After attending the VMFA for class this week I am extremely excited about the possibilities of field trips that they have to offer. While I know they mentioned that these field trips are ones that are currently geared towards older learners the possibility of having younger students who are allowed to attend is exciting. When looking at standards for a third-grade classroom, I know personally it is hard to wrap my head around the time periods that are covered in that content area. Having the option of allowing students to get a taste of what the time period looked like in terms of painting and sculptures would be a great way to spark an interest about the many events that occurred over such a broad amount of time.
One idea that I found to be very resourceful was the virtual field trip. Scheduling can be very hard and if there are not always resources to pay for the busing to the VMFA this is a wonderful option. As Maggie mentioned in her presentation, the use of technology in some cases may even allow the students to get closer with the camera then if there were there in person. This would be a great way for students to dig deeper into their thought processes. Using the kinds of questions that were prompted using the presentation caused me to view the one painting that we did differently. It would be exciting to see the possibilities that this would create in a classroom when there was more time and students were only focused on the painting.
As I begin to think about my teaching career, it is important to remember that there are many places and resources that are in the local area that I can use to further lessons that I am teaching in my own classroom.
Hi Caroline, I am glad you enjoyed the field trip to VMFA and are inspired by the possibilities. The combination of the virtual trip and a trip to the museum could be an ideal experience for students. I think if students could be prepared ahead of time for what they will see they will be able to make better connections.