A Fieldtrip for Every Class!
April 27, 2008 by Malena Copeland
Videoconference fieldtrips
by Malena Copeland
One of the amazing things that will happen with some of the funds we receive from the Basic Skills Initiative is the purchase of a video-conferencing web camera. How is this going to improve basic skills? Well, the possibilities for these cameras are endless. But an immediate use for this camera is a videoconference fieldtrip.
The California State Parks Department has a free program available to teachers, which enables you to connect with enthusiastic and charismatic rangers at various State Parks across California. This program is amazing! It is as if you are really there. In some of the locations, there are several cameras so that you can see different locations within the park. You can actually show the students live video of a ranger at a State Park who will teach a variety of lessons on the State Parks. The ranger can also see all of the students, and can converse back and forth with everyone in the classroom reinforcing any number of skills from English and Science to History and Civics.
I got to see a demonstration of this program. Rangers from Anza Borrego Desert State Park and Crystal Cove State Park came to us live at the CEC in room A108. From Crystal Cove, we were shown fish and urchins from an underwater camera, pictures and video of shells and other sea life from the technical resources that the rangers had on hand, and of course the lovely view of the California Coastline. The ranger in the dessert showed us fossils and geological structures. She talked about weather patterns as well as the way teams of paleontologists find and care for the fossils, and how there are many volunteer opportunities to help with these efforts. We got to ask them questions, and they were able to answer us right there and then. They were funny, charming, and spoke very clearly.
The rangers will talk about any number of topics and can be prepped to cover vocabulary that you are teaching in your class, or even pose topics for essays. They will alter their lessons to fit the level of your class. The rangers are open to setting up communication in advance via email. You can even send a list of questions for the rangers ahead of time so that they can be well prepared to discuss specific topics with your class.
Here is a list of possible parks to visit with some of the themes they cover:
(for more details as well as lesson plans and activities)
Government at The State Capitol
Gold Rush
Tide Pools at Crystal Cove
Travel Brochures
Paleontology at Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve
Special Events
These “fieldtrips” typically last 45 minutes and must be scheduled in advance. The equipment is simple to use and takes a very minimal amount of training to figure out.
The California State Parks Department engages in these educational programs in order to educate the populous about ways in which they can learn about conservation and nature. Hopefully this will promote our students to actually visit some of these parks.
There are other organizations who offer similar virtual fieldtrips. A list of these can be found by clicking here.
Create a free edublog to get your own comment avatar (and more!)
I am very excited about the new video camera we ordered that will enable us to have “live” sessions with a CA State Park Ranger while we are in the classroom. Susan Gaer brought back this resource from the CUE conference.
Any topic that Malena listed in her blog could be used, but I think the Gold Rush or a CA Missions presentation would be fascinating as a followup reading/writing activity. Students could read about the topic, listen to others on the topic, engage in conversation on the topic, write, and then participate in a “live” presentation with a Park Ranger.
The instructor sets up the field trip by going over special vocabulary being taught with the Ranger, who will incorporate suggestions into the interactive presentation of about 45 minutes. Students can ask questions and immediately get answers.
Stay turned to the blog. When the camera is in and directions on how to access the Park Ranger set up, we will let everyone know.
I just printed out the videoconference suggestions that Malena put on the blog. I will have several hard copies put into the Resource Center so everyone can preview the 27-page list in entirety. Thank you, Malena. Great source.
What a great idea!! I have seen how hesitant some students are when you suggest they go to visit local park or recreation sites. I don’t blame them. I always feel insecure and hesitant when I visit other cities myself. It would be a great idea to do a videoconference visit to an Orange County site which may help a student get a feel for a site in preparation for an actual visit. Mission San Juan Capistrano, Bowers museum, Dinosaurs at Los Coyotes Park, or the Interpretive center at Newport Back Bay, all would make an interesting visit which would teach the students about places they could actually go to in their free time. Mary Polychrome