Virtual field trips to National Parks

Can't take time off to go off with your family on vacation? Check out Ball State University's Electronic Field Trips webcast to see where they're going. If you hurry, you and 37 million children and adults from 49 states and seven countries can celebrate National Park Week by participting in the largest-ever simultaneous virtual "visit" to a national park.

Tomorrow, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico will webcast live from deep inside the caves. Just by logging on and registering, educators will get a password to access lessons plans with curriculum-based topics so their students can get more out of the webcast, eSchoolNews reports.

"Our nation's parks were given to us as a gift with the expectation that we would safeguard them for future generations," said Vin Cipolla, president and chief executive officer of the National Park Foundation. "There is no better way to celebrate National Park Week across the nation and around the world than connecting our children with our parks so that they can develop the sense of ownership and pride necessary to become the stewards of these great places."

"Through the innovative use of interactive technology, millions of children will explore one of our national treasures, guided by leading experts and using web-based educational games and lesson plans based on national standards," said Jo Ann M. Gora, Ball State University president

From the sea turtles of Belize to Houston's Air and Space Museum, these webcastsprovide an important component to classrooms by opening doors to places most kids will never see.