WEBCAMS

 

After viewing webcams from around the world, I chose five of my favorites from the US.  These webcams have good clarity and are interesting to view.  They could all easily support lesson plans in an elementary school classroom.

 

Monarchs Feeding1. Butterfly Cams – The Smithsonian Institute’s American Museum of Natural History has a wonderful butterfly conservatory exhibit. The live butterfly webcam captures many beautiful species of butterflies and moths.  This webcam is a good site to visit during a science theme unit of the butterfly and caterpillar.  Younger grades will read Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and learn about the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly.  After watching the butterfly cam, they will also watch the site’s three available pre-recorded movie clips of butterflies in the exhibit. A discussion of the phases of the life cycle that they saw in the clips will follow. Date visited July 10, 2009. http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/butterflies/cams.php
 
Tai Shan on his fourth birthday2. Panda Cam - The San Diego Zoo is an amazing place and so is their Giant Panda Research Station. In a unit on China, students will learn about China’s large region and its interesting culture and customs.   After learning about China’s geography, students will learn about China’s indigenous animals.  Viewing the webcam supports the students’ study of the Giant Panda.  The Zoo’s Panda site also includes a Panda video and many other interesting panda facts that will be included in the lesson.  One of the links is to China’s Wolong Panda Reserve that was devastated by an earthquake last year.  This will also tie into the lesson. Date visited – July 9, 2009. http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam/help.html



old faithful3. Old Faithful Geyser Live! -This webcam’s site is maintained by the Yellowstone National Park Service.  The site does an excellent job of teaching about the geysers, and the hot spring ecology in the area. The Old Faithful geyser can be predicted within a ten minute period and it is a lot of fun to watch it erupt live.   In a science class, students will watch the Old Faithful webcam and learn about geysers and the thermal conditions needed for them to erupt.  They will also learn about the uniquely adapted animals that live near these thermal vents. All the information needed can be found by searching the rest of the Yellowstone website.  Date visited July 11, 2009. - http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm

 

 

4. Outer Bay Cam The description of the outer bay provided by the Monterey Bay Aquarium depicts the outer bay as “a mysterious, mesmerizing world where life looms large.” Their webcam captures the sea life from their beautiful one million gallon Outer Bay exhibit.  As you watch the amazing collection of jellyfish, sharks, sea turtles, and beautiful fishes swimming through the water, soothing music entitled Lost Oceans plays in the background. This webcam supports any lesson plans that explore oceans and marine life.  This site is full of student learning and activities links.  My instructional activity presents students with an animal guide for the animals present in the Outer Bay.  After learning about different species of marine life, students will watch the webcam and spot the different sea animals that they have studied.  After viewing the webcam, the lesson will be expanded to emphasize our impact on the oceans and conservation measures we can take.  Date visited July 11, 2009. - http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_outerbay/outerbay_cam.asp

 

 

 

5. Sedona Cam – This webcam is perched above the beautiful red rock formations and lush desert flora of Sedona, AZ. This webcam supports a unit on US deserts. In a desert unit, students will learn about the desert habitats and the animals and plants that live there. They will visit this webcam and also view many pictures of American flora and fauna. They will study desert conditions and how the animals and plants adapt and survive. At the conclusion of the unit, students will create a mural of their own desert habitat, which will incorporate information that they have learned. Date visited July 10, 2009. - http://www.earthcam.com/usa/arizona/sedona/