national geographic virtual field trip black history month

Black History Month

Celebrate the achievements of Black Explorers, trailblazers, scientists, leaders, and changemakers. Black History Month started as a U.S. celebration, but has garnered international participation in recent decades. This collection features both historical figures such as Sojourner Truth and Mary Seacole, as well as modern day National Geographic Explorers such as Carter Clinton and Tara Roberts. It also highlights how maps are used to tell stories about discriminatory practices and civil disturbances. From innovating technology to better understand our past and present to calculating humankind’s path to the moon and back, these stories offer insight and inspiration to learners from all backgrounds.

Biology, Conservation, Social Studies, Storytelling, U.S. History, Civics

Virtual Field Trip | Black History Month

In this Virtual Field Trip, we celebrate Black History Month and the contributions of Black Explorers from the past and present. We explore the North Pole with Matthew Henson, examine the importance of Green Book sites with Candacy Taylor, launch to the moon with Katherine Johnson, and tell stories with Asha Stuart. Visit https://www.nationalgeographic.org/ed... for more National Geographic educational resources developed for educators, parents, and caregivers to implement with K-12 learners. The nonfiction articles, videos, photographs, maps, and infographics on the National Geographic Resource Library investigate the science, geography, and history behind the important phenomena, discoveries, and ideas of our time. Delve into Candacy Taylor's "Overground Railroad" Green Book map: https://taylormade.maps.arcgis.com/ap... For other Washington, D.C. arts & humanities educational programs, visit the D.C. Collaborative: https://dccollaborative.org/ SPECIAL THANKS Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Candacy Taylor, Clifton’s, Denver Public Library, Dunbar Village, Ernest Withers Estate, The HistoryMakers, Japanese American Historical Society of San Diego, Nelson Malden, Smithsonian Institution, Trunk Archive, Verizon. WHERE TO FIND US On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NatGeoEdORg On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natgeoeducation On Twitter: https://twitter.com/natgeoeducation/ Our Newsletter: https://forms.nationalgeographic.org/N7S

GOD IS FAITHFUL!! SURPRISING MY SON IN JAMAICA AFTER NOT SEEING HIM FOR 6 YEARS!

By Guest User 2

RIU MONTEGO BAY JAMAICA VLOG 🇯🇲

HE FINALLY MET MY LOST SISTER IN JAMAICA !! THINGS GET REAL AND CRAZY!!

OUR FIRST MOTHER-DAUGHTER VACATION | GREECE VLOG 🇬🇷❤️

A week in Athens Vlog 💕

Ghana's Spectacular Night of Culture, Music, and Fun |Foreigners & Ghanaians Partying in Ghana 2024

The Ghana Vlog PT 1 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭 #travelvlog #ghana #africa #holiday

Traveling With Dr. King

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park | Travel Tales

YouTube Black Voices | Cape Town Vlog | IT WAS LIT | Travel Vlog | Mzwandile and Siza

First Trip to CAPE TOWN South Africa... I was NOT expecting this!

NAIROBI KENYA TO CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA BY ROAD l ROAD TRIP BY LIV KENYA EPISODE 12 ( LESOTHO 2)🇱🇸

Celebrating Black History Month with National Geographic Explorers Christine Wilkinson and Kendall Calhoun

In celebration of Black History Month, we are highlighting two of our incredible Black National Geographic Explorers, Christine Wilkinson and Kendall Calhoun. These talented scientists and co-founding members of #BlackMammologists Week answered a few of our burning questions about their experiences as Explorers and embracing their identity in Black History Month and beyond.

What is resonating with you this Black History Month?

Christine : With all of the “Black in X” months and social media momentum, Black scientists have been able to come together, connect with one another, and be visible to the world in ways that we never have before. This Black History Month, I am feeling so inspired by the work and encouragement of all of my fellow scientists across the Diaspora, both in the USA and around the world. In many ways, this past year has felt like a continuous celebration of our multifaceted identities as Black scientists, and I am honestly feeling so jazzed. All I want to do is keep boosting and celebrating more and more of my peers.

Kendall : This Black History Month, I’m really motivated and inspired to continue to bring my entire personal identity into the work I do. I unapologetically get to define the kind of scientist I want to be and do not need to fit a pre-defined, and often racist, mold. I’m inspired to be tenacious in pursuing what I love by the resilience of Black people and family members across generations who pushed to give me the chance to do the things I’m doing today. And I want to use this month to remember and recognize that shared dream and continue to push it even further for future generations.

What are some of the unique and vital perspectives Black mammalogists bring to the field?

Christine: Black mammalogists and wildlife ecologists have always been here doing important work, but have historically been relegated to the shadows. Our unique experiences, histories, and resilience add rich perspectives to fields such as mammalogy and conservation biology. Research demonstrates that building a more diverse, representative, and inclusive body of scientists not only addresses systemic equity issues, but is also critical for producing excellent research across all sectors of STEM. Our goal is to address systemic racism by tangibly supporting and connecting Black scholars, leading to more inclusive science and sustainable long-term conservation outcomes for mammals and the ecosystems they rely on.

What is Black Mammalogists Week?

Christine: Black Mammalogists Week was created to help current and aspiring Black mammalogists to form lasting and fruitful connections with one another, to provide tangible opportunities to boost and mentor Black mammalogists and wildlife ecologists, and to illuminate historical and present-day Black contributions to mammalogy. Also, we are fundraising for our endowment to fund Black and Indigenous Scholars—check it all out at blackmammalogists.com !

What inspired you to get into conservation?

Kendall: I’ve always felt a strong interest in animals since I was young, but I grew up in the suburbs and my exposure to nature and wildlife was somewhat limited. I never realized that working with wildlife could be a full career until I got to college. But once I did, I really followed that initial spark and just fell completely in love with wildlife, ecology, and science. This blossoming love made it so much more alarming to learn about the many ways global change threatens biodiversity around the world and how many of the current injustices to the environment also have disproportionate negative effects on people of color. So I think my drive towards conservation comes from a feeling of obligation to help protect the biodiversity and species I’ve come to care about but also a sense of justice for the environment and people.

When are you going out on your next adventure?

Christine: I’m aiming to get back to the field in the summer or later this year to remove collars from spotted hyenas, do some workshops and presentations for/with communities, and do follow-up camera trap surveys on wildlife movement near and through the national park fence. In the meantime, I’ll also be adventuring with my puppy on hikes all over the Bay Area!

Kendall: I have two adventures coming up that I’m excited for, one short and one a bit longer. Firstly, our lab group is working together to put GPS collars on a couple of coyotes at our field site in Northern California and that’s been super exciting! In a few weeks I’ll be spending some time there to help with that process and hopefully deploy another collar. After that, I’ll be out in the field for an extended trip to start spring surveys with our bird and bat recorders!

Thank you so much for sharing your stories and celebrating Black History Month with us, Christine and Kendall! If you want to hear more from these exceptional Explorers, check out this Twitter thread .

The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content. To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram , LinkedIn, and Facebook .

Education | 10 virtual school field trips to take in…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Digital Replica Edition

• Latest Headlines
• Environment
• Transportation
• News Obituaries

Education | 10 virtual school field trips to take in February in honor of Black History Month and Presidents Day

Some are free to “visit” while others cost a fee.

The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration recently culled a list of virtual exhibits teachers and families can visit in honor of Black History Month and Presidents Day. The best part? You don’t even have to get on a bus.

Some of the featured exhibits, such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “African American Artists,” are free to peruse. Others, like the “Underground Railroad Immersive Experience” by the Ohio History Connection, cost a fee.

Here’s your guide to February’s top 10 virtual field trip picks.

View more digital programming here.

“Underground Railroad Immersive Experience” presented by Ohio History Connection; $135-$150

“Double Victory: African American in WWII” presented by National World War II Museum; $80-$100

“African American Artists” presented by Smithsonian American Art Museum; free

“It’s Not Black or White: How a Museum Defines ‘Race’” presented by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History; $140-$200

“America’s Presidents” presented by Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery; free

“Young Abraham Lincoln” presented by Learn Around the World; $140-$200

“The Pursuit of Liberty: the Revolutionary War and the Founding of America” presented by Virginia Museum of History and Culture; $125

“Investigating the Lincoln Assassination with Detective McDevitt” presented by Ford’s Theater; $90-$100

“George Washington and the French and Indian War” presented by Fort Necessity National Battlefield; free

• Report an Error
• Submit a News Tip

More in Education

Education | How a pro-Palestinian protest has impacted a Colorado community college

Education | Professor Patty Limerick sues CU for access to, ownership of her past work for Center of the American West

News | PHOTOS: Kids participate in the Goberis Deaf and Hard of Hearing Track & Field Day

Education | Douglas County High School moves graduation from Air Force Academy after concerns over shutting out undocumented families

Virtual Travel

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Celebrate Black History Month With These Free Virtual Events

From online exhibitions to panel discussions, here are more than a dozen events hosted by museums and other cultural institutions

Jennifer Nalewicki

Travel Correspondent

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, many museums and cultural institutions around the country are opting to shift their Black History Month line-ups for the month of February from in-person to online-only affairs. The result is a creative curation of art exhibitions, concerts, panel discussions and other events designed to celebrate, but safely through virtual means. Here are more than a dozen (free!) events to mark on your calendar.

Exhibitions

The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., is hosting a comprehensive exhibition focused on the life of Pauli Murray, a Civil Rights activist who was also the first African American woman ordained into the Episcopalian priesthood. “Pauli Murray’s Proud Shoes” takes a genealogical look at her family history, from the 1834 bill of sale for her great-grandmother to details about her grandfather, a soldier who fought in the Civil War.

Across the country in the Bay Area, the Oakland Museum of California examines the Black power movements in California with “Black Power,” a show comprised of photographs, posters and other artifacts beginning with rallies led by the Black Panthers in the 1960s to more modern-day Black Lives Matter demonstrations. In keeping with the theme of activism, the African American Museum of Philadelphia plays host to “Through His Eyes,” a collection of black-and-white photographs of local youth activists who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. Meanwhile, the American Writers Museum in Chicago has uploaded its popular “Frederick Douglass: Agitator” exhibition as an online show that explores the lifetime of the esteemed abolitionist, writer and statesman through handwritten manuscripts, portraiture and more.

The National Afro American Museum and Cultural Center near Dayton, Ohio, is offering curator-led video tours of two of its current exhibitions. The first, “ Queens of the Heartland ,” looks at 30 influential black women in Ohio history, including Fanny Jackson Coppin, a missionary and educator, and Mary Church Terrell, a suffragist and writer. The second is “ The Art of Soul! ,” a national juried art show featuring works by more than 20 contemporary black artists that focuses on the impact humans have on one another, a particularly pertinent subject during the current rise of racial unrest. And lastly, Casa Afro , an art gallery in Puerto Rico, has created a 3-D tour of its latest exhibition, “NEGRO/A/X,” which features contemporary pieces of art that tell the story of the many different African influences around the island.

Speaker and Panel Discussions

Throughout the month of February, the National Archives in Washington, D.C., will be offering a full schedule of talks and panel discussions for Black History Month. One event in particular that’s worth noting is “ The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity ” (February 25, 7 p.m. ET) which will focus on black family life throughout history, literature, the arts and social policy. Hosted by Ida E. Jones, an archivist at Morgan State University, the event will include panelists Alison Parker, author of Unceasing Militant: The Life of Mary Church Terrell , and Darius Young, author of Robert R. Church Jr. and the African American Political Struggle .

On February 23, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City is hosting a panel of curators discussing the 20-year career of the late fashion designer Willi Smith, who was known for his affordable yet avant-garde designs. New York's Museum of Food and Drink has a menu of events on the African diaspora on tap, including “Growing Rice: A Migration Story from Seed to Plant” on February 16 and “Coastal Roots: Tracing the History of Ancestral Farming and Cooking in Georgia” on February 23.

On February 18, the California African American Museum in Los Angeles presents “In Conversation: Quincy Troupe and Erin Aubry Kaplan on Miles Davis,” a deep dive discussion on the famed jazz trumpeter. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Alabama will also be presenting a slate of events, from an interactive town hall discussion about systemic redlining on February 18 to a genealogy 101 lesson with experts on February 22. And lastly, on February 19, Chicago’s Field Museum presents a rare examination of its famed “Africa” exhibition with a panel featuring curators and designers who launched it in 1993.

Two separate Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon events will be focusing on boosting recognition for black American artists and STEM professionals alike. The former will be hosted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the latter by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and blackcomputHER.org.

Museums aren’t the only cultural institutions shifting their Black History Month offerings to virtual events though. Now in its 35th year, the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City is hosting its annual “Brooklyn Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.,” an hour-long concert featuring songs, poems and spoken-word tributes dedicated to the much-lauded Civil Rights activist and Baptist minister available through February 28. Performers include Sing Harlem! and Grammy-winning musician PJ Morton. The Chicago Children’s Choir is also celebrating Black History Month through song with its annual concert, but this time on a digital stage: Facebook Live. The one-time event takes place on February 25 and will include performances by youth singers as well as Grammy-award winning artists Lisa Fischer and musical ensemble Ranky Tanky.

Back in New York City, Village Preservation will be hosting a different multimedia event on February 23 when tour guides Derrick Edwards and Eric Chase embark on “ Black Bohemia: a Virtual Village Walking Tour ,” which will take viewers through the city’s popular Village neighborhood by following in the footsteps of famous black artists who called the area home, including writers Alex Haley and Audre Lorde, playwright Lorraine Hansberry and novelist James Baldwin.

Get the latest Travel & Culture stories in your inbox.

Jennifer Nalewicki | | READ MORE

Jennifer Nalewicki is a Brooklyn-based journalist. Her articles have been published in The New York Times , Scientific American , Popular Mechanics , United Hemispheres and more. You can find more of her work at her website .

Interactive Field Trips Offered to Educators for Black History Month, President’s Day, Women’s History Month and Earth Day

The center for interactive learning and collaboration (cilc) provides new ways for teachers to inspire their students with virtual experiences.

In preparation for several upcoming significant historical, cultural and societal events, the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) has curated a list of live, interactive virtual field trips that educators can access to enrich discussions surrounding Black History Month, President’s Day, Women’s History Month and Earth Day. The diverse list of interactive learning experiences ranges from an immersive underground railroad experience to an exploration of women war reporters who have made indelible marks in the world of journalism. Several of the offerings are free to the public, while others have a fee associated.

Virtual expeditions have gained in popularity in recent years and even more so since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic. What sets CILC and its content collaborators’ programs apart from traditional web-based experiences (prerecorded) is the live interactive aspect. Museum curators, historians, authors, researchers, and other expert instructors engage directly with students during the virtual field trip to create a richer learning environment. The selections below offer an engaging resource to educators who want to expand their curriculum in a unique and authentic manner.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH, FEBRUARY 2021

Whether educators wish to celebrate African-American sports or take a deep dive into the Underground Railroad, educators will find an extensive list of programming experiences to reflect on the significant roles that African-Americans have played in shaping US history. A sampling of the programming available include:

• Underground Railroad Immersive Experience , Ohio History Connection
• Double Victory: African Americans in WWII, National World War II Museum
• African American Artists (free), Smithsonian American Art Museums
• It’s NOT Black or White: How a Museum Defines ‘Race’ ,

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

• African American Trailblazers (free), Pro Football Hall of Fame

PRESIDENT’S DAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021

With interactive field trips, teachers have the ability to bring President’s Day to life by enriching the holiday with live programming for their students. A sampling of the programming available include:

• America’s Presidents (free), Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
• Young Abraham Lincoln , Learn Around the World
• The Pursuit of Liberty: the Revolutionary War and the Founding of America,       VA Museum of History and Culture
• Investigating the Lincoln Assassination with Detective McDevitt , Ford’s Theater
• George Washington and the French and Indian War (free), Fort Necessity National Battlefield

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 2021

Teachers looking for ways to provide fresh content when celebrating the vital role of women in American history can infuse new excitement within their students through well-known historians and experts A sampling of the programming available include:

