Archive for the ‘Virtual Field Trip’ category

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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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Virtual Tour – See How Diamonds Are Made

February 13th, 2010

Hi! It’s Friday, February 12, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at Clickschooling!
 
Valentine’s Day is almost here. Have you noticed all of the advertisements for diamond jewelry? At today’s websites, you can take a brief Virtual Field Trip to see how diamonds are man-made in the lab, and watch an animation of how diamonds are made in nature. Before you take these tours, it will enhance your experience to learn a little about diamonds. Visit the sites in the order listed below to get a multi-faceted understanding of how diamonds are made.
 
Recommended Websites:

Age Range: 7-16 (approximately, varies depending on website)

ThinkQuest: Diamonds for Kids

ThinkQuest offers this site for kids that explains how diamonds are created, and also discusses the properties of diamonds as gemstones such as the carat, clarity, cut, and color.

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Time.com: How Diamonds Are Man-Made
 
This website contains a short slide-show and scientific explanation of how real diamonds are synthesized in the laboratory.

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How Diamonds Are Made in Nature

This website offers an animation of how diamonds are formed in the earth’s crust.

 

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Posted in Science, Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Tour of Football Factory

February 5th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Friday, February 5, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Wilson Football Factory

Superbowl Sunday is just two days away! Get an inside look at how the official NFL Game Ball is made at the Wilson factory in Ada, Ohio.

When you get to the site, you’ll see a brief introduction and a video screen.  Click on it to watch a video of proud factory workers constructing NFL Game Balls by hand from genuine leather hides. You’ll witness the process that includes:

  • Cutting the cow hide
  • Stamping the hide with Wilson insignia
  • Turning the balls
  • Lockstitching the panels
  • Straightening and tightening the laces

This football manufacturing process has been a proud tradition since 1941. Have fun watching the game. I hope your team wins!

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Sweethearts Candy Factory Tour

January 29th, 2010

 

Hi!  It’s Friday, January 29, 2009 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Necco: Sweethearts Factory Tour

Age Range: 5-105 (Non-readers will need assistance.)
 
Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it. I’ve been seeing the boxed “Sweethearts” candies with the tiny valentine messages printed on them in the grocery store check-out line. I thought it might be fun to learn how they are made.

At the Necco Candy website you can take a free virtual tour (through photographs and text) to see how “Sweethearts” are manufactured. Not only that, you can take a tour to see how Necco Wafers and Haviland Thin Mints are made as well!

When you get to the site, you’ll see a menu of all three tours. Click on the tour of interest and a new screen opens where you can follow the virtual tour.

Once you’ve take the tours, click on “Fun and Learning” on the menu to access research for school projects and reports, games, quizzes, and recipes.

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Virtual Tour of Pistachio Farm

January 22nd, 2010

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Hi!  It’s Friday, January 22, 2010 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Eagle Ranch Pistachio Farm

At this website you can take a free virtual tour (through photographs and text) of the Eagle Ranch Pistachio Farm in New Mexico, to see how pistachio nuts are grown, harvested and processed for comsumption.

As you’ll learn at the website, in the Chinese language the name for pistachios means “happy nut.” The Eagle Ranch mascot is a happy nut named “Peppy” – just click on the image of “Peppy” at the bottom of each page to follow the tour.  When you get to the site you’ll see photographs of the pistachio tree grove. Again, just click on Peppy to continue the tour that includes:

  • Processing Plant
  • Salting & Roasting Plant
  • Packaging Department
  • Shipping Department

The Pistachio Virtual Tour is mixed together with a quick snapshot of the Eagle Ranch vineyard and some of the stores and attractions at the location. Use the menu to learn more about pistachio nuts including their history and nutritional value.

Enjoy!

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip