Let’s face it – none of us will be traveling abroad anytime soon. However, we can bring culture and travel into our Spanish classrooms with virtual field trips!
What is a virtual field trip?
A virtual field trip takes students to places they may never visit without the expense or hassle of finding chaperones and collecting permission slips! Virtual field trips allow students to view museum exhibits, or tour cities and other locations from the comfort of their home or classroom. The world of virtual reality (VR) has also made it possible for students to immerse themselves in new and exciting settings!
What opportunities are there for my Spanish students?
While lots of museums offer virtual tours, many of the museum websites I researched required certain plugins or extra apps that not all students could access. Therefore, I have found that the most equitable way to provide Spanish virtual field trips is through YouTube. We know that 99% of our students can access it, whether we want them to or not!
As a result, I have put together this series of virtual field trips for middle school and high school Spanish students that allow them to explore the Spanish-speaking world, while providing them with choice. The field trips come in English and Spanish, making them appropriately challenging and interesting for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students, as well as native speakers.
Virtual Field Trip to Central America
This field trip will take students to Tikal and Antigua in Guatemala, Volcán Mayasa in Nicaragua, The Great Blue Hole in Belize, the Copán Ruins in Honduras, Ruta de flores in El Salvador, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica or Panama Canal and Panama City, Panama!
Students have the choice to visit any of these 10 different locations in Central America through short video clips. Depending on your class and time constraints, you can assign all 10 locations, or just have them choose three to complete.
South America
On the South American virtual field trip, students will have the option to visit Catedrál de marmól in Chile, Otavalo Market in Ecuador, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, The Sacred Valley in Peru, Angel Falls in Venezuela, Perito Moreno Glacier, La Boca y Caminito in Argentina, and El Teleférico and Museo de oro in Colombia.
Spanish-Speaking countries virtual field trips
In this series, students will visit the most famous Spanish-speaking monuments and destinations in Central America, South America and Spain! Trips include Machu Piccu in Peru, The Galapagos Islands and El Centro del mundo in Ecuador, La Sagrada Familia and Alhambra in Spain, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, Tikal in Guatemala, Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Easter Island near Chile.
How to use virtual field trips in Spanish class
Asynchronous learning
I use these field trips in a variety of ways. For starters, they are great activities for asynchronous learning. Students work at their own pace and choose where they want to go. The directions allow them to pick 3-5 places, but you could assign them to visit one place per week or all locations by the end of the quarter.
Fast-finishers
Another way to use these field trips is with fast finishers as a reward. Kids who finish quickly, are typically curious by nature. Rewarding them with a virtual field trip is a win-win for everyone!
Filler activities
Maybe you finished a unit on a Thursday and prefer to start the next unit on Monday. Take a virtual field trip on Friday!
How about the day before holiday break when everyone is already mentally checked out anyway? Virtual field trip day!
Or what about those days when you as the teacher just need a day off to rest your voice, catch up on grading, or because your own family kept you up all night? Sounds like the perfect day for a virtual field trip! Your students are still learning and you don’t have to introduce anything new.
Sub plans
These are great to keep in your emergency sub plan binder. They are completely digital, so you can assign them from anywhere and your sub does not have to speak any Spanish to implement them. All s/he has to do is send students to your online platform and sit back and relax. Piece of cake!
