All Aboard!

As educators, we always seek ways to engage our students in the lessons we teach; whether it is reading, writing, math, social studies, or science. We know that student engagement and interaction is key in building their understanding of an idea, and we try our best to find ways that accommodate all of our students’ varying needs. The inclusion of various media resources can aid teachers in building interest and engagement, by adding an element to a lesson that reaches beyond the textbook, pencil, and paper. The amount of media resources that exist are moving to infinite numbers, all serving numerous purposes to varying audiences. As educators, we must decide which resources will benefit our students the most, and will extend the curriculum we are teaching. Let’s take a look at one resource I have found to be engaging and interesting to students in the content area of science:

While the resource of Virtual Field Trips extends beyond the content area of science, of course, my experience with it has been in this specific content area, and therefore I wish to share this wonderful experience and resource with you here. While physical field trips require excessive amounts of planning, funding, permission from parents and guardians, and time, Virtual Field Trips allow you to take a similar experience right in your own classroom. Your students can experience the world around them, and places they have never seen before, through the use of technology.  

Get Your Virtual Passports Ready!

During my student teaching experience, I taught a unit about animals, their life cycles, habitats, and the six basic animal groups that exist (Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Birds, Insects, and Spiders). During this two week unit, my second graders and I explored the vast majorities of animals that exist through various lessons that extended into the language arts curriculum as well. We learned the basic animal groups and what defines them, the habitats various animals live in, the ways in which they protect themselves against predators, and so much more. While our science textbooks were full of beautiful photographs and diagrams that helped us learn the information, I wanted to extend the ideas into the real world. So we decided to take a virtual field trip to the…

San Diego Zoo!

www.kids.sandiegozoo.com

*Screenshots taken on my own computer from the San Diego Zoo Kids website*

After spending some time learning the basics and building a good deal of knowledge, we were able to discuss what we had learned as we took our field trip. We looked at various Animal Cams and Videos that showed everything from Polar Bears to Elephants in live action!As we watched these animals, we talked about what we knew about them already. Are they mammals? Reptiles? Amphibians? What are their habitats like? What kinds of food do they eat? Etc. We never knew exactly what we would encounter during our live Animal Cam trips, but it was an adventure in its own. In addition to the live Animal Cams, there were numerous videos that focused on specific animals, such as the blue tongue skink. These videos were narrated by people who worked at the zoo and knew a great deal about the animals they were showing. This helped us to learn more about animals we maybe had never seen or heard of before, which was really cool.

The navigation bar at the top of every page allows you to easily move from place to place, as it is clearly labeled. In addition to the videos available, there is also a Glossary full of terms related to the study of animals, and is all in alphabetical order. Together with your students, you can navigate the glossary and discuss what we know already, and look at new terms as well. The website also has a “Conservation” link that shows the reader what Conservation is all about, and what we can do to help animals in need. This could lead to group discussions about what to do in your own community, and the greater affect it would have in return.

This website is specifically designed for children, making it safe for them to use on their own. If your students show a great interest in the website, it is definitely something they can explore further and learn more about. While I would always caution parents and teach the students to ask permission before using the internet, this website is a great resource to refer back to and explore.

Some of the Common Core State Standards for Ohio that would pertain to the use of this resource as an extension to a   unit would be:

• Kindergarten: Life Science- Living things have physical traits and behaviors, which influence their survival. 
  Grade 1: Life Science– Living things have basic needs, which are met by obtaining materials from the physical environment.
• Grade 1: Life Science- Living things survive only in environments that meet their needs.
• Grade 3: Life Science- Offspring resemble their parents and each other.
• Grade 3: Life Science- Plants and animals have life cycles that are part of their adaptations for survival in their natural environments.

In terms of assessment, this website could be used as a way to review ideas together as a class as well as to have group discussions. In my student teaching placement, we used this website to review for our unit test about animals and their habitats through class discussions about what we knew about these animals. The assessments you choose will be determined by the way in which you would like to use this resource.

An additional resource that is similar to this one is Afri Cam. This resource has live video feed from Africa, with cameras stationed at various locations to capture many different animals and their behaviors. This resource is also a great one to use in the classroom, but the chances of seeing an animal on the live feed are a little more slim. For more information visit:

http://kids.sandiegozoo.org

http://www.africam.com/wildlife/

References:

San Diego Zoo – Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://kids.sandiegozoo.org

Africam | A LIVE 24×7 Interactive African Wildlife Safari | Africam. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://africam.com/wildlife

Mountain Island Technology Lab – virtual field trip. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mitechlab.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/virtual+field+trip

Clipart of travel, sunglasses, vacation, item, pass, journey, passport u26520915 – Search Clip Art, Illustration Murals, Drawings and Vector EPS Graphics Images – u26520915.JPG. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fotosearch.com/UNC002/u26520915/