9/11 Tribute Center
Virtual Field Trip
Where the two Twin Towers once stood
Summary
This tribute center includes real-life artifacts, videos, audio, and heartfelt messages about what people in the towers have said and victims of the plane crash on voicemail moments before meeting their deaths. This is to remember the ones who have passed and the stories of those who experienced these tragic events. This provides a place for reflection and remembrance for all.
https://911tributemuseum.org/teaching-911/
Interactive Virtual Tour of Ellis Island
Embark on a captivating journey through a portal to America’s rich immigration history. This immersive experience allows you to explore the hallowed halls and corridors of the iconic Ellis Island Immigration Museum from the comfort of your own home. As you navigate the interactive exhibits, you can discover the stories of the millions of immigrants who passed through these very gates in pursuit of the American dream.
On this journey, you will be able to learn numerous interesting facts about the Island. For example, Did you know that the first Ellis Island immigrant was a 15-year-old girl, or that only 75% percent of ship passengers went to Ellis Island.
With the tour also comes the chance to see Visuals of Immigrants from Ellis Island, For example, this is an image of Immigrants seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time as they arrive in New York Harbor.
Not only are there Visuals but there are also Audio Files of Immigrants telling their stories firsthand. Here is the oral History of Lawrence Meiwald as he tells it, an immigrant from Poland arriving to the U.S. in 1920 when he was just 6 years old.
Lastly, you can also view actual video footage of what was going on the island such as immigrants stepping on U.S. soil for the first time, or footage of immigrants coming off the ships with their baggage eager to start their new lives as Americans.
Fly High With Me: A Virtual Field Trip to the Neave Planetarium
Today, I invite you to join me on an extraordinary journey — one that transcends the boundaries of time and space. Buckle up for a virtual field trip to the Neave Planetarium, where the wonders of the cosmos unfold before your eyes from the comfort of your own home!
Unveiling the Cosmic Canvas
The online platform called Stellarium Web allows users to explore the numerous stars and planets across a map. This entertaining tool encourages everyone to learn more about outer space and what is inside of it. There is no need for telescopes or binoculars — fire up your web browser, and you are ready to explore the stars.
User-Friendly Interface
One of the standout features of Stellarium Web is its user-friendly interface. Navigating the cosmos has never been easier, thanks to these unique controls that allow you to zoom in on constellations, planets, and even distant galaxies. The seamless design makes it accessible to stargazers of all ages and expertise. One constellation that I love to look at is my zodiac sign. I am a Sagittarius, and I have learned that this constellation is located in the Southern celestial hemisphere. Another fun fact is that it is also known as the Archer! When you click on anything shown on the map, you can read more about it.
Up Close and Personal with Planets
No planetarium adventure is complete without a pit stop at our neighboring planets. Through the magic of virtual reality, we are able to get up close and personal with gas giants, witnessing the swirling storms of Jupiter and the iconic rings of Saturn. Each planetary visit is accompanied by a cosmic narration, unraveling the mysteries that make each planet unique.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a virtual field trip to Neave Planetarium is not just a substitute for the real thing — it is a unique and accessible cosmic experience in its own right. From the comfort of our home, we have traversed the cosmos, explored distant planets, and marveled at the grand tapestry of the night. Next time you dream of a celestial adventure, remember that the final frontier is just one click away. Have fun and stargaze!
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Visiting Flamingo, Kenya
For this virtual field trip, I decided to visit Flamingo, Kenya, Lake Bogoria. This is a lake filled with hundreds of flamingos. Tourists are able to fly helicopters over the lake to see everything as well as drive by. The lake is considered a national park, so it is highly protected and the rules on looking through are strict. The flamingos also spook very easily so tourists have to be careful about how close they can even get as one sudden movement can cause the flamingos to flee.
The weather in Kenya can be inconsistent so birds are constantly looking for a consistent water source. At Lake Nakuru the body of water is not so easily affected by the weather, which is why the birds choose to reside there. Recently in 2013, heavy rainfall did hit the region near Lake Nakuru, which affected the water levels causing many flamingos to flee to Lake Bogoria where two million flamingos currently reside in due to Lake Nakuru’s higher water level.
