Archive for the ‘Virtual Field Trip’ category

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Virtual Field Trip Earth

July 9th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Friday, July 9, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Field Trip Earth

Age Range: 10 and up (Younger children and non-readers may enjoy aspects of this site with adult guidance.)

ClickScholar Cie recommended this website that offers free virtual field trips to wildlife conservation projects taking place worldwide.

Some of the field trips are live, allowing students to interact with researchers in the field. Others are archived past projects. All of them include interviews with field researchers and wildlife experts, stunning slideshows, and suggestions for classroom activities on how to further learning (some of which can be tweaked for the homeschool environment).

When you get to the site you’ll see a map of the Earth. Use the airplane cursor to virtually fly to destinations that include:

*Field Trips – These are the current projects that researchers are doing. In the U.S., head to the American Southwest to see Mexican Wolves or “fly” to the East Coast to learn about Atlantic Sea Turtles.  Visit the carnivores of Sri Lanka in India, or learn about the recovery program that saved the Przewalski Horse in China. Visit the African elephants or join a Whale Shark expedition.

*Field Reports – These are the archived projects that are no longer active. Learn about Brown Bears in Alaska, search for wild chinchillas in Chile, survey wildlife in Nigerian forests, and swim with fur seals in New Zealand.

Visitors to this site will learn all about the science of conservation, the geography of the world, and a lot about zoology as they investigate endangered species and their habitats.

When you’re through taking the field trips be sure to use the menu to explore all of the fascinating research and information on this site. Bookmark it, one visit won’t be enough. 

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Jelly Belly Bean Factory Tour!

April 2nd, 2010

Hi!  It’s Friday, April 2, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Jelly Belly Factory

Age Range:  All (Non-readers will need assistance.)

At the Jelly Belly website, you can take a free virtual tour to see how the flavorful jelly beans are made. Watch a series of 9 video clips and read the accompanying text that details:

  1. How the mix for the gooey centers are made.
  2. How the mix is shaped.
  3. How the soft centers are cooled and hardened.
  4. How the centers are showered in sugar.
  5. How the outer shells are built around the soft centers.
  6. How the beans are polished to a high gloss.
  7. How the Jelly Belly name is printed on each bean.
  8. How the beans are packaged.
  9. How the beans are distributed to stores.

Each video takes a few seconds to download. Your patience will be rewarded with a sneak peek at how the delectable confections are manufactured.

When you’re through with the tour, use the menu to explore other areas of the site including “Fun Stuff” with information on taking real-time Jelly Belly factory tours, Jelly Belly Bean Recipes, and Jelly Belly Flavor Guides – there are 50 official flavors from Bubble Gum to Watermelon!

WARNING: This virtual tour may result in cravings for Jelly Belly Beans – better have some on hand before you take the tour!  :)

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Field Trip to Peeps Factory & A Peeps Curriculum

March 19th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Friday, March 19, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Just Born Candy

Marshmallow Peeps are everywhere this time of year.  Ever wonder how they’re made?  At this website you can take a virtual tour through text and photographs of how this traditional Easter-basket candy confection is manufactured. (Not only that, you can also find out how Hot Tamales, Mike & Ike, and Zours are made.)

While the tour is offered by the company that makes Peeps, you’ll find better photos of their Peep manufacturing process at this Peeps website.

Now for those of you who wonder how Peeps can be educational, what follows is ClickSchooling’s Original Peeps’ Curriculum for your enjoyment. These links take you to the original ClickSchooling reviews with links to the curriculum content.

ClickSchooling’s Original Peeps’ Curriculum

Peeps Math – Includes Peeps-themed math lessons for grades K-8 and a recipe for making your own home-made version of Peeps.

Peeps Science – These websites document science experiments conducted on Peeps — some of which may inspire your own Peeps experimentations. The studies focused on basic attributes and reactions of Peeps to simple conditions and stimuli. You’ll also find a link to a “Peeps in Outer Space” online computer game.

Peeps Language Arts – Watch a terrific retelling of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings in a photo-illustration using Peeps as the characters. Then enjoy some Peeps’ Haiku poetry.

Peeps Social Sciences – The first link in this archived review doesn’t work. But you won’t want to miss the other two links where you can see the amazing and funny results when you tell your co-workers that you hate Peeps. You can also test your knowledge of the history of Peeps by taking an online quiz.