• Women War Reporters: How They Wrote World “Herstory”, Authors on Call
• Votes for Women , MD Center for History & Culture
• Women’s History: Dirt on Their Skirts, National Baseball Hall of Fame
• Activism in the Suffrage Movement (free), VA Museum of History
• Women Who Paved the Way: Exploring Women Homesteaders and Suffragists (free), Homestead National Monument

EARTH DAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Educators can explore outside a school’s traditional curriculum setting to experience a day that promotes environmental awareness and calls for the protection of our planet. A sampling of the programming available include:

• Earth Day: Preserving Our Most Precious Resource , SOITA
• Sustainable Solutions: Bioenergy and Bioproducts (free), Creative Discovery Museum
• Exploring Earth Science , Cleveland Museum of Natural History
• Planet Earth , Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
• Earth is Worth It !, East Central Ohio Ed. Service Center

Teachers, school administrators, parents and childcare professionals are encouraged to browse CILC’s complete library of programs or register for a free membership at cilc.org .

About The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration

The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit organization with a mission to connect K-12 schools to national and international museums, zoos and other cultural organizations. CILC was developed for teachers to easily identify quality educational programs and interactive virtual experiences. To date CILC has nearly 200 content providers, which offer standards-driven authentic, live programs evaluated by teachers for teachers. Through interactive learning and collaboration, providers help to expand opportunities for students of all ages to learn through engagement with more than 1,900 professionally delivered programs. For more information about how cultural organizations are considered for CILC’s programming or to incorporate into a school’s curriculum, please visit https://www.cilc.org/ .

• Recent Posts
• Districts, Schools, and Educators Nationwide Honored as the Inaugural Winners of the Discovery Education Awards  - May 9, 2024
• Chief Releases Fit Mobile Cart for Interactive Displays - May 6, 2024
• Ozobot Announces New Robot Recycle and Replace Program  - May 3, 2024

Want to share a great resource? Let us know at [email protected] .

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

eSchool News uses cookies to improve your experience. Visit our Privacy Policy  for more information.

Black History Month for Kids: Learn with Virtual Field Trips

This Black History Month, make space for Black creativity, Black innovation, and Black art through virtual field trips . Why? Because virtual field trips are giving educators and families a way to break down barriers in the classroom and engage students and kids of all ages in learning about Black history and Black joy, while simultaneously developing 21st-century skills. These virtual field trips are an immersive way to explore Black History Month for kids.

Black History Month is an opportunity to honor and amplify the incredible contributions of Black Americans to our nation’s history. 

In this article, we’ll explore the origins of  Black History Month and share virtual field trips that both teach key moments in history and showcase the incredible work, talent, and creativity Black communities have contributed to our country’s rich culture.

Why Do We Celebrate Black History Month?

For nearly a century, the United States has recognized February as a time to celebrate and reflect on Black history. In 1915, Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Student of Negro Life and History. The organization sponsored a national Negro History Week in 1926 and was hosted the second week of February because it aligned with the birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

This event inspired communities and schools across the country to join these celebrations. Fifty years later, the week was expanded and became the Black History Month we know today.

Now, Black History Month is an essential part of school curricula across the country. It gives educators and students a dedicated time to lift up the voices of Black Americans, and to celebrate Black joy and the innumerable ways they have contributed to this country.

New technologies are constantly giving educators innovative ways to engage students in these stories, while simultaneously teaching 21st-century skills like collaboration and critical thinking. Virtual field trips are powerful teaching tools to engage students in exploring the tenacity and perseverance of Black Americans.

Virtual Field Trips for Black History Month

Virtual field trips give students the opportunity to explore and interact with important historical sites, exhibits, and people, while also developing key STEAM skills. Virtual and augmented reality are becoming more accessible than ever. Kids love exploring these cutting-edge technologies , and their engagement results in real learning that can put the excitement back into digital learning.

Here at Kai XR , we’re using this technology to break down educational barriers by making interactive, meaningful learning available at the fingertips of every student. We offer over 100 virtual reality field trips for students to explore that are accessible from any device. 

Wondering how to celebrate Black History Month with kids in a way that is both fun and meaningful? Kai XR’s virtual field trips can bring Black History Month into your classroom, empowering your kids to learn in an exciting, interactive learning environment.

Teaching Social Studies Through Field Trips

Field trips aren’t just an exciting event. They are also valuable educational tools that help students practice critical thinking while broadening their interests and experiences. Field trips impact and improve student learning in many ways, like:

• Showing students real-world applications of what they learn
• Increasing their empathy and tolerance
• Appealing to multiple learning styles
• Giving students a chance to speak with experts in a field that interests them
• Helping them learn more about their community
• Improving students’ ability to think about different perspectives

A study fron the U.S. Travel Association shows that going on field trips can help increase college graduation rates. “The study found that, regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, youth who take educational trips have better grades (59 percent), higher graduation rates from high school (95%) and college (63%), and greater income (12% higher annually). In fact, 89% said educational trips had a positive, lasting impact on their education and career because the trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious and interested in and out of school.” These memorable experiences have lifelong impacts on students.

Field trips are a powerful learning and teaching tool that can be applied to any subject. Many field trips focus on science content, like trips to a zoo or planetarium. However, field trips that focus on history and social studies content have a unique opportunity to bring these subject areas to life. 

Visiting a location like a monument or museum is an impactful Black History Month activity for school. Seeing historic sites, artifacts, and art in person can help students connect with the people and places behind a moment in history. This makes the past come alive for students, solidifying the real-world impact that events from long ago carry even today.

