Social Studies Virtual Field Trip Compendium
Chris Goulet
Social Studies/Multicultural Curriculum and Instruction
TCH 632
Mr. Michael Rospenda
Marian University
November, 2010
Project Background
Are you a teacher who would like to take your students on a variety of
cultural experiences but some of the places you’d like to go are too far
away and the school district can’t afford the cost? Then take them on a
virtual field trip right in your own classroom! Expose them to some of
the history and sights of a location from the comforts of their desk. Use
this compendium of trips as a place to get started. If you have other
places that you’d like to visit, find out if the location offers online
resources. This document is set up so that it can be loaded online, like
within a Wiki for example, and the virtual locations can be accessed via
hyperlink by clicking on the location name within the text.
The American Revolution
Take your students on a tour of what it was like during the American Revolution at
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/liberty.html. On this site you can read newspaper
chronicles from Boston in 1774, Philadelphia in 1776, Trenton in 1776, Saratoga in
1777, Yorktown in 1781, and Philadelphia in 1791; explore the timeline of the
Revolution; view episodes of the series Liberty! which is a dramatic documentary
about the birth of the American Republic and the struggle of a loosely connected
group of states to become a nation; get to know the people and times of the
American Revolution through activities like Daily life in the colonies, the global
village, and military perspectives. When you are finished with your tour of the
American Revolution, test your knowledge and see if you can navigate your way to
independence in the Road to Revolution game.
New York
Learn all about the state of New York at http://pbskids.org/bigapplehistory/arts/topic12.html. In
this very interactive website for middle school students choose a date on the 1800-1940s timeline
to explore early New York history, or click on one of the many topics such as fur trading, the
first twenty years, life as a slave, police battle gangs, The Dutch West India Company, The
Stamp Act, The Invention of the Steamboat, New York burns, Riots in Astor Place, or cool
people from the past such as Henry Hudson, Native People, Peter Stuyvesant, and Father
Knickerbocker. If you were interested in what it was like for the first people to come to America
you could learn about the first and second wave of immigrants, Little Germany, a gateway for
millions, the Irish, and Emma Lazarus. There are many more topics under the Building the Big
Apple, Arts & Entertainment, Business & Politics, and New York Living tabs. To find out more
about your own state’s local history, click the Resources tab and choose your state listed
alphabetically. Here will be listed a few key historical resources and at least one volunteer
resource for teachers and parents who might be interested in local programs.
Our United
States
Government
Follow Ben Franklin’s Guide to U.S. Government at http://bensguide.gpo.gov/.
Choose the grade range you want to explore (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12). In grades 6-8,
for example, learn about Our Nation which includes quick facts and the United
States, our Capitol, and your own state; learn about our historical documents such
as the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, the Articles of
Confederation, The Constitution, The Emancipation Proclamation, and the
Gettysburg Address; learn about our branches of government and the system of
“separation of powers” and “checks and balances”; learn about how laws are made;
learn about National versus State Government, the election process, and
citizenship. There is also a tab containing printable and interactive games and
activities. There is a glossary which defines all of the words provided in the Guide
as well as a listing of federal Websites for kids.
United States
History Map
Help your 5th through 8th grade students become geography whizzes as they learn
about how the United States was settled through the United States History Map
located at http://www.learner.org/interactives/historymap/index.html. Discover
how the continent was irrevocable changed by European colonization, the events
that caused the wholesale displacement and decimation of the land’s original
inhabitants, and how the 50 states came to be formed. Before you begin your
journey, learn how to read and interpret a map under the From Sea to Shining Sea
tab; learn about the different regions of the United States under the 50 states tab;
discover the major Indian tribes that lived in North America before the arrival of
the Europeans; learn about the European colonies and how the U.S. grew from the
13 colonies to 50 states. When you have finished learning, there is an interactive
assessment that you can take to see how much you have learned.
