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= What is a Virtual Field Trip? = =The Web-2.0-Quest = = =

1) A virtual field trip (VFT) is a standards-based activity which allows students to visit a place of interest on the Web rather than to an actual place. 2) You take a VFT using your computer and the Internet. 3) The place can be near you physically or anywhere in the world. 4) It can even be somewhere that would be otherwise impossible to go! 5) VFTs are not just about websites – they’re about learning. a. Students gain experiences and bring them back in a variety of formats, including photos, sounds, videos and text, which suit their learning styles. b. Students are expected to assimilate their experiences and discoveries to transform the material into knowledge demonstrated through a final product. 6) Use VFTs to introduce your students to new places, new people, new processes, etc.

What does the teacher do?
Step 1 With a partner create your own wiki site using Wikispaces.com Create your VFT using one of templates on the left by copying and pasting the entire template to your wiki's home page. Step 2 Pick your audience. What grade are you teaching? A virtual field trip for fourth graders will obviously be different from one you create for a class of seniors. Step 3 Progress in a logical manner. This virtual field trip should be in a narrative form. It should have a beginning, middle and an end. Step 4 Use an age appropriate conversational tone. You want to sound like a tour guide in the virtual field trip. You are taking your students on a journey through a specific subject. Create a sense of adventure and excitement. Step 5 Include links to other web sites. Be sure to tell your guest what they should look for once they arrive at the link. You want to make navigation as simple as possible for them. Step 6 Make the tour interesting. Use bold and colorful fonts. Change the fonts to different sizes to accommodate titles and links. ||<  || Use embedable code to bring action to your VFT and a sense of "You are there". Step 7 Copy and paste the URL of your VFT into a new page your create in your weebly.com website. Decorate the weebly page with pictures from your VFT and describe the VFT to us in a single paragraph. ||<  || Although you may be able to go out and take your own photos, you may need to locate images for your field trips. Use the following resources for starting points: >> Field guides on amphibians, birds, butterflies, fishes, insects, mammals, reptiles, seashells, seashore creatures, spiders, trees, wildflowers, and native plants.
 * < ====Things You'll Need:====
 * Computer
 * Internet access
 * Time to search for links
 * Some skill with building sites
 * < Create an appealing and descriptive home page for the virtual field trip. ||<  ||
 * < Create links/blank pages for the various stops along the field trip.
 * < =====**Collections of Virtual Field Trips**=====
 * Site for VFT Starter Ideas []
 * Collection of Virtual Field Trips
 * [|CARE] Thirteen virtual field trips of impoverished or strife torn countries
 * [|Earth and Moon Viewer]
 * [|eFieldtrips.org]
 * [|Factory Tours]
 * [|GeologyLink VFTs] Organized by continent
 * [|GlobalSchoolNet.org Online Expeditions]
 * [|HomeworkSpot VFT Archives]
 * [|National Registry Travel Itineraries]
 * [|Online Learning Haven: Virtual Tours of History]
 * **Scholastic Internet Field Trips:** [|Teachers Guide] | [|Internet Field Trip Library>]Dozens of Internet Field Trips for elementary school kids!
 * [|QuickTime Panorama] Scenic 360° panorama photos of dozen of amazing places in the Rocky Mountains and Alaska
 * [|ThinkPort Online Field Trips]
 * [|TramLine>]A sight for educators to visit, develop, and discuss virtual field trips
 * University of Texas [|Virtual and On-line Geologic Field Trip Guid] ||<  ||
 * < Tutorial on How to Use Google Earth to Create a Virtual Field Trip
 * Picture Resources**
 * [|FreeFoto]
 * [|Library of Congress - American Memory]
 * [|NASA Image Collection]
 * [|NOAA Image Collection] - weather, oceans, science, history, people
 * [|National Park Service Digital Image Archives]
 * [|Geologic Resources: National Park Service Photo Search] - searchable database by park
 * [|Grand Canyon National Park Photos]
 * [|National Park Service Historic Photograph Collection]
 * [|Theodore Roosevelt National Park Photo Scrapbook] - lots of photos for students to use in their virtual field trip
 * [|National Wildlife Federation]
 * [|Wildlife]
 * [|Enature]
 * [|Public Health Images]
 * [|US Fish and Wildlife Pictures]
 * [|USGS Image Collections: Picturing Science] - topics including biology, ecosystems, geology, geography, hydrology, parks
 * [|Picturing Science] - slides shows on science topics.
 * [|Earth Science Photo Library] - parks, earthquakes, pioneers, volcanoes, mines
 * [|Teacher Tap: Visual Resources] - links
 * [|Teacher Tap: Public Domain/Copyright Free Media] - links ||<  ||