As we’ve headed into the back to school season, it definitely is looking different than most years. Some schools are completely virtual, some are hybrid and others could be full time back in school. Regardless, it still looks and feels very different than most years. I love planning field trips for my students and this year, that is another thing that is going to look and feel different. But I know there are still ways to incorporate field trips this school year, even if it means not physically leaving our classroom. Enter: virtual field trips!

As we saw back in March, we have a lot of ways to enhance our classroom learning with technology. The same can be said about offering field trips virtually. We can provide our students with opportunities to see places and people that they might not be able to. The best part: they don’t have to leave school grounds! So we get to offer amazing experiences while keeping our students and schools safe! It’s a win, win! 

Whether you want to visit the White House to tie in the upcoming election, a zoo to learn about different animals, or even national parks, there are many options available to teachers who are looking for virtual opportunities. Here are some great resources to look through: 

• Ready to Go Virtual Field Trips/Tours
• Discovery Education Virtual Field Trips
• Waterford.org Virtual Field Trips

If you’re wanting to plan your own field trip from scratch, here are some things that I would recommend: 

Make it an experience

You can do the typical things that you would do for a field trip: have students grab coats, lunches, line up and get on a “bus,” take attendance, etc. It will help students to get the feel of an actual field trip. 

Set the stage

This can include music, decorating or transforming your classroom to fit the theme, teachers and students can dress up to match the time period or event, etc. You can get creative with this! 

Curriculum-based virtual field trips

While virtual field trips can be fun, it’s also important to tie it back to our curriculum and learning standards. Here are some great questions to ask yourself as you’re planning your trip: Does this virtual field trip add to our curriculum? What is the one main concept that the students will gain from this? Will all students be able to participate in the virtual activities?

Utilize connections and technology

This one seems a little silly, but think about all the connections you have made. Do you know a teacher in another state/country? Can you work with him/her to videoconference and learn more about their state or culture? 

Reach out to your local network

Many places that are known to host field trips for schools will probably have to plan accordingly for this year. They might have already worked out a virtual field trip plan. If there’s a place that you look forward to taking your students each year, still contact them! 

The sky’s the limit when it comes to virtual field trips. Think of places and people that would be amazing to incorporate into your learning standards and there is most likely a way to incorporate a virtual field trip. If you’re looking for more resources on virtual learning, check out this blog post!

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