Due to budget cuts and scarce resources, teachers may need to find creative ways to take their students on field trips. Lucky for them, Edutopia has compiled a list of virtual field trips that teachers and students can “take” on the iPad for free.
Granted, nothing compares to actually going on the trip and experiencing the destination with all five senses. But in the interest of animating some sleepy classroom lessons, check out these apps:
The National Geographic app offers trips to Yellowstone, Acadia, and other parks, and features photo galleries, interactive maps, and lists of the top sights and activities in each park.
For U.S. history teachers, the Gettysburg Battle app brings users to the historic location of the Civil War battle. Students can listen to audio accounts from soldiers, watch videos of historians, and learn important facts about the battle.
Bring the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives into your classroom via Library of Congress’ app. Students can get a closer look at the legislative branch of the country by browsing congressional records and learning about the latest bills, resolutions, and nominations being considered daily on Congress’ floor.
If it turns out a “physical” field trip is in your budget, you’ll want to take a look at Education Week Teacher‘s interactive map of favorite field trip spots—excluding the virtual world. This ongoing project is based on the responses of our teacher audience. Don’t forget to contribute your own favorite real-world field trip spots here.