Peeps Art – Learn to draw a Marshmallow Peep and get instructions for making an incredible, edible Peeps necklace!

I have been telling people for years that you can get a good education without textbooks and by using what you find in the environment around you. This just proves it!

I hope you’ll forward this email, in its entirety, to your friends and relatives and encourage them to subscribe to ClickSchooling. After all, it will make them smile and ClickSchooling is free. Besides, I think ClickSchooling’s Original Peeps’ Curriculum should go viral. Don’t you agree?

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Posted in Art, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Sciences, Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Field Trip to Luther Burbank Museum

March 12th, 2010

It’s Friday, March 12, 2009 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Luther Burbank Virtual Museum

Luther Burbank, the renowned horticulturist (plant breeder) was born on March 7th in 1849. His experiments in agriculture resulted in over 800 new plant varieties, and it changed farming worldwide.

At this website you can visit the Luther Burbank Virtual Museum to learn more. When you get to the site, you’ll see a menu of three wings of the museum to explore:

*Home and Gardens – Take two virtual tours of the past and present. On “The Present Tour” you’ll see photos and read text about the home and gardens as they exist today. Learn about the plant species Mr. Burbank created including some AMAZING facts about Cacti! Then, try some of the activities provided.  On the “Past Tour” you’ll see a photo gallery of Burbank’s Santa Rosa home and gardens as they were during his lifetime.

*Gold Ridge Farm – Take a “Present” and “Past” tour of Burbank’s farm where he conducted his plant experiments. Learn how he created new plant species.

*Burbank-abilia – Enjoy interesting facts and trivia about Burbank by exploring 6 mini virtual exhibits including info about Burbank’s nursery business, his role as a scientist, famous people Burbank knew (such as Einstein and Edison), and his love for children.

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Posted in Science, Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Field Trip to Mount Everest

February 26th, 2010

Hi! It’s Friday, February 26, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Tech Museums: Everest Interactive Tour

Age Range: 8 and up (approximately)

Some things are just too good not to feature twice! I published this review in 2003, and it’s still a fantastic way to see Mount Everest without leaving home.

This website (a presentation of The Tech Museum in San Jose, CA) offers two ways to take an interactive tour of Mount Everest, the most famous, notorious, and highest mountain peak in the world. When you get to the site you can choose a Shockwave tour complete with sound and special effects (you can download shockwave for free at the site), or take an HTML tour (no audio, interactivity).

The photographs are stunning, produced from the IMAX film about Everest and the virtual journey features:

  • A visit to Kathmandu in Nepal to learn a bit about the people and culture.
  • A road trip to Base Camp where you’ll learn about family villages in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains along the way.
  • A visit to Base Camp to find out how it is constructed each year.
  • A trek across the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, one of the most dangerous parts of the path to the mountain summit.
  • The experience of “Summit Day” – you virtually climb to Everest’s peak at 29,028 feet above sea level.

You’ll also find out about the toll Everest has taken in human lives, and about the environmental toll of human treks to Everest.

This is a spectacular virtual tour. Take the whole family on a cyber-journey to the top of the world.

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Posted in Social Sciences, Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Field Trip to Avocado Farm

February 19th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Friday, February 19, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Avocado.org: Virtual Tour

This avocado grower’s website offers a free virtual tour, “The Avocado: From Seedling to Supermarket” that explains how avocados are grown, harvested, and prepared for consumer consumption.

When you get to the site, the video will launch with an introduction. Then, you can select a stage in the avocado production process, and watch a video depicting it. The stages include:

  • Growing Stage (7 min video)
  • Harvesting Stage (2 min video)
  • Packing Stage (3 min video)
  • Ripening Stage (2 min video)
  • Shipping Stage (1 min video)

When you’re through watching the videos, use the menu (and drop-down lists) at the top of the screen to:

  • Explore the history of avocados
  • Grow your own avocado tree
  • Discover the varieties of avocados
  • Learn some “Fun Facts” about avocados

Under the “Kids” tab on the menu, you’ll find:

  • Fun, interactive, avocado-themed games
  • 4 printable science and social studies activities (designed for classroom teachers, but suitable for home education as well)
  • Recipes for parents to try with their kids at home

There’s an amazing amount of content on this site about nutrition and the avocado agriculture industry as well.

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Posted in Science, Social Sciences, Virtual Field Trip

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