The virtual reality that I would like students to experience in my classroom is the aquarium that is located in Georgia. Through this experience students would be able to join in on Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager webcam and wait for the shark to appear. Through my lesson I would have students sketch an image of the shark that they are studying through this aquarium webcam. Once students have sketched this shark they will then research the parts of the shark to label each feature. This also ties in not just a science standard while understanding animal habitats but a reading standard as well. Students will use text features when describing this shark and creating a nonfiction page about animals. Through this experience students will be able to see a live shark with offering this online virtual tour into this animal's habitat. Not only does the webcam provide an active live session of the sharks swimming but we can even offer to our students the “jellycam” at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Students will experience virtual tour of the National Aquarium as they take a virtual reality self guided tour. OR 30-minute video tour.
As students experience these online activities it does not stop there. In reading, we take time to practice how to answer implicit and explicit questions. Students practice how to come up with interview questions before visiting the,The Maritime Aquarium where you can register for their virtual programs for all grades. Talk to a research vessel captain, learn about water pollution, and more! After asking explicit and implicit questions to possibly a vessel captain students will then create a venn diagram with a partner in our classroom comparing their experiences and developing their next steps when researching this new profound topic. Many times I ask my students what they would like to be when they grow up....I am very proud when I hear students would like to be a doctor, teacher, bank manager, etc. Have we ever heard of students saying they would like to be diving instructors, 3D animators, or even a biomedical engineer? Are we limiting student's choices because we have not given them experiences and options to see what our world has to offer? Believing in the power of virtual reality simulations just may be the answer! I feel that it is important to open these experiences to our students and give them the opportunities to explore what professional opportunities are out there. I believe wholeheartedly that opening this experiences up to our students will enhance our classroom by adding new conversations, new research ideas, and the curious finds of many more experiences. Standards Addressed: 3.RI. 8: Use knowledge of appendices, timelines, maps, and charts to locate information and gain meaning; explain how these features contribute to a text. 3.RI.7: I can compare and contrast diverse texts on the same topic, idea, or concept. 3.L.5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how the characteristics and changes in environments and habitats affect the diversity of organisms. |
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