Academic Benefits

• Increased recall of information
• Higher test scores
• Holistic learning

Social-emotional Benefits

• Increased empathy and tolerance
• Practice perspective-taking
• Relationship skills
• Social and self-awareness

Cultural Benefits

• Experience cultural events and places
• Develop new interests
• Appreciate and enjoy new experiences

Cross-cultural awareness

• Critical Thinking Benefits
• Practice evaluative thinking
• Improved problem-solving
• Increased curiosity, creativity, and independence

However, field trips aren’t always equitably accessible. They can often impose a financial burden on schools and families, and traveling to field trip sites isn’t always possible. Many schools and families simply don’t have access to many valuable historical sites in their area. 

At Kai XR, we are breaking barriers by creating inclusive, diverse, and safe learning environments by bringing field trips into classrooms, virtually.

Our virtual field trips put learning at students’ fingertips, enabling them to access immersive experiences from any device. In addition, our viewing guides, included with all our virtual field trips, help educators seamlessly integrate these field trips into their existing lesson and unit plans.

Virtual Field Trips to Historical Sites

A field trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial or to see the official Obama portraits are a great way to explore places that have impacted American history. However, not every student has an important historical site, museum, or monument in their community. From Washington, DC to New Orleans, Louisiana, Kai XR’s virtual field trips allow educators and students to explore Black History by accessing historical locations around the world.  ‍

Using virtual reality in the classroom gives educators new ways to help their students thrive. This interactive, hands-on technology can easily support multiple learning styles and educational needs. As virtual reality becomes more widely accessible by consumers, educators have found creative ways to integrate this technology into their classrooms.

Kai XR’s virtual field trips use virtual reality, or VR, and 360° technologies. These innovations can blend what is digital and real to create fascinating learning opportunities.

Most virtual reality field trips only work on VR headsets. 

However, Kai XR’s virtual field trips break barriers as they are accessible from any device, including:

• Smartphones
• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Virtual reality headsets such as an Oculus Quest 2

Kai XR’s Exploration Mode leverages the same cutting-edge 360° technology that powers our virtual reality field trips to turn a tablet, smartphone, or other hand-held device into an interactive learning experience without the use of a VR headset. We strive to be the first entry point into the VR classroom and immersive learning for children/kids/students. We provide a safe, age-appropriate environment for learning that evolves with students as they grow.

Kai XR’s Virtual Field Trips

• Kai XR’s 100+ virtual field trips are accessible from any device, making them practical and cost-effective.
• Integrate virtual field trips into a day’s lesson plans to support student learning and foster connections.
• Virtual field trips enable students to explore interesting locations around the world without leaving the classroom.

In-Person Field Trips

• Many field trips are prohibitively expensive, with a high cost per student that some families struggle to pay.
• Traditional field trips often take an entire school day, leaving little time to connect the field trip back to meaningful classroom learning.
• In-person field trips are limited to sites that a class can drive to, visit, and return from within a school day.

The Virtual Reality Classroom

Classrooms are busy places. Between lesson planning, family conferences, grading, professional development, and, of course, teaching 20-30 or more students at a time, educators barely have time to eat lunch. We strive to make teaching easier by creating turnkey resources for the 21st-century classroom.

Our resources are created with educators and families in mind, enabling you to save time while ensuring your students are engaged in learning. Kai XR’s virtual field trips can help with many different parts of planning and teaching, like:

• Helping your students develop necessary 21st-century skills
• Fostering social-emotional development in your students
• Supporting the development of cultural competence in your students
• Appealing to multiple learning styles while meeting diverse learning needs
• Improving students’ vocabulary, therein supporting second-language acquisition

The immersive nature of virtual reality helps students make meaningful connections between the content and the world outside the classroom. These technologies help students comprehend information more effectively than many traditional methods. In turn, this leads to better recall of information, as students remember what they learned in more depth.

Many priorities for students have changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Families and educators consider problem-solving and creativity to be more important than ever before, and virtual reality is a front-running technology and resource for achieving these goals. 60% of parents in the United States anticipate the widespread use of virtual reality as a learning and teaching tool within the next five years.

The COVID-19 pandemic had clear impacts on student learning, underscoring the need for differentiation and accommodations in the classroom. Educational technology solutions like virtual reality experiences can help educators respond to the needs of a classroom full of students simultaneously, without overwhelming them with the unrealistic demand to plan multiple differentiated lessons.

With virtual reality and augmented reality, your students and kids can move and explore the content at their own pace. The audio-visual experience provided supports multiple learning styles at the same time, and varies in complexity to support different levels of mastery. 

Additionally, each field trip is paired with a viewing guide that helps teachers scaffold discussions and support their students in developing strong critical thinking skills.

The 100+ field trips we offer also allow you to differentiate by student interests, heightening their engagement. With “Zoom fatigue” and pandemic learning loss challenging many students, the chance to explore content tailored to their interests can be a welcome change.

Each Kai XR virtual field trip is accompanied with its own viewing guide created by educators for students, ensuring the content our platform offers is effective, pedagogically-sound, and developmentally-appropriate. These resources can take the stress out of lesson planning. 

Our complete learning resources don’t just help students become more technologically competent and confident. They also give educators more time back in their day by serving as complete, plug-and-play resources full of educator-designed and student-approved content.

Black History Month for Kids: Resources and Ideas for Your Curriculum 

Black History Month is an important time to celebrate the contributions of Black Americans to our nation’s history. At Kai XR, we’ve created virtual field trips and resources to help pay tribute to important Black figures and elevate their voices authentically. These resources can help you teach Black history inclusively, whether it’s during Black History Month this February, or any day of the year.

