Field trips are a great opportunity to break the classroom routine, while making the connection between classroom and outside world, but sometimes they can be a bit of a hassle rounding students, permission slips, and belongings and herding them through a curated experience. Instead, you can now expose students to the outside world–much farther than a school bus could take you–with a few simple tools, and no pesky paperwork!
One great resource that I have discovered is http://www.360cities.net/ — a site that offers a panoramic view of literally any city or attraction around the globe. Lead your students through exotic new climes, imposing architecture, and new wildlife that spans the continents.
Give your students a lesson in biodiversity by taking them down the Amazon and deep into the heart of the jungle. Show, don’t tell, them about the intricacies of different architectural styles evident in cathedrals and castles from across Europe. Take your students on a walk through the Hall of Mirrors as you discuss what it would have been like for Marie Antoinette in the 18th century.
Amanda M. Orozco 