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A Teacher’s Guideto Virtual Field Trips
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Mike Pfannenstiel founded FIeldTripZoom to make the world a smarter, happier, place. He connects teachers and school districts
with immersive, high-quality field trips that enrich experience-based education and bring joy to the classroom.
About The Author
If you signed up on the download page, you should receive an email within a few days with your
obligation-free 1 MONTH TRIAL of FieldTripZoom!
If you do not receive this email, or if you’ve received this guide from a friend or colleague, just email [email protected],
with the subject line: Teacher Trial Request, to receive your risk-free trial! This includes access to upcoming events, and
full access to all recorded ones for your classroom!
TRIALOFFER
1 MONTH FREE
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Being a teacher means wrestling with a difficult fact: you never know what’s going to stick. A second grader can mistake the date of America’s independence a dozen times only to tell you, with total confidence, “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.”
How did they learn that while simultaneously dismissing the entire field of social science?
Who knows. Kids retain whatever they feel like retaining, but what they’ll never forget are the field trips.
Take the famous Bodies exhibit. Even a child who doesn’t “like” biology will find something interesting. “Why are the nerves so big?” “Why are the lungs black?” “Is that the BRAIN?” It turns the whole class into something they can see, an unforgettable experience that supports all their future learning.
But field trips are hard to plan, wrapped in red tape, and quickly axed on an annual budget. So how can you recapture this essential experience?
You might just follow thousands of teachersacross the nation, and try a virtual field trip!
A Teacher’s Guideto Virtual Field Trips
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Virtual field trips are a way to immerse your students in the topics they’re interested in by giving them access to great exhibits and professionals.
Virtual field trips are different from most e-learning tools because they’re streamed live and, in many cases, offer two-way communication between the exhibitor and the audience. That means students can ask questions and make requests while on tour through an exhibit or during a lesson.
What Is a Virtual Field Trip?
Does your students want to learn about rockets? They can chat with someone at Spaceport America.
Are they really into butterflies? They can attend a lesson by Butterfly World!
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What are the Benefits of a Virtual Field Trip?
Immersive - A virtual field trip makes learning concrete. When students
can see it, “ecology” isn’t an abstract topic. It’s how and why that scientist works with all those tigers! And who
wouldn’t get excited by interacting with tigers on screen?
Standalone - How many times have you had to rely on a substitute
teacher, only to discover that your lesson plans haven’t gone anywhere?
Many virtual field trips come with curriculums and live instructors,
which makes them perfect for days you’re not there, or days your
students are sick at home!
Flexible Function - Virtual field trips can be interest-driven romps through
an exhibit, or structured lessons provided by field experts. That
means that whether you’re trying to give your class a break or push
ahead of schedule, virtual field trips can support your goals.
Feedback - Classrooms aren’t a democracy, but figuring out what
works for your students is still important. When you introduce
students to a virtual class or field trip, you can see what resonates
with them and get unbiased, useful feedback!
Accessibility - Imagine not having to wait for approval for a trip or experience. Imagine being able to bring experts into your class
whenever you want. Having access to virtual field trips opens up countless
possibilities for your classroom!
Immediate and AffordableA single, physical field trip can cost
hundreds of dollars if it requires a bus, and often has to be planned
months in advance. FieldTripZoom offers unlimited field trips at $49 for
a classroom, for $499 for an entire school!
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The first thing you should decide when planning a field trip is your goal. If you’re using the field trip as a reward, or as a break, then consider letting your students vote the subject of a trip. Choose an event that features two-way communication to feature maximum interest-based learning.
Most programs in the “Zone” calendar are set up to support this. Your can browse hundreds of different programs scheduled throughout the school year, and simply “tune in” at the scheduled date and time!
For this, you’ll want to check out the “Class” calendar.
Alternatively, you can use experts to supplement your curriculum or help a substitute by choosing a classroom session. These sessions, hosted by an exhibitor, are designed to teach specific concepts. Communication in classes revolves around acquiring - and solidifying - specific knowledge. They feature two-way video, and can be scheduled to take place at any time during the day!
For this, you’ll want to check out and schedule a program on the “Class” calendar.
Taking a Break or Buckling Up?1
We can’t speak for others, but on FieldTripZoom there are hundreds of choices for your next field trip! How do you know which one is right for you? A good place to start is by figuring out what you’d like to add to your curriculum. Here’s a step-by-step process!
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Live education, complete with the ability to talk to exhibitors, is a great educational opportunity. If you want to provide your students access to these features, make sure that you sign up for an exhibit on the Zone or Class calendar in advance. These programs are limited to give everyone a chance of talking with the exhibitor, so make sure you plan accordingly!
Sometimes, though, an exhibit speaks for itself, or maybe you have your own curriculum to add. In these cases, FieldTripZoom offers a huge library of recordings that you can pause and rewind, allowing you to use them at any time you want!
Scheduling an Event - Live events might not always line up with your class schedule, but consider working with administrators and other teachers to organize a “field trip” for students in your auditorium!
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Most programs offered on FieldTripZoom are mapped to USA Common Core standards, indicated by the “GRADE LEVEL” attached to the segment.
ADVANCED EDUCATION - Sometimes, you’ll know when your students are ready to move beyond the core curriculum. Consider letting your students explore subjects they like with lessons for higher grade levels!
2 Choosing the Level
Choosing the Right Time
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Go Abroad - Virtual field trips can take you far. Real far! Set up trips and encourage your students to investigate events that take place overseas. This is a great way to introduce them to other cultures, even at a young age!
Incentivize - Field trips are a great way to break the routine. Use field trips - and choice of field trips - as an incentive for doing well in cass, or even in exchange for extra credit.
Make Tests - All FieldTripZoom programs are recorded. That means they can be used reliably for subject tests, or referred to when integrated into your own curriculum.
Career Exploration - How are kids supposed to know what they want to do if they don’t meet people like themselves? The people who host FieldTripZoom programs often have interesting careers, and can talk a lot about what their work is like!
TIPS - Making the Mostof Your Field Trip
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Teachers have one of the most challenging and rewarding professions in America. But if you’re reading this, that means you’ve committed to going beyond what you “have” to do, and are trying to make a real difference in the lives of your students. No matter what every day brings, your commitment and effort are sure to pave the way for your students’ future success.
FieldTripZoom is proud to support educators like you. That’s why we offer all teachers a full month trial with no obligations. If you haven’t signed up to receive your trial, or if you want to share it with a friend, visit: http://www.fieldtripzoom.com/homeschool/ to get your code!
We hope you find FIeldTripZoom useful for enriching your classroom, and wish you all the best in guiding your students towards future success!
FieldTripZoom offers big discounts when an entire school signs up, and this year, we’re making it even better! If your school administrator writes that they’d like to use FieldTripZoom next year, we’ll let your whole school use FieldTripZoom for FREE until the end of the school year!
All your administrator has to do is write to [email protected] with a subject line containing: “FieldTripZoom For Next Year.”
Enjoy your free field trips!
Sincerely,
Mike Pfannenstiel
Supporting YourClassroom
Get Even More Free Field Trips!
Get Your Code!
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THANK YOU!