Black history is American history, and we can encourage our students to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans 365 days a year.

Ruby Bridges Virtual Field Trip

In 1960, Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis. She was six years old then, and had to be escorted by U.S. Marshals to and from school due to threats. Her family’s perseverance and bravery changed American history.

Kai XR’s Ruby Bridges virtual reality experience will help students understand the impact that segregation and racism had on every part of our society. Get started with Kai XR by learning more about how Ruby inspired lasting changes to schools in the United States.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Virtual Field Trip

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. celebrates and honors one of the leaders of our nation’s civil rights movement. He was the first African American to be memorialized on the National Mall. Visiting the memorial through Kai XR’s virtual field trip is the perfect Black History Month activity for students of all ages.

Help your students learn about Dr. King’s contributions to our nation by following up a literary analysis of his “I Have a Dream Speech” with a virtual visit to the memorial in Washington, DC. Analyzing both the speech and memorial for common themes will be an inspirational way for your students to study Black History Month.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Virtual Field Trip

Until 1946, Black baseball players were segregated into their own league. Some of the most talented baseball players of the twentieth century were in this league. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum set a lasting example of the importance of persevering in pursuit of our dreams.

Your students will be able to personally engage with the examples of tenacity set by these players. Your students can use their learnings from the virtual field trip to write biographies about a player of their choice, exploring how they contributed to the civil rights movement.

The Official Obama Portraits Virtual Field Trip

In 2008, Barack Obama made history when he was elected the first Black president of the United States. A breathtaking gallery of the Obama family’s official portraits was displayed in Washington, DC after his second term in 2018.

Kai XR’s virtual field trip takes you to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery “America’s Presidents” exhibition featuring both President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The portrait artists, Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley, made history with these works of art. Both portraits mark the first time two African-American artists were commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery.

Want to learn more? Explore futuristic Black history with us during Black History Month and year-around.

A Holistic Approach to Teaching Black History Year-Around

Kai XR’s virtual field trips can be integrated into larger lesson plans and units to deepen learning. To incorporate virtual field trips into your lesson plans this Black History Month:

• Pair virtual field trips with book studies of the biographies of influential civil rights leaders.
• Use virtual field trips to provoke student curiosity when beginning a unit.
• Have students generate questions from their observations during virtual field trips to research independently.

Virtual field trips can play a unique role in the classroom. They can allow educators and families to utilize field trips in more academically rigorous ways to foster curiosity and inquiry-based learning.

Create Meaningful Learning Experiences for Kids This Black History Month

Kai XR’s virtual field trips will deepen your student’s learning and enable them to explore meaningful school projects for Black History Month. These immersive learning experiences can:

• Help students connect to important figures in Black history
• Improve student critical thinking and recall about the civil rights movement
• Allow students to develop 21st-century skills, including technological competence
• Make field trips to historical sites around the country accessible to all students

Ready to get started ? Have questions? Email us at Explore @kaixr.com We’re happy to help! Getting started today by signing up for Kai XR . Empower your students to break barriers in the classroom and beyond this Black History Month with Kai XR.

Share This Article

Subscribe for updates, table of contents, get started with kai xr.

There’s so much for you and your students to explore. All you need to do is start. Try out Kai XR on your smart device, tablet, VR headset, or laptop. We’ll be your guide!

Dive deeper into the metaverse, XR, VR, and all the tech bringing the next generation of learning to your classroom.

Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Month with Kai XR!

Celebrate Math & ELA with Kai XR this April

Take Your Women’s History Month Celebrations to the Next Level with Kai XR

11 Self-Guided and Virtual Black History Tours

Tonya Abari is a classroom teacher-turned-intersectional freelance writer. She is originally from Maryland but is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Black history is American history. And across the United States, cities are filled with rich African American history and culture. From landmark homes to nationally recognized museums, visitors and residents alike can learn how Black Americans have impacted our society. Many places offer local walking tours that deep dive into the city’s Black history and culture.

Now, many attractions and tours are on pause because of the pandemic. However, you can still celebrate Black history through a self-guided or virtual walking tour. And although Black History Month is a time to celebrate, immerse yourself in Black history year-round.

The Black Heritage Trail

Offering audio-guided and self-guided tours, the Black Heritage Trail is an interactive trail packed with information about African American history in Boston. The tour highlights Boston’s free Black community during the 18th and 19th centuries, including homes, places of worship, schools, and stops along the Underground Railroad. Can’t make it to Boston? In conjunction with Boston’s Museum of African American History, The Black Heritage Trail also offers virtual tours so that you can learn about Boston’s Black history from the comfort of your own home.

African American Heritage Trail

dctourism / CC BY-NC 2.0 / flickr

Cultural Tourism DC, in cooperation with the DC Office of Planning, created a self-guided tour of nearly 100 African American history and cultural sites in our nation’s capital. Learn a brief history of African Americans in Washington, D.C., and download the self-guided tour guide, divided into 15 unique D.C. neighborhoods, to get started!

Fort Monroe, Virginia

Located in the southern tip of the Virginia peninsula, Fort Monroe is the largest stone fort built in the United States. Completed in 1834, President Obama designated Fort Monroe as a national monument in 2011. On the eight-stop self-guided walking tour, learn about the first Africans to land at Old Point Comfort and the “Contraband Hospital” site where Harriet Tubman was a nurse and cook.

