A virtual field trip

Watson Elementary School kindergartners participated in a video conference with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum in Michigan. The school's students have been studying the arctic and the animals that live there. On Feb. 4 they connected with an expert from the museum who helped them conduct several experiments. These kinesthetic activities demonstrated how polar animals adapt to extreme temperatures.The children learned first hand how feathers and blubber help insulate animals such as penguins, polar bears and arctic foxes.

The “virtual field trips” provided via video conferencing allow students to travel around the globe without leaving the classroom. Students can learn from experts in a myriad of fields, including anthropologists, curators and NASA scientists. Teachers said the children were fascinated with this new approach to learning.