Do you want to take your class on a field trip but don't have the funds? There is a solution - Google Expeditions! Our friends at Google have developed a wonderful tool for education that allows you to travel anywhere in the world via virtual reality. Are you ready to travel?? What You'll Need:
Let's begin! First, you'll need to sign into the app with your Google credentials. Then you'll be asked to select "Be a Guide" or "Be an Explorer". Teachers should be guides, students should be explorers. NOTE: Students can "be a guide" on their own time and explore all the awesome expeditions that are available! Guides, or teachers, will select which Expedition that they want to lead the Explorers on. For this class, the teacher selected an expedition to Mount Everest. The students had been studying Everest in her 7th grade social studies class. Students can "Join" the expedition from their devices. Once they have joined, the teacher can begin the expedition. Each expedition has a series of scenes to show students. The scenes are 360 degree photographs. Students can swipe the screen or physically turn themselves and their devices to view it. Below is the teacher screen. In this image, the teacher is showing and discussing with students the circled image. She can see that the students are looking - each smiley face represents one explorer! The teacher can even circle, highlight, and draw on the pictures to capture students' attention and highlight important details that they may miss. Each scene includes background information, several objects to point out, and even differentiated questions to prompt discussion among students! It's amazing! Check out this video that I took while the teacher was leading the lesson. It shows you how the iPad moves and what the students saw during the lesson on Everest. Google expeditions gave our students a whole new viewpoint on Everest. We frequently overheard "WOW!" and "This is so cool!" while the students were exploring Mount Everest. Here are a few photos of our students enjoying Google Expeditions! Expeditions isn't just for social studies... there are expeditions for almost any subject! Science, the arts, famous people... just search within the app and see what you find! Tour the International Space Station, check out a coral reef... examine a human body, view Mount Rushmore, walk among ancient ruins! The possibilities are endless!
How will you use Google Expeditions with your students? Comment below and let me know!
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About the AuthorHi! Welcome to my blog! My name is Christine Hurley. This is my 17th year of teaching - I've taught Kindergarten, 4th grade, elementary media, and now I am in my 6th year of teaching middle school media! Archives
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