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Around The World In 80 Ways: Using Virtual Tours To Foster Global Citizenship
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With distance, time, expense, scale, and safety factors in real-world field trips, more and more educators and students are turning to virtual experiences as alternatives. So while PBS brings a summer of adventure to its viewers, have your kids explore the world around them with these 80 free virtual experiences. From historical events like the civil rights movement to touring UNESCO world heritage sites, these resources will give students a better understanding of historical events and the world around them.
GPB Virtual Field Trips
The Indian Mounds experience includes virtual field trips to Ocmulgee National Monument, Kolomoki Mounds State Park, and Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site.
2. Entrepreneurship of Georgia
The Entrepreneurship of Georgia virtual field trip takes students on an exploration of Georgia’s unique economy, guiding them through five of the state’s largest companies and explaining each firm’s inception and business history, including expansion, economic impact, charitable endeavors, and much more.
3. Jimmy Carter
The Jimmy Carter virtual field trip takes students on a journey through the remarkable life of James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. from his hometown experiences and early years through to his time as governor and president, into achievements post-presidency.
4. Physical Features of Georgia
The Physical Features of Georgia virtual field trip guides students through twelve of the state’s physical features: the Blue Ridge Mountains, Brasstown Bald, the monadnocks (Arabia, Panola, and Stone Mountains), Red Top Mountain, the Fall Line, Providence Canyon, Okefenokee Swamp, the Savannah and Chattahoochee Rivers, and the barrier islands.
5. Warm Springs
The Warm Springs virtual field trip provides students with an in-depth look at Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s personal ties to Georgia, including his struggle with polio and his interaction with Georgia citizens.
The University of Georgia virtual field trip provides students with an in-depth look at both the creation of the first state-chartered institution and its founder, Abraham Baldwin. It also provides information about the school’s past struggles with social issues such as racial and gender discrimination.
The Regions of Georgia virtual field trip takes students on a journey throughout the state of Georgia, guiding them through the five physiographic regions and explaining the relative location of each, as well as their characteristics, economic importance, and much more.
Brimming with comprehensive, cross-curricular content, including 14 videos, primary source images and documents, compelling photo galleries, interactive maps, artwork, music, and more, this virtual collection invites students into an engaging exploration of some of the most significant events of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Andersonville virtual field trip provides students with an in-depth look at a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp and the harsh conditions that Union soldiers endured while imprisoned at Camp Sumter.
10. Creek Nation
The Creek Nation virtual field trip provides students with an in-depth look at the lives of the Creek Indians prior to the arrival of the first settlers in Georgia, the fight to remain on their land, and their removal from Georgia in the 1830s.
11. Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation virtual field trip affords an in-depth look at the lives of the Cherokee Indians, from their first encounters with Europeans to events, such as Georgia’s gold rush and the signing of the Indian Removal Act by President Andrew Jackson, that led to their forced relocation to Indian Territory in 1838. Students can explore the following three important historic sites: the Cherokee Nation capital of New Echota, the Chief John Ross House, and the Chieftains Museum.
GPB Broadcasts
12. Okefenokee Swamp live exploration
Explore Georgia’s true wilderness with GPB Education’s live exploration to the Okefenokee Swamp. Witness the power of the mighty alligator, hear from swamp experts, and test your knowledge of the Okefenokee with this hour-long program.
13. Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary live exploration
Take your students on an exploration of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary in this 30 minute virtual field trip. This event was live streamed on May 10, 2017, from the University of Georgia's Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Savannah, GA. This unique experience teaches students about the animals that call Gray’s Reef home, how the seafloor serves as a habitat and ways they can help protect the reef from major threats. Join marine experts as they share the importance of their research and answer questions from the audience.
14. Georgia Outdoors: St. Catherines
Explore a Madagascan lemur colony, the oldest known church in Georgia, and discover a looming threat that could put all their research at risk on St. Catherines Island.
15. Georgia Outdoors: Little St. Simons
Little St. Simons can only be reached by boat, but the ride will deliver you to a bird lover's paradise. With no more than 32 overnight guests allowed at a time, this may be as close as you'll ever get to owning your own island!
Georgia Outdoors: Urban Forests
Atlanta is known as the city in a forest because of the many pockets of forest land that dot the metro area. Host Sharon Collins travels to many of these hidden gems to showcase these urban forests. The show highlights the value of these trees, and the conversation efforts to protect the region's forest canopy.
First settled by the Native Americans, then by European explorers, pirates, and wealthy Southern plantation owners, Sapelo Island is rich with the history of North America. Off the Georgian coastline, Sapelo is also the home of one of the most important wetland ecosystems in the world.
STEAM Experiences
17. Ready Jet Go! Space Explorer
Go on a galactic journey with Jet, Sydney, Sean, Mindy and Sunspot from their backyard in Boxwood Terrace through space! Explore, paint, and play, as you learn about planets, stars and constellations.
