A Guide
for Elementary Teachers and McDaniel College Interns
Local
Virtual Fieldtrips
Dinosaurs
Students can learn
about dinosaurs through virtual fieldtrips around the world before taking a
class trip to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington D.C..
Learn some basic facts about dinosaurs through this
virtual tour of animated dinosaurs in California.
http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/bigdinos
Natural
History Museum in London
View a slide show of the dinosaur fossils on
exhibit. See a T-rex up close.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/galleries/life-galleries/dinosaurs/
American
Museum of Natural History New York City
Take a virtual tour of one of the world’s
largest collections of real dinosaur fossils on exhibit in the Hall of
Saurischian Dinosaurs and the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs. http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/fossilhalls/virtualtours/
Smithsonian National
Museum of Natural History
Take a virtual tour of the collection of dinosaur fossils,
listed by category: Saurischia -- Reptile-hipped and Ornithischia -- Bird-hipped before
taking your class on a real fieldtrip to Washington, D.C., to see the
dinosaurs. http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/dino/bodystyl.htm
Transportation
There are many
fieldtrip destinations, within a short drive, to learn about
transportation. If you
don’t have time to visit them all, consider a virtual tour to some of the
destinations below.
Air and Space
Udvar Hazy National Air and Space
Museum in
First view the inside of the museum through the
live video
cams. /interact/webcams/uhc1/uhc1vt.cfm
Next take a virtual “Principles
of Flight” fieldtrip.
Choose to watch a video and learn about: “Why does it fly?, Insights to
Flight, Higher, Farther Faster, or
How Things Fly.” Learn from the experts in their field.
http://ali.apple.com/ali_sites/ali/exhibits/1000710/The_Field_Trip.html
The Kid’s
NASA website will provide additional information about space for young
children. http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/
Railroad
Take a virtual tour of the facilities that are
located in Baltimore, MD. See the
trains, the 1884 roundhouse, the Smithsonian model railroad collection, clocks,
pocket watches, railroad silver and china, and the outdoor train platforms. Be
sure to include time for students to climb on the outdoor wooden play set
following your real visit. http://www.borail.org/animated-presentation.shtml
View scenes from the 32 mile roundtrip 20th
century steam train route through western Maryland. Learn about the history and sites of the
area. http://www.wmsr.com/static.php?page=54
Water
Take a virtual tour. Start at Mile 0 and follow the path of
the C and O Canal from the Tidewater Lock in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Cumberland,
Maryland. Read the map, see the
photographs and read factual information along the way.
http://mcmullans.org/canal/Virtual_Tour.htm
Visit the sites through a virtual tour. Learn about the bay history, the Hooper
Strait lighthouse, birds that migrate to the bay, and see the collection of
boats on display.
http://www.cbmm.org/wh_exhib_tour.html
Read about the World War II submarine, built in
1944, currently located in the Baltimore Harbor. Read about the history of the
ship, the awards it received, its crew members, etc. http://www.usstorsk.org Take a virtual tour of the
torpedo room, the engine room, controls room, mess hall ,etc. http://www.usstorsk.org/virtualtour/index.htm
Children’s
Museums
View the interactive exhibits at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum, located in Baltimore, MD. Kids explore a castle, climb into a treehouse, tinker with real tools, create art projects, prepare food in a diner, watch a puppet show, solve an ancient pyramid mystery and much, much more. Geared for PK – 4th grade.
http://www.portdiscovery.org/generalinfo/exhibits.html