Our United States
National Symbols
Want to teach your students of all ages about our National Symbols? You can do
so at http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/tourFames.cgi?tour_id=8052. This website
takes you through many of our National sites and symbols that help make the
United States what it is today. There is a photo image provided for each site or
symbol with some details about it as well. See pictures of The Jefferson Memorial,
the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Independence Hall, Mt. Rushmore,
the Unknown Soldier, the Pentagon, Hoover Dam, and Uncle Sam to name a few.
The Space Race
Want to teach your students about the Space Race? Take them on a virtual tour of
the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum located at
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal114/SpaceRace/sec100/sec100.htm. Learn
about the Military Origins as reflected through the rivalry to build rockets powerful
enough to send nuclear warheads across the ocean, loft satellites into Earth’s orbit,
or carry humans to the moon; learn about who the competitors in the race were and
their milestones of flight; learn about spy satellites and reconnaissance – the secret
eyes in space; learn about Skylab – the first US Space Station, the Space Shuttle,
space suits, and the Hubble Space Telescope; learn about both offensive and
defensive weapons of the US and our competitors.
Belize
Wish you could take your class to Belize, but can’t afford it?! Take a virtual tour of
Belize at http://www.belizeexplorer.com/. Take a full tour of the small
Caribbean/Central American country and learn quick facts about it. Learn about
the geography and climate, the ancient history, the politics and people. Take virtual
tours of twenty natural attractions like Manatee Lagoon and Community Baboon
Sanctuary. Visit the towns and villages of Belize while viewing photographs of the
beautiful scenery and the people. Take a fascinating tour of the ancient Mayan
people and their ruins and lost cities. The tour will follow the chronology of the
ancient Mayan culture and civilization of Belize. There are over 600 sites within
the borders of Belize that contain ruins, artifacts and even burial sites.
Gettysburg
Learn all about Gettysburg at
http://www.virtualgettysburg.com/vg/how/index.html. Take an interactive
battlefield tour by viewing 21 of the 99 battlefield panoramas on the site. The
website provides a variety of movies to show you how to use Virtual Gettysburg.
There are interactive panoramas, photograph galleries, and battlefield maps.
Students will learn about the first confederate currency, the monuments, and
Abraham Lincoln. There are additional links on this website to take you to
resources to learn more about Abraham Lincoln. Although students of all ages
should learn about Gettysburg, I feel that this information is more appropriate for
middle school through high school.
The Wisconsin
State Capitol
Never been to our Wisconsin State Capitol? Take a virtual tour at
http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/capfacts/tour_select.html. See a 360 degree
panoramic tour or photo tour of the Rotunda, the Lantern Balcony, the Capitol
exterior, the Supreme Court, the Governor’s Conference Room, the Senate
Chamber, the Assembly Chamber, and the North Hearing Room. Learn about the
facts of the Capitol’s architect and review the construction timeline.
The Liberty Bell
If you can’t visit Philadelphia and want to learn about the Liberty Bell, take a
virtual tour at http://www.libertybellmuseum.com/index.htm. This website is an
on-line museum housing a collection of Liberty Bell memorabilia and souvenirs
dating back to the 1800s. The intent of this museum is to provide students of all
ages with information about the Liberty Bell, its role in American history and the
use of the Liberty Bell’s image for decoration, promotion and souvenirs. There is a
link that will tell you each of the places that the Liberty Bell traveled by rail car
and placed on exhibit at numerous World’s Fairs from 1885 to 1915.
Sutter’s Fort
Learning about the Gold Rush and how California changed forever when gold was
discovered near John Sutter’s mill in 1848? Take your students on a virtual
museum tour of Sutter’s Fort at
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/suttersfort/pages/teacherguide.html. This
website is designed for fourth grade students. They will learn about the life of John
Sutter, the original plans to build his fort, and the renovations that occurred to
reconstruct the remains for the historic park.
The Great Wall
of China
Heard about The Great Wall of China but can’t get there to see it? Learn about it at
http://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/. The Great Wall was built mainly to
protect the Chinese empire from northern invaders. The first sections were built in
the Seventh Century BC when China was still divided into many small states. This
wonderful website reviews many of the wall facts, the history of the wall, the
various state sections, and provides and interactive map of each section.