll prompted a range of reactions in American society. Teenagers fell in love with the music, listening to it on transistor radios and buying it in record stores on 45rpm records. Among their parents, however, many believed that this music was simply noise that had a negative influence on impressionable teens. No matter your position, it soon became clear that rock and roll was here to stay, bringing with it important changes. Young white and black audiences started to mix as they sought out the latest rock and roll bands. Teenagers openly rejected the values associated with their parents' generation. In this class students will study the changes that took place in this remarkable era as they watch and listen to vintage performances by Hall of Fame Inductees such asChuck Berry, Nat King Cole,Elvis Presley,Little Richard, *Mendels Peas Who was Mendel and what does the study of peas have to do with us? The lesson will introduce students to genetics using Mendel?s study as a basis. We will explore traits among the students and determine which are dominant and which are recessive. We will use the Punnett square to tract inheritance of traits, and perform a Pedigree test. Agri Join the center for a lively discussion of current issues in agriculture. The program is designed for a point-counter point discussion that will include the controversial use of fertilizers and pesticides as well as the cultivation of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops. Chemistry Roots This Chemistry Roots Program is a hands-on experience that will guide students toward learning more about the history of chemistry and its relation to industry. Many famous industries are rooted in chemistry. In this TeleLink, students will have the opportunity to explore the chemistry of food, the chemistry of coal, the chemistry of limestone, and the chemistry of soap. During all of these experiences, students will be able to experiment as chemists, using some of the same methods that chemists use in industry. Grades 4 - 12. *Eat or Be Eaten Every day in Alaska animals face the struggle to eat and survive. Students will learn about the energy transfer and food webs associated with many Alaskan animal species. We will create our own food chains and observe different "links of the chain" feeding. We will look at a study of orca and sea lion eating habits being conducted here at the center.Awesome In this program students will uncover the mystery of the land animal's feet. Adaptation, a challenging yet essential concept, becomes clear in this program. Understanding how physical adaptations are related to the environment will lead students to additional insights, such as why an animal cannot survive when its habitat is destroyed. Several fascinating live-animal guests will be featured in every programHungry Trace the development of a butterfly from an egg to an adult, using live samples. We will read and act our parts from Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" Captain CosmicJoin Captain Cosmic for a tour of the solar system. Captain Cosmic and students will share information* about the sun, moon, and each planet. This is a 45 minute program targeted for students in grades 1-2. Discussion, acting out parts, learn science space terms.Rot Composting, recycling, components and organisms of soil. Build composting bin.