June 28, 2003
Karen Roof
June 28, 2003
Elective Assignment: Web Cams =:)
Web Cameras are an excellent resource that add a
whole new realm to education; teachers may take their students on virtual trips,
and show them images from around the world, without even leaving the classroom.
This page involves a list of five instructional activities relevant to Web cameras. I have described each activity, and have provided a link to a supporting Web Cam site.
Instructional Web Cam Activities:
1. During the week of a planned field trip to the zoo, introduce your young students to some of the animals they will see. Travel via Web Cam to Animal Discovery and watch a large variety of zoo animals both in their natural habitats, as well as at various national zoos. Have your children write about or draw pictures of their three favorite animals - those they hope to see on their actual field trip. Make a map with your class of the zoo, and include a path that leads to an animal of each student's choice.
| At Animal Discovery, you will find numerous links to many sites dealing with animals. Also available is a search option. If you search for "videos of zoo animals," you will find a variety of sites including that of the National Zoo in Washington D.C. http://animaldiscovery.com |
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2. Accompanied by a detailed lesson on
weather/climate in different parts of the United States, have students select a
particular location in which they are interested. Travel to
UM Weather, and see
firsthand the weather in each place. Make up a short questionnaire, and
have students fill in the answers as you travel with them to various parts of
the country - viewing weather patterns and changes in climate as you go.
UM
Weather is a comprehensive weather website that provides access
to over 800 weather cameras across North America. Links to such topics as
radar satellites, forecasts and weather maps are available as well.
http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/wxcam.html
3. During a science unit on space, give students
the opportunity to view actual photos or video from real space voyages. Go
to Incredible Adventures and show
them clips of astronauts interacting in the zero gravity conditions of a space
ship, or demonstrate a satellite view of Earth, the moon or the sun. To
accompany this virtual trip to space, have the students write about an
experience they might have in outer space, based on what they have learned from
the videos. Ask students to tell whether or not they feel they would enjoy
a space voyage, and what they think the trip might entail.
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4. As an introduction to astronomy, show students maps of the night sky. Introduce to them various constellations, and have them find and recognize them on the photos and videos you find from Your Sky. For homework, ask students to choose two of their favorite stars or constellations (from those visible at the present time), and have them attempt to find those objects in the night sky above their homes.
| Your Sky, the interactive planetarium of the Web, is a site that allows you to produce various maps, including sky maps, horizon views and virtual telescopes. You may select particular locations based upon longitude/latitude to customize your own sky map. http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky |
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5. During a unit on ocean or marine life, accompany one of your
lessons with live video of a coral reef from
Fisheye View! Have students watch
for any organisms they might recognize, and have them identify what it is they
see.
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Fisheye View is an excellent site in terms of its Web Cams relevant to ocean and marine life. From here you may travel to various oceans and see dolphins swimming in the waves, or watch live video of an actual shark dive. Both photos and videos are available. http://www.fisheyeview.com |