Bringing History to Life
Engaging Virtual Field Trips
for Social Studies

Virtual field trips for Social Studies make a great learning experience.

Virtual field trips for social studies will help bring life and engagement to your lesson. Did you go on field trips when you were a student in school? I willing to bet that if you did, you have fond memories of field trips. However, with budget cuts, distance learning, and so on, opportunities for in-person field trips are limited. This, my friend, is why virtual field trips for social studies are perfect for any classroom.

If you have internet access, you can invite students along on a virtual field trip. The best part is that most virtual field trips are free, and tons of virtual field trip ideas are available. Get ready to take your students on virtual field trips for social studies and make memories of a lifetime. Here are a few suggestions and ideas for virtual field trips for social studies to help get you started!

9/11 Memorial

The first virtual field trip for social studies is the great 9/11 Memorial in New York City. First, the 9/11 Memorial Museum is an incredible resource to introduce your social studies students to a meaningful part of modern American history. September 11 is honored each year by Americans and is a great stop for a New York City virtual field trip.

First, book low-cost virtual field trips for social studies through the 9/11 Memorial & Museum website. The virtual field trips for social studies are appropriate for an audience and can be customized for grades 3–12. Also available from the 9/11 Memorial educational staff are virtual tours via Zoom to help connect the museum experience to your social studies curriculum.

In addition, resources for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum virtual field trip are included here in this Social Studies virtual field trips bundle.

Included in the bundle is a K-W-L chart for students to complete. Students can share knowledge about what they already know about 9/11 and explore what they would like to learn about on the tour. Another virtual field trip idea is a reflection of the social studies virtual field trip. The bundle linked above includes materials to help your students reflect on their experience.

Social Studies virtual field trips are perfect to connect to the Social Studies classroom.

Teacher Tip

ADBLOCK will eliminate unwanted ads from surprising you while traveling on virtual field trip for social studies!

When using YouTube.com be sure to install and use an ad blocker. The one I use and recommend is called "ADBLOCK". This is a great option and best part is that it's a Google Chrome extension.

Holocaust Museum

Come along and join us on virtual field trip to the United States Holocaust Museum. This tour is done online and also includes scenes similar to Google Expeditions.

To begin, the Holocaust Museum virtual field trip includes the permanent exhibition, The Holocaust, and the Hall of Witness and Hall of Remembrance. In addition, there is also a virtual tour of the conservation lab. Students click through the scenes to see information about each area of the museum. Of course, this is a sensitive topic. Special resources from the museum are available for you and your students.

Overall, this is one of the most powerful virtual field trip ideas you can use in your classroom. The Holocaust Museum shares lesson plans and resources to educate students and staff about the history of this tragic time. Of course, virtual field trips for social studies, including this Holocaust Museum virtual field trip, are included in the virtual field trips bundle, along with 35 additional virtual field trip ideas!

Virtual Field Trip for Social Studies
The Smithsonian Virtual Field Trip

Smithsonian virtual field trip is great for any age and any classroom.

Another virtual field trip idea for social studies is the Smithsonian Virtual Field Trip to the Smithsonian Museum. This Washington, D.C., virtual field trip is one of my favorite virtual field trips for social studies! The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has several virtual field trip ideas for you and your students. And, there is no need to register. It's simple to get started. To begin, just share the link and have your students log on and explore. Supplement with resources from the Social Studies virtual field trips bundle to prepare for the Smithsonian virtual field trip and reflect on the experience.

Finally, check out all the tour offerings for Smithsonian virtual field trips!

Permanent Exhibits

Current Exhibits

Past Exhibits

There are so many possibilities for virtual field trips for social studies through the Smithsonian!

More Virtual Field Trips for Social Studies

It is amazing that students can now travel without leaving the comfort of their classroom or home! These virtual field trips for social studies can take your students around the country! There are virtual field trip ideas for every grade level.

Explore the following social studies virtual field trips with no prep resources to plan your lessons and allow reflection for students. First, share the directions with your students. Next, fill out the KWL chart (the Know and Want to Know happen before the virtual field trip). Finally, have your students reflect on their virtual field trip for social studies.

Other Virtual Field Trip Ideas

In addition to virtual field trips for social studies, also try these virtual field trip ideas for students to use across content areas.

The virtual field trips bundle contains 36 incredible virtual field trip ideas!

Smithsonian

Arlington Cemetery

9/11 Memorial

The Alamo Battlefield

Gettysburg

Williamsburg

Pearl Harbor

Plymouth Rock

Washington D.C.

Holocaust Memorial Museum

Wright Brothers Museum

Georgia Aquarium

Zoo Atlanta

Amazon Rainforest

Marineland Florida

Statue of Liberty

Disney World

San Diego Zoo

African Safari

The White House

Grand Canyon

Australia Zoo

Egypt

Moon

Yellowstone National Park

Great Lakes

Moon

Kennedy Space Center

Natural History Museum

International Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Science Education Center

Crystal Cave

Letchworth State Park

Dinosaur Valley State Park

Butterfly Exhibit

How will you use virtual field trips for social studies in your classroom? Use these virtual field trip ideas to add to your curriculum. In addition, try some virtual field trip ideas for indoor recess activities or other extensions. There are so many virtual field trip ideas to explore with your students. Where will you go first on your virtual field trip?

Take Virtual Field Trips to Washington DC

Let's go on a virtual field trip to Washington DC and experience the nation's capital.

Load up and head out! Are you teaching history and looking to take students on an adventure of a lifetime? A virtual field trip to Washington DC is a great interactive activity when teaching government.

A virtual field trip white house is a highly engaging resource for students.

Take students on a virtual field trip to the White House. Everything is planned and ready to go for the teacher! Includes links and digital components.