18. National Museum of Natural History
Whether looking at the history and cultures of Africa, describing our earliest Mammalian ancestor or primate diversity around the world, examining ancient life forms including the ever popular dinosaurs, or exploring the beauty of rare gemstones such as uniquely colored diamonds, the Museum’s permanent exhibitions can be explored in this virtual tour.
19. The National Museum of Computing
The National Museum of Computing is a museum in the United Kingdom dedicated to collecting and restoring historic computer systems.
The Larkin Building build by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1904 is one of the most famous office building off all time. When it was demolished in 1954, there where no color picture of the building...until now. In this VR experience, users can walk through the building and explore the spaces, furniture, and atmosphere.
21. Google Expeditions: What Happens to Your Trash and Recyclables?*
Stand inside the New York City Department of Sanitation's Staten Island Transfer Station, the Sims Recycling Center, and other spaces to discover how the city aims to eliminate waste to landfills by the year 2030.
Explore a virtual museum in room-scale VR: see famous sculptures in full, 1:1 scale and see famous paintings without the limitations of glass and security guards.
23, Football by the Numbers virtual field trip
Go behind-the-scenes of EA SPORTS with Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver! Learn how DATA dominates video game development! Your class will learn how data collection, statistics and insights create this cutting-edge experience.
Be creative and help people with engineering at DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL. Watch videos, play games, try activities, and share designs with the community.
25. Google Expeditions: International Space Station*
This expedition gives users an inside look into eight countries’ modules and explains the roles of each one.
26. Connect with Weather Virtual Field Trip video with meteorologist, Mark Elliot
Explore the science behind severe weather, learn about the technology used to predict hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, and wildfires and understand the steps families can take to prepare and stay safe during a weather emergency.
27. The Science Behind Your Food
This virtual field trip takes students to Cargill’s Innovation Center in Wichita, Kansas where they get an inside look into the world of agriculture and learn how careers in science and technology play a key role in getting food to your table in a safe and affordable way. Students will hear from numerous Cargill employees that represent a variety of interesting careers from a Food Marketer to Food Scientist and more!
28. A Virtual Field Trip from the Museum of Science
Join Discovery Education from the Museum of Science in Boston, one of our nation's premiere informal learning institutions. This event explores the natural and human-made world through the lens of engineering.
29. How Nature Inspires 3M Science
Watch the archived virtual field trip from 3M's World of Innovation! You will hear from 3M's leading scientific experts about just a few of the countless 3M innovations that are improving lives worldwide!
30. Live From the Farm: Technology and Soil Science
Tune in to watch a family farmer Brian Bomke gives middle school students a deeper understanding of how modern technology and nutrients play a role in the planting and harvesting seasons. During this live event Discovery Education will show students how technological advances have made the Bomke's farming operations more productive and efficient.
Dedicated scientists around the world are working to save amphibians, and you can too. Join scientists and researchers live from the National Zoo in Washington D.C. where your class will be able to see a wide range of amphibians from around the world; learn what amphibians are, why they are important, and the threats facing amphibians; and hear about programs that you can get involved in to help save amphibians in your local area. Presented by Siemens STEM Academy and the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park.
Historical Sites
32. Google Expeditions: Gettysburg National Military Park*
In this expedition, take a guided tour of some of the key parts of the three days of battle. Viewers will see how the geography played a role and how the Union Army was able to take advantage of it. The idyllic panoramas were the scenes of some of the bloodiest fighting in the Civil War. The outcome of this battle, and the Civil War itself, changed America forever.
33. Google Arts and Culture: Rome World Heritage
Discover ancient Rome and its iconic structures, including the Colosseum, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Castel Sant’Angelo, and more, that are still standing today.
The Great Wall stretches across several provinces of northern China but Beijing is usually considered the main gateway to the Great Wall since there are several world famous sections of the Great Wall in the suburbs of Beijing, including Badaling Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall, Gubeikou Great Wall and Jiankou Great Wall. These sections were built during the Ming dynasty between the 14th and 17th centuries and have been well preserved.
35. George Washington’s Mount Vernon
From the mansion to lush gardens and grounds, explore the home of the United States’ first president, George Washington.
36. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Packed with interesting facts, videos and photos, the free app allows anyone in the world to explore a virtual version of the world’s most iconic theatre. Users can move around the virtual theatre, zoom in and out and reveal the oak frame. Venture through the oak doors and head inside, where you can explore the theatre as stunning 360-degree images.
37. Anne Frank house
Discover the secret entrance behind the bookcase, wander around the furnished spaces, and get to know the stories from Anne Frank’s diary.
38. Machu Picchu
Peru’s Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rises up more than 2,400 meters above sea level where the Amazon Basin meets the Andes. Built in the 15th century, the Incas built this site as a gift to Emperor Pachacuti as a royal estate.
39. Google Arts and Culture: The White House
Every president since John Adams has occupied the White House, and the history of this building extends far beyond the construction of its walls. From the Ground Floor Corridor rooms, transformed from their early use as service areas, to the State Floor rooms, where countless leaders and dignitaries have been entertained, the White House is both the home of the President of the United States his family and a museum of American history. The White House is a place where history continues to unfold.
40. 2018 FIFA World Cup Stadiums
Visit the 12 different stadiums that will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. View the stadium from a bird’s eye view, learn about their locations and nearby points of interests, and see the stadiums come to life in a nighttime view.
Located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus is now open 24/7 thanks to its virtual tour. Walk through the halls of the museum, visit the various exhibits, and learn about the history of the Holocaust.
42. Sistine Chapel
Walk through this chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. With its ornate frescos, including Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment, the walls of the Sistine Chapel depict the contents of the Book of Revelation.
Titanic 3D aims to recreate the legendary liner to demonstrate that even today the Titanic bears its name.
44. Grand Central Terminal, New York City
The 1913 Beaux Arts train station is the city’s most spectacular point of arrival. The world’s largest train station continues to impress 100 years later, with more than 750,000 visitors every day—that’s four times the traffic New York’s JFK Airport handles.
45. Washington, D.C.: Capitol Hill
Explore each of the buildings located on Capitol Hill, including the U.S. Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, and more!
Cities
46. Atlanta
Experience Atlanta with 360ATL. Fly through the airport or start your journey in Centennial Olympic Park, the heart of the convention, and entertainment district. With 360ATL virtual tours, you can enjoy the beauty and excitement of Atlanta before you even arrive.
47. Rio de Janeiro
Welcome to Rio de Janeiro! Tour seven specific locations within the city, including Christ the Redeemer, the botanical gardens, and the Steps of Selaron.
48. Jerusalem
Explore one of the most important religious cities in the world with this virtual tour of Jerusalem. With its nine different sections, viewers can learn about the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, David’s Tomb, the Dome of the Rock, and more!
49. Istanbul
With a number of 360 images and colorful photos highlighting eight different areas in Istanbul, this virtual tour offers users a number of ways to learn about this historical city.
50. New York City by helicopter
View the Big Apple from above in this sky high virtual tour.
51. London
Visit seven major sites in London, including Parliament, Kings Cross Station, Tower Bridge, and more.
Exploring the Outdoors
52. Mount Rushmore
Symbolizing the ideals of freedom and democracy, Mount Rushmore is a tribute to four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln and their invaluable contributions to the United States. It is a place surrounded by American history, where the names of Gutzon Borglum and Crazy Horse are still heard; where the buffalo once again run free in Custer State Park, and the vision of the Keystone miners still cast a dim shadow on long deserted claims.
53. Google Expeditions: Mount Everest*
Climb the world’s tallest mountain and witness the various stops and stages of conquering Mount Everest.
54. Grand Canyon
Take a virtual hike or raft trip and discover ancient places within Grand Canyon where people lived long ago with interactive 360° photos and showing archeologists at work, along with their tools, such as shovels, trowels, screens and buckets.
This Antarctic experience will allow students to put on the virtual reality headset and enter the world of the Antarctic. The scenario begins where scientists will introduce the topic and explain the reasoning for their presence, their significance with the ecology, and what are some of the activities that take place.
Hosted at St. Vrain Valley School District, the Virtual Field Trip will provide students with the opportunity to hear about Mount Kilimanjaro first-hand from educators who climbed the mountain. They will learn about collecting environmental data on the mountain’s six biomes and meet a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist to discuss the SMAP Mission, a satellite that measures the Earth’s soil moisture. Students will learn about the importance of collecting this data and how they can participate by completing their own research.
57. Google Expeditions: Victoria Falls*
Known as the greatest curtain of falling water, Zambia’s Victoria Falls is among the most impressive natural wonders in the world
58. Pilanesberg National Park and Game Reserve
Pilanesberg National Park is located in the Bojanala Region, within the North West Province and relatively near Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the fourth largest park in the country and shows evidence of man living there during the Stone Age and Iron Age.
59. Georgia’s Cumberland Island
Take a tour of Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island, Cumberland Island. View the simple, 1-room First African Baptist Church, pristine beaches, and the remains of a mansion built by Thomas Carnegie, brother and partner of steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie.
60. Live from the Tundra Virtual Experience Series
This virtual experience series looked at Arctic ABCs, water conservation, and STEM jobs on the tundra. Find out about these extraordinary animals, the environment of the arctic and careers open to you on the tundra.
