Using Virtual Visits to Explore Our National Parks

As part of my role in technology integration, I strive to bring joy to students through science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Virtual learning experiences are a great way to do this, and in recent years, I’ve been exploring national parks with my students virtually and using this strategy as a springboard for project-based learning (PBL).

Virtual Visits to National Parks

My students were able to meet a park ranger through programming from the nonprofit Expeditions in Education, which helped us to get started. Through a Zoom call, a park ranger, Jen, taught my students about national parks in general and about her park, the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

There are more than 90 virtual learning experiences on the Expeditions in Education site, and getting started is easy.

1. Choose a national park virtual learning experience.
2. Decide how you will structure your PBL unit and what kinds of products students can create to demonstrate their learning.
3. Align the work to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal attached to the challenge.
4. Watch the virtual field trip with your class—you can also post the link to the video for students to view again as they are working through their project.
5. Have students tackle the provided STEM challenge, which includes a real problem the park is facing.
6. Is there a larger audience in your school or community that needs to hear your students’ message? This kind of project is an ideal chance to set students up with an authentic audience.
7. Optional: Take it a step further and contact the park ranger from the video for a live, virtual visit (or in person if you’re lucky enough to be close to the park) to share your students’ PBL designs.

Here’s How This Looks in My Classroom

In the fall of 2021, after participating in a STEAM in the Park experience through Expeditions in Education with 30 other educators, I was excited to share my newfound passion for the outdoors with my students.

We had a Zoom call with Ranger Jen to learn about the national park system and the Every Kid Outdoors program, which offers free access to federal lands for fourth graders. Ranger Jen informed us about a crisis affecting the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.—daily flooding and salt from the Potomac River were harming a protective wall and the trees. My students were shocked and asked, “What can we do about this problem?”

My students quickly began working to see if they could help, and I was a learner right alongside them every step of the way. They used the National Mall website to learn more about the park, and I set up a collaborative Google Slides presentation with a map, links to articles, and criteria for their projects. They used this resource to document their ideas, designs, and feedback.

Over the course of a month, I provided support and feedback as they worked through the design thinking process.

Empathizing: During the Zoom call, students began to understand the importance of what was happening to the cherry trees and Tidal Basin.

Defining: After our call with Ranger Jen, I posted articles about the Tidal Basin and cherry trees so that students could clearly articulate the problem they were trying to solve.

Ideating: Students worked on their own or in groups to think as creatively as possible and generate a wide range of potential solutions. Their ideas included draining water into the Washington Channel to reduce the impact of high tide.

Prototyping: Ideas were brought to life during this step. Students used recyclable materials to construct models quickly and affordably. I helped the students understand these important points: Prototypes are first drafts, they help test ideas, it’s OK to make changes, use simple materials, and teamwork helps. Each prototype had a unique design.

Testing: Students tested their prototypes with their peers and me. I had an ongoing conversation with Ranger Jen during this phase in order to deliver feedback to students. Most students received feedback from more than one peer group before heading into the next phase, such as, “I don’t think your building materials will be strong enough to hold the water from the Tidal Basin.”

Iterating: Using the feedback gathered from peers and me, students were able to refine and improve their designs. Some groups even completely redesigned their prototype. This is all part of the process and demonstrates real-world skills and learning. The iterations included changes in materials, drainage changes based on better understanding, and the addition of supports.

Communicating results: I reached out to Ranger Jen to share my students’ work. To my surprise, she arranged a Zoom call with the superintendent of the National Mall and a group of rangers and engineers, all of whom wanted to hear from my students.

The students were amazed that their ideas would be presented to such an important audience. I reminded them that kids often think outside the box and see possibilities that adults might miss. Each group had five minutes to present their ideas. Even the most hesitant students understood the importance of their contributions. 

Watching my students engage with a real-world problem and seeing their pride and commitment was truly moving. To wrap up, I used a Google Form to collect feedback from students and assess their contributions. This reflection proved far more valuable than any test score. A common theme was, “I didn’t know kids could change the world before this project. I thought it was just adults.”

The National Mall and Tidal Basin are now making headlines with new plans to protect the cherry trees, incorporating ideas from both adults and kids.