Ms. Koob's Class Explores Badlands National Park with