61. Nature: The World's Most Wanted Animal
Join conservationist Maria Diekmann in the crusade to save pangolins, the most trafficked animal in the world. Learn more about these scaly yet endearing mammals whose basic biology remains a mystery, hampering conservation efforts.
Careers and Workplaces
62. Google Career Expedition: Aquarist, Vicki Sawyer*
Vicki Sawyer is an Aquarist at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut. Learn about her background and job responsibilities with this inside look of what it takes to be an aquarist.
63. Fast Forward: Raleigh Studios
There are big things coming out of the little town of Senoia, Georgia—like the most popular TV show in the history of cable, for example. That’s right, it’s shot at Raleigh Studios, about an hour’s drive south of Atlanta. Fast Forward goes behind the scenes and talk with the experts about what it takes to create the fictional world of The Walking Dead.
64. Careers that Count: A Virtual Field Trip with the NBA
In this action-packed 30-minute virtual field trip, your students will learn about how NBA staff use problems worth solving every day to improve the game of basketball.
65. The Science Behind Sports Turf Management at Texas A&M
Sports start from the ground up... with healthy soil! Follow Nick McKenna, Assistant Field Manager of Texas A&M University, on a typical day in turf management. Your students will hear directly from Nick and the people he relies on - from soil lab experts to fertilizer specialists - to help keep the Texas A&M sports fields looking great for the fans and safe for the athletes!
66. Google Expedition: NASA’s Modern Figures*
This virtual field trip examines the roles of eight women and their various roles at NASA.
67. Fast Forward: Georgia Bureau of Investigation
To help find the best STEM-related jobs in Georgia, Fast Forward gets a little help from Georgia’s top investigative unit—the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
68. AgExplorer: Behind The Scenes at Ford Motor Company
Join National FFA and Discovery Education as they take you behind-the-scenes at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI, to learn how the needs of agriculture customers impact the design, engineering and testing of Ford F-Series trucks. Meet Ford employees who use advanced technologies to solve the practical challenges faced daily in agricultural settings.
69. Fast Forward: The Coca-Cola Company
Fast Forward visits the world headquarters of The Coca-Cola Company in downtown Atlanta, and talk with a few of their nearly 100,000 employees about what it takes to be one of the most recognized brands on the planet. It turns out those high school chemistry classes might come in handy.
70. Manufacture Your Future: Virtual Field Trip to Arconic Kitts Green
In this exclusive tour of the advanced aerospace, transportation, and industrial plant in Birmingham, England, meet young apprentices who are following their STEM passions to find fascinating careers in advanced manufacturing.
GPB pays a visit to CSX’s REDI Center in midtown Atlanta to talk with the fine folks of CSX about the 3,000 employees they have scattered about the state. REDI is the acronym for Railroad Education and Development Institute. That’s where most of their employees come to learn what it takes to work on the railroad, which also makes it a great place for us to learn more about CSX jobs.
Experiences
72. Auschwitz: The Past Is Present Virtual Experience
Holocaust survivors, teachers, and students gathered in Poland to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Now, you are invited to participate in the Auschwitz: The Past is Present Virtual Experience so your students can hear from the participants first-hand.
73. Google Expedition: The Great Depression*
This virtual field trip begins with the viewers standing on Wall Street in New York City in October 1929. The Great Depression expedition then depicts the effects and events that followed, including Hoovervilles, The Dust Bowl, and the interior of a Georgian family’s small home.
74. Google Expedition: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Women’s Rights*
Learn about the Women’s Rights Movement, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s enormous contribution to women’s equality rights, and how the foremothers of America are honored today.
75. Mission US: For Crown or Colony?
This interactive game puts the player in the shoes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old printer's apprentice in 1770 Boston. As Nat navigates the city and completes tasks, he encounters a spectrum of people living and working there when tensions mount before the Boston Massacre. Ultimately, the player determines Nat's fate by deciding where his loyalties lie.
76. Mission US: City of Immigrants
In this mission, students playing the game assume the role of Lena Brodsky, a Jewish immigrant from Minsk, Russia who arrives in the United States in 1907. As Lena, students will navigate New York City at the turn of the Twentieth Century, work to help support her family, and witness changes in factories.
77. Google Expeditions: Mexico’s Day of the Dead*
This virtual tour includes six scenes that explain the origins, culture, and celebrations surrounding Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
78. The Oregon Trail
This throwback game has the player assume the role of a wagon leader guiding his part of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon’s Willamette Valley over the Oregon Trail via a Conestoga wagon in 1848.
79. Google Expeditions: The Vietnam War*
Explore the causes and effects of the Vietnam War and the repercussions of the United States’ involvement in the war.
Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past.
How do you use virtual experiences in your classroom or at home? Tell us your favorite resources in the comments below!
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