College Park, Maryland

The University of Maryland at College Park’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion created a guided African American History Virtual Walking Tour . Go for a “stroll” on this beautiful campus while exploring how Black history has shaped the university. A companion to the in-person, self-guided tour is the perfect way to learn how African Americans have not only shaped UMD but how their contributions have impacted colleges and universities all over the world.

Atlanta, Georgia

If you want to experience Atlanta Black history icons, look to Roundabout Atlanta . This family-owned and operated tour guide is all about Southern hospitality. Operating for a decade, this travel company offers private, Black history tours in Atlanta. Experience sites like the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or the expansive Tyler Perry Studios.

Bowling Green, Kentucky

LuAnn Snawder Photography / CC BY-ND 2.0 / Flickr

Ernest Hogan, considered to be the founder of Ragtime music, was born and raised in the ShakeRag District of Bowling Green , which is placed on the National Register of Historic Places recognized for its significance to African American history. Travelers can immerse themselves in the local history of ShakeRag through a self-guided walking tour of the historic district, passing through historic homes and buildings, as well as landmark spots like Alice’s Beauty Shop, which employed young college graduates starting in the 1940s.

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville isn’t only about hot chicken and country music. And United Street Tour’s owner, Chakita Patterson, is committed to showcasing the deep Black history, food, and culture that often gets overlooked. While this co company’s traditional walking tours are on pause, United Street Tours is now offering “The Black Experience,” which is completely virtual so that you can learn about Nashville's treasures from the comfort of your living room.

Edgard, Louisiana

Located one hour from New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Whitney Plantation is the only museum in Louisiana that focuses solely on the lives of people who were enslaved. It offers a self-guided audio tour about slavery on the grounds of a historical sugar, rice, and indigo plantation. The tour includes a memorial that honors over 100,000 enslaved people of Louisiana. 

Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Experience factory has a donation-based virtual tour on the city’s Black history and communities. This tour focuses on systemic racism (segregation and redlining) and its effects on Detroit throughout the last century.

Oxford, Ohio

Tmariemdith, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

A virtual self-guided tour to learn about Oxford, Ohio’s Black history is free and available through Enjoy Oxford’s official website . Along the tour, visitors explore sites like the B. First Baptist Church and the E. Sycamore Carwash.

Oakland, California

Although in-person tours through Oakland Urban Paths are currently on pause, they offer a digital Black History tour. The tour can be viewed from a computer or phone and details the rich African American history of Oakland, California. Amongst many important facts, learn about the Black Panther Party, Elizabeth Flood, and the Paul Robeson Administration Building.

Boston's Black Heritage Trail: The Complete Guide

The Best Family Road Trips for Every Age

9 National Park Sites Tied to Black History

Top Destinations in the Eastern United States

The Best Staycation in Every State

8 Best Events in the Washington D.C. Area in February

50 Best Free Things to Do in Washington, DC

20 Best Things to Do in Washington, D.C.

Great Summer Family Trips in the USA

Best Inns, B&Bs and Boutiques

The Indigenous American Food Movement Is Here, and It's Starting in These Cities

May in the Capital Region: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

The 11 Best Day Trips from New Orleans

The Top 19 Things to Do in Atlanta

Science Says This Is the Perfect U.S. Road Trip

Best 14 Washington, D.C. Museums

University of Winnipeg and downtown community newspaper

• Pop Culture
• Whose House?
• Origin Stories
• Sports & Fitness
• Cover Stories
• Speaker Series
• Uniter Fiver
• Summer Festival Guide
• Upcoming Events
• Events Archive
• All Listings
• Submit A Listing

Virtual field trips for Black History Month

Manitoba museum and black history manitoba collaborate to educate students.

Rebecca Driedger

February 17, 2022

A new mannequin featured in the Manitoba Museum’s Old Winnipeg exhibit, inspired by John Arthur Robinson, a local labour organizer and Black porter for the Canadian Pacific Railway. (Photo by Leigh Lugosi)

Anya Moodie-Foster, the learning and engagement supervisor at the Manitoba Museum, is one of the people working on and running the Black History Month Virtual Field Trips. She usually works with school groups, but she has also been a part of a number of new programs at the museum.

“Recently, we started a series we’ve been calling Community Voices, where we’ve been working with different communities,” she says. “So, for example, in the fall, we had a program under the Community Voices banner where we talked about LGBTQ2+ history. And then we sort of brought the Black History public programs under that banner, as well.”

The current Virtual Field Trips are meant to help educate school groups across the province over a livestream, but they have also been attended by classes across the country.

Even though Black Canadians have been involved in the shaping of Canadian history and identity at least since Mathieu Da Costa, a navigator and interpreter, arrived in the early 1600s, Black Canadians have largely been ignored in Canada’s school curricula.

Very few people even know or acknowledge that African people were in fact enslaved here, and not just by our southern neighbours.

When the Black Lives Matter movement grew in 2019 and 2020 after George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor were killed, organizations across the country took a look inward at what they needed to change.

“I think, like many organizations, the pandemic – which stopped regular activities – and things like the Black Lives Matter movement really have caused people to look and say, ‘You know, what are we doing? Are we telling these stories?” Moodie-Foster says.

Moodie-Foster says the Black Lives Matter movement also caused teachers to look at what stories they are including and not including in their lessons.

“We’re really happy to be part of this new effort that’s happening in classrooms across Manitoba,” she says.

Moodie-Foster explains that the programs are meant for a general audience and are “family-friendly.” Kids and adults alike can learn from the field trips.

“Previous generations didn’t have Black history in their schooling. And there are stories that they may not have heard of that students today are exploring more,” she says. “People tend to be much more familiar with American Black history, and not so much about Canadian stories.”

The Virtual Field Trips are hosted by Moodie-Foster and Andre Sheppard, a member of Black History Manitoba. Each program consists of a PowerPoint presentation, polls and questions that can be typed into the virtual chat.

The collaboration between the Manitoba Museum and Black History Manitoba has been in the works since 2019.

“We decided that a virtual field trip was ... the best way for us to partner,” Moodie-Foster says. “We’ve been doing these programs for about a year. And we’re really, really pleased with the response. Last year, we probably had about 3,000 people or so see our programs. This year, we’re hoping to get beyond 5,000.”

Nadia Thompson, the chair of Black History Manitoba, says this collaboration has been an amazing experience to reach more students.

“February is also I Love to Read Month, so we (used to be) able to go into some schools and do some reading with the students. We’ve done presentations, and we’ve done different events,” Thompson says.

“The benefit of partnering with the Manitoba Museum is that we have reached thousands of kids now. We were only (in touch) with maybe 100 kids, but now that they are able to join us virtually, we’ve had participants from within the city, from within the province and from outside of the province across Canada.”

Thompson also says this collaboration has been a long time coming, but Black History Manitoba is glad that the museum is incorporating more Black history into the exhibits.

“I think the museum itself was going through some rebranding, and when they were looking at their inventory and what they had within the museum, they realized that they were not heavily influenced by other cultures within the realm of what they had,” Thompson says.

“So they reached out to us to ask questions regarding who we were and what we do, and in those conversations, we realized that we could kind of help each other by giving some direction as to where their focus wasn’t and what they wanted to do.”

Thompson says that although the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way these programs operate, both organizations are learning ways to become more accessible.

“(Using our) social media and online presence and all those other platforms that we are able to use now to touch and connect with people within the city and across the nation – it’s really a great thing,” she says. “We’re lucky to have all the best technology that we have, so we have been able to reach out to a lot more people.”

Thompson says virtual field trips may still be offered once pandemic restrictions loosen. Black History Manitoba also hopes that more information will be added to the museum’s exhibits.

“We want to encourage people to be looking and wanting to learn about Black history outside of one month,” Thompson says. “We’re really pushing the (concept of) Black History 365 to make sure that people realize that (Black) history, in its entirety, is an important part of Canadian history.”

To register for the virtual field trip on Feb. 19 or 23, visit manitobamuseum.ca or tune in on Facebook Live.

Published in Volume 76, Number 18 of The Uniter (February 17, 2022)

Get Our Newsletter

Get the Uniter’s top stories in your inbox every week.

Popular Stories

• 1 Dr. William Rory Dickson, associate professor of religion and culture
• 2 ‘A protracted struggle’
• 3 What lies beyond the perimeter
• 4 More windows smashed than burgers
• 5 Outdated and out of touch
• 6 Safety officers not addressing real cause of transit violence
• 7 The Urban Issue: Addressing violent crime
• 8 That’s all, folks!
• 9 Awakening the city that always sleeps
• 10 Rebuilding with purpose

Related Reads

Haku Horoscopes

Campus Briefs

Outdated and out of touch

City briefs

Harm reduction tools, safe consumption sites lower crime

More windows smashed than burgers

• Corrections
• Job Opportunities

All content ©2008–2024 The Uniter

National Geographic Education Blog

Bring the spirit of exploration to your classroom.

Next Virtual Field Trip Stop: The Deep Blue

The ocean is our planet’s life support system. It covers over 70 percent of Earth’s surface, supplies over half its oxygen, and shelters an incredible diversity of life. To gear up to celebrate Earth Day, the National Geographic Society hosted a virtual field trip on April 21 at 1 p.m. ET. The program is now available to watch on-demand on YouTube !

In this virtual field trip, dive into learning about what whale history and culture can teach us, how remotely operated vehicles give us an unprecedented view of seamounts in the Galápagos Islands, and how eco-journalism inspires change.

You’ll meet National Geographic Explorers who illuminate, celebrate, and protect the beating blue heart of our planet, including: 

• Brian Skerry | Brian is a photojournalist who specializes in marine wildlife and underwater environments. He has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater exploring the world’s oceans. His most recent project has taken him diving all over the world to document the cultures of various whale species. 
• Salomé Buglass | Salomé is a marine ecologist with a deep passion for exploration and ocean conservation. Working with the Charles Darwin Foundation in the  Galápagos Marine Reserve, Salomé uses remotely operated vehicles to survey and sample seamounts—large geologic landforms that rise from the ocean floor.
• Sruthi Gurudev | Young Explorer Sruthi Gurudev is an eco-journalist with two clear missions: providing ocean solutions and building a network of empowered youth through writing and editing her online magazine, An Hour in the Deep .

“If you look at a picture of Earth from space, you instantly see two things: We live on this very beautiful blue jewel floating out in the darkness of space, but you can also instantly see that we live on a water planet.” – Brian Skerry

For more opportunities to celebrate Earth Day and our blue planet follow @NatGeoEducation on Twitter and Facebook !

This Virtual Field Trip is in partnership with the DC Collaborative. For more Washington, DC arts and humanities educational programs, check out the DC Collaborative .

Feature image by Brian Skerry

Share this:

• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from national geographic education blog.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading