Lesson Plans: Virtual Field Trip

Instructions: Plan a virtual field trip to a state of your choice. Then create a tourism poster describing and promoting the state.

Assignment 1: Decide on your trip:

• Imagine you have the ability to travel anywhere in the USA at any time during the year. What state would you like to visit? What time of year would you like to travel?
• Read through the following articles in ABC the USA for the state you have chosen: Welcome to _____, Economic Overview, and Cuisine Overview. Skim the Maps submodules.

Assignment 2: Plan for the trip.

• Create an itinerary. Look at the state map and decide where in the state you’d like to visit. Are there cities that you know of that you’d like to see? Are there mountains you’d like to see or large bodies of water you’d enjoy visiting? Make a list of the different places in the state you’d like to stop (see Maps).
• Make a packing list. Look at the Climate and Weather module to figure out what kinds of clothing to bring for the time of year you will be visiting. Will you need a bathing suit? Will you need shorts and sandals? Or will you need a parka and snow boots?
• Write a short list of the state’s specialty foods you’d like to try (see Food and Recipes).
• Make a list of a few historical events that happened in your chosen state that you would like to learn about if you were to visit (see Historical Timeline).

Assignment 3: Promote your state.

• Create a poster describing and promoting the state you have chosen for your Virtual Field Trip. Print out relevant photos and maps from ABC the USA and add information on:
  • State culinary specialties
  • State animals, flowers, and other state symbols (see Animals and Plants; Symbols)
  • Interesting state landforms (see State Facts; Maps)
  • Climate
  • State trivia (see State Facts)
• Share your poster with your classmates and explain to them what makes your state special.

Extra Credit: Print out and complete the 10- and 20-question state crossword puzzles (see Crossword Puzzles).

Article written for World Trade Press by Jenny Fretland VanVoorst.
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