Running head: VIRTUAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIP

Virtual Science Field Trip

Lauren Allen
Ivy Tech Community College

Running head: VIRTUAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIP

InTASC Standard and Rationale

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction
The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning
goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills,
and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
Name of Artifact: Virtual Science Field Trip
Date: February 27, 2016
Course: EDUC 255: Multicultural Teaching
Brief Description:
For this assignment, I was asked to explore a virtual science field trip that I could use in
my classroom. I chose to use the app Star Walk to allow my students to explore the solar
system. This app takes the solar system and puts it in the hands of students; they are able
to see up close and Earth views of the planets, turn the planets 360, name stars,
planets, and constellations, and learn about major stars. I then applied this knowledge to
assess how I would use this app in my classroom.
Rationale:
To document my understanding of Standard #7, Planning for Instruction I have chosen to
include my Virtual Science Field Trip. This assignment demonstrates my ability to
enhance my students learning using digital tools, create cross-curricular course ties, and
use pedagogy that allows for self-discovery.

Running head: VIRTUAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIP

Virtual Science Field Trip

The best science learning happens when students are able to discover the content
for themselves, as apposed to listening to a lecture on the topic. I chose to have my
students use the app, Star Walk to observe the planets, stars, and constellations. Star
Walk labels the constellations, planet, and stars in their places in the sky. Comets and
dwarf planets are also labeled. When exploring the app, my students will be able to turn
planets and main stars three hundred sixty degrees. Star Walk names the celestial body
and its distance from Earth. There are different views to choose from, panoramic,
heliocentric, and planetary. The telescopic view gives students a look at the sky as it
appears from Earth.
In my classroom, I would use the app Star Walk to introduce my students to the
planets, constellations, and stars that appear in the night sky. I would also have my
students use the app to create maps of the constellations and to chart the planets positions
as they change. Later on in the unit, when I am teaching about why we have seasons, my
students will have an idea of the planets position during different seasons. I would also
tie in the app, Star Walk in an interdisciplinary unit with math to graph the changes in
distance from Earth and other planets. To tie in science and social studies, I would have
my students reflect on the historical positions of the planets and the historical scientists
who discovered these planets, constellations, and stars.

References
Virtual Field Trips: Interactive Science Lesson Ideas. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2016,
from http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/virtual-field-trips-science.shtml

Running head: VIRTUAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIP