Are all Virtual Field Trips the same? As we have found out, no. Some are videos, some are slide shows with text while others are more just text & pictures on a page. My favorites are the 360 ones that put you in the landscape and let you wander. They also have symbols to click to find out more information. Some of the field trips are split up into different videos. Depending on your internet connection, some may take a bit of time to load. You may need the Flash Plug-in to run some of them, the video will tell you if you need to update/install it.
If you are working on the Field Trip Badge, read on. If you are here to see Virtual Field Trips, scroll down to the Suggested Field Trips.
As we all know, our real field trips have been cancelled due to the Corona Virus. We have gotten permission to do a virtual field trip for this badge. The full badge pages can be found here:
https://geojuniors.com/pdf/AFMS_FRA_Badge_Manual_Revised_2016.pdf#page=110
For this badge, you are to take a virtual field trip/s and report back to us on it. Answers can be sent in an email. (If you prefer to send your answers snail mail, email us for the address.) Requirements to earn the badge are as follows (You must do at least 3 of the items below to earn the badge. 8.1 and 8.3 are required requirements.):
- 8.1 *Field trip etiquette, safety, & AFMS Code of Ethics* (required to earn this badge).
The AFMS Code of ethics can be found here:
http://chicagorocks.org/codeofethics.htm - 8.2 Field trip planning.
- 8.3 *Taking a field trip* (required to earn this badge).
- 8.4 Record keeping.
- 8.5 The indoor field trip.
After choosing virtual destination, kids should plan their field trip as if they were really going there. Seeing how this is a virtual trip, the sky is the limit here. Can you drive there, would you rent a camper, a bus or drive your own car? Do you need to fly there? What about a place to stay when you get there? If you fly there, how would you get from the airport to your destination? If you picked the Mars field trip, about how long would a trip to Mars and back be? How much for a SpaceX flight? What other type of supplies would you need? If you can, figure out what it would virtually cost for your trip.
Also, please answer the following questions on the field trip you took:
1. What place did you visit?
2. What did you liked the most?
3. Is there something that you did not liked?
4. Would you visit that place in person?
5. What you think is virtual tours are good or bad? why?
6. Would you recommend the virtual tour to others?
7. You can add any additional information that you would like to share.
You can pick from the links below or search one out on your own. Your field trip should somehow tie into one of the badges. (Not all the field trips below tie into our badges so choose accordingly.) I have found some of the field trips want you to pay for them, upwards of $2000 for some, please don’t pay for your field trip, there are enough free ones out there. If you find a great link for one, send it to us so we can post it below.
Virtual Field Trip Suggestions:
This one is one of our favorite links from Arizona State University. It has a lot of great 360 geological trips. (I did find I would have to refresh the landing page if I wanted to do more than 1 field trip to get it to choose them properly.):
https://vft.asu.edu/
A 360 trip of Mars:
https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/
Visit the dinosaurs at the Smithsonian Museum:
https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/vt3/NMNH/z_tour-038.html
Visit the Grand Canyon with the National Park Services:
https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm
Here are some more localish destinations from the University of Illinois:
https://geology.illinois.edu/virtualfieldtrip/index.html
The following links take you to many places in the US & world:
https://www.earlychildhoodeducationzone.com/virtual-field-trips/
https://www.tripsavvy.com/virtual-field-trips-for-kids-3129414
Not all of these will work for the badge but there are some fun ones in here like a trip to the M&M factory or how toilet paper is made:
https://wideopenschool.org/programs/family/prek-5/field-trip/
Virtually Explore 7 Illinois Museums For Free
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/illinois/free-online-museum-tours-il/