Virtual field trips give your students the chance to explore new places, build vocabulary, and deepen understanding, according to Monica Burns’ Jan. 2021 Edutopia article. And the best part is they don’t have to leave the classroom.

As a Studies Weekly teacher, you have access all of our virtual field trips at Studies Weekly Online, so you can take your students on an adventure to some of the country’s most famous historical sites.

Here are five of our favorites:

1. National World War I Museum and Memorial

Take your class to Kansas City, Missouri to tour the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The Museum opened in 1926 and was designated as America’s official World War I Museum by the U.S. Congress in 2004.

Your tour guide, Mike, one of the Museum directors, talks you through the history of World War I, or what was once called, “the war to end all wars.”

2. Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas National Park

In this virtual field trip, you’ll head on down to the Gulf of Mexico at the end of the Florida Keys to visit Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas National Park. It was one of America’s greatest military assets, as it’s located right along the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The only way to get to Fort Jefferson is by seaplane or boat.

Ranger Mike of the National Park Services guides you around this amazing site, which covers 16 acres and is made up of 16 million bricks. 

3. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

Visit one of the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilizations: the Cahokia Mound State Historic Site. Cahokia was the biggest American Indian site covering 2,200 acres and had up to 20 thousand people, called the Mississippians.

In this video, one of the lead in-house archeologists takes you on a tour to learn more about the site and the people who lived there.

4. Virtual Field Trip: San Jacinto Monument and USS Texas

Travel to Harris County, Texas to see the grand The San Jacinto Monument. This historic site is dedicated to the heroes who fought in the battle of San Jacinto and is 567.31 feet tall.

Your class will also explore the USS Texas, one of six remaining ships that served in both World Wars. It became the first battleship memorial museum in the United States in 1948.

5. NASA

Fly on down to Florida to explore the Kennedy Space Center. Studies Weekly’s Discovery Dan guides your students through the Visit Center to talk about the importance of space science and how people can accomplish great things when they work together. 

These are just a few of the virtual field trips Studies Weekly has to offer, along with primary source interviews, micro-documentaries, hands-on activities, and fun fact videos. To explore more, login to your account online.