We start by learning how to search for information by doing a Scavenger Hunt of famous places from all over the world. My favorite site for this is Britannica Online - it's easy for Elementary friends to navigate, has wonderful images and videos, it reads articles aloud and translates the website in a variety of languages!
We are Virtual Travelers - to extend this learning, we'll travel to these places virtually by using the panoramic views in Google Earth. Loading the app onto a computer or accessing it online or on iPad, students can not only explore the famous place, but can explore the culture, the architecture, discover more about landforms, geography and so much more!
UPDATE: Sadly, Google Expedition has been retired - stay tuned for new and innovative ways to showcase new ways of learning. In the meantime….take a look at what we ‘used-to-do’ - perhaps, it may spark what ‘can-be-done’ now. Happy Travels!
Google Expedition is also an amazing way to see the world. Using Virtual Reality - we are transported on a field trip to these sites. Using the lead device, it's easy to search for places and via the router, the field trip is then transmitted to the explorer's goggles. The sounds of 'oohhs' and 'aawws' from the students adds to the excitement. Hands down, this is a very cool experience!
This is how we roll - literally and virtually!