This virtual tour was nothing like how I could have imagined. I never knew that such a lake could exist. I knew that in drier areas, animals did flock towards lakes, but I never expected for a lake to be completely filled with just flamingos. This was a very unique and unexpected tour that exposed me to new information I never would have been exposed to had I not taken the virtual tour for this blog post. Overall, I definitely enjoyed the tour and highly recommend other educators to encourage their students to take one so that they can be exposed to other environments.
Visiting the 9/11 Tribute Museum Virtually
September 11, 2001, was a day that impacted millions of individuals in America. This was the day that thousands of innocent lives were lost and injured. Many families suffered from this terrorist attack and lost their loved ones. Although I was born after this event occurred, I was taught about the importance of it every year in school. Learning about this heart-wrenching attack on thousands of innocent people is something so difficult to learn about, but it is necessary.
This Virtual Museum provides all of the information about 9/11 for educational purposes. This virtual museum also includes lesson plans for educators to use to incorporate this topic into their lessons. There are many creative projects that are dedicated to this event. Some of them are a Survivor Tree, Poetry, and Newspaper Headline Poetry. The Virtual Museum also provides video links to learn more. There are links leading to “Understanding Personal Stories,” “Placing 9/11 In A Global Context,” and “Exploring 9/11 in Creative Arts.”
A very important part of this Virtual Museum was the acknowledgment of the innocent lives lost and families affected. There are many stories linked on this website. Another important point was about Jennifer Suri, an Assistant Principal who is a Muslim emphasizing the fact that the terrorist attacks do not relate to Islam.
Learning about September 11, 2001, can be very tough and upsetting but they teach the importance of the event and the awareness of it. Millions of people have been impacted by this event and it is something everyone should learn about and empathize with.
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The Timeless Elegance of the Taj Mahal: A Monument of Love and Royal Virtual Visit
The Taj Mahal, one of the world’s most celebrated edifices, stands as a testament to timeless love and the rich cultural tapestry of India. It’s a place where history whispers from the intricately carved walls, and each visitor walks a path once graced by royalty, including Princess Diana, whose solitary contemplation before the mausoleum left a lasting image in the world’s memory.
Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal was built in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is the jewel of Muslim art in India and an awe-inspiring example of Mughal architecture, combining elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Indian architectural styles.
The Taj Mahal is not just a structure of stone and marble; it’s an immersive sensory experience. The Charbagh, or ‘four-garden’, is laid out with geometric precision, representing the four flowing rivers of paradise. Water channels and fountains bisect the pathways, leading the eye and the spirit towards the serene mausoleum, inviting visitors to reflect on the ephemeral nature of life.
In 1992, Princess Diana’s visit to the Taj Mahal captured the world’s attention. Seated alone on a bench, her pensive silhouette against the backdrop of the magnificent edifice, became an emblematic image of grace and solitude. This moment, frozen in time, elevated the narrative of the Taj Mahal, intertwining a modern tale of royalty with its historic fabric.
The Taj Mahal transcends time, resonating with stories of love and visits by personalities like Princess Diana, who add layers to its history. It stands not only as a monument to a beloved empress but as a touchstone for all who seek beauty and meaning in the creations of the past. In the quietude of its domes and gardens, every visitor finds a moment of connection, making the Taj Mahal a true treasure of human heritage.
(Grammar Checked by GPT4 & Grammarly)
Anne Frank: The Secret Annex
The secret Annex of Anne Frank during the holocaust when Anne and her family stayed in hiding for over two years to stay away from the Natiz. This virtual museum allows visitors to explore the entire annex with a 360 view from top to bottom. Along the way, it gave specific fun facts about Anne and the rest of the members who were hiding in there. For example, Anne’s first kiss, Peter’s bike, where they kept money and how they were running low on money, etc. It gave me the impression that I was living in that time period and going through what it was like to be hiding away in such a small, remote place. The images displayed were realistic and conveyed the true aesthetic of living in that kind of setting, demonstrating the value and usefulness of this tool in helping people comprehend and picture the idea of hiding and being in a crowded place for an extended length of time with limited resources. https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/
9/11 Tribute Museum
Upon entering the virtual field trip, the 9/11 tribute center immediately grabbed my attention. Though born after the terrorist attacks occurred, I am very well aware that on September 11, 2001, thousands of innocent lives were cut short, and the New York skyline would be longing its beautiful twin towers. The 9/11 museum, located just about where the towers in lower Manhattan once stood, is home to pieces of shrapnel, debris, recovered artifacts, the shoes of civilians, news recording, voicemails, and so many other memorials from that day of terror. It serves to inform and educate future generations of the 9/11 attacks, so that they are never forgotten, but rather remembered. The tribute museum aims to connect with teachers and students as a way to compile a number of personal stories from the exact day in order to keep the memory alive.
September 11, 2001, the day in which U.S. history was changed forever.
Virtual Field Trip
I took a virtual field trip using this website to visit Trevi Fountain.
The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in Rome, Italy from the 18th century.
It was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salve and was completed by Giuseppe Panini in 1762. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and also one of the biggest fountains in the world.
The experience was interesting, you get to see all the peoples reactions to this giant fountain and it is very realistic. I love the the architecture of the fountain, it is very well built and adds a lot of beauty to the scenery.
Visiting the Taj Mahal
From the list of locations to visit, I chose to visit the Taj Mahal. I have seen pictures of it, which are beautiful, but I do not know much about it. I do not know any of the history, or any real detail about the inside of it. I have always been curious about it. This was the perfect opportunity to gain some knowledge about it, from the comfort of my desk.
Site: https://www.taj-mahal.net/newtaj/index.html
History
The only prior knowledge I had of this is that it was India. There is a description of the history at the bottom of the screen when you reach the site. It explains that in 1631, the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, had this built in the memory of his favorite wife. He promised her he would “erect a monument to match her beauty.” I would say he succeeded in doing so after taking the virtual tour.
The Tour
I really like the setup of the virtual tour. It is not just a view from the actual location that you can move around in. It does have that but also much more. There is a map of the layout of the Taj Mahal with checkpoints that you can click on. When clicking these, it can read out a description of it, and you can look around the location as if you were standing there.
Another neat feature they have is a set of pictures/videos that appear depending on which checkpoint you click. These attachments include different views, more information, or fun facts.
There is plenty to go through about the Taj Mahal, that it would be much better if you visited the tour yourself on the website, but I will point out some of my favorite spots.
The pool in the middle of the garden really stood out to me. It is called “The Celestial Pool of Abundance.” After listening to the description, this is where two water channels intersect and divide the garden into 4 sections. There is a bench right next to it, which must be amazing to sit at. In the reflection of the pool, you can see the Taj Mahal itself.
In one of the attachments below, there is a video about the image of Princess Diana sitting on that white bench in front of the pool. That image is iconic now. Princess Diana is still a famous person to this day. Anything she has done is always remembered.
The next point I really liked is titled “On the Chhaka (Plinth) – by a Minaret.” The short description of this is so powerful: “The Taj Mahal has been described as; having been designed by giants and finished by jewelers….” I believe that is very suiting of the Taj Mahal. The task of building this was certainly not an easy one. It took a lot of man power, or maybe needing the help from giants, as described in the statement. The actual look of it is amazing, which the ending of the statement describes. The color and details in the building is very majestic.
There is a video at the bottom that goes into detail about the actual stone and marble of the Taj Mahal. It explains many details about it. The main material used is red sandstone. There are 2 major reasons for this choice.
- The red hue of the material is associated with imperial tents
- There was a large amount of it locally, which made it easy to gather.
The main color you see from images of the Taj Mahal is white. The marble used is used all over the main mausoleum, which is the main attraction. In the Islamic world, white symbolizes mourning. Now, knowing that this was built in memory of Shah Jahan’s wife, it is very fitting.
The “Paradise Gardens” is a great place to stop at. The inside of the Taj Mahal and the structure itself is amazing, but it should not take away from the nature of the outside. The grass, plants, and trees are very well-kept and look perfect. I could only imagine walking down the paths. The description of the checkpoint is very poetic. The ending of the statement goes well with a screenshot I took: “eternal is its fruit, and eternal is its shade.”
This really just speaks to the beauty of the trees and plants. The “fruit” means that it will always be well-kept and thriving. Fruit will always be able to be grown no matter what. The same goes for the “shade” The trees will always be alive and healthy with leaves to shield the sun away. It will be perfect to walk down.
There is still much more to the tour that I did not go into detail about. It is something you would have to visit yourself. Actually going to India to visit this would be ideal. You can only take in so much from a computer screen. This virtual tour makes me feel the need to go for myself one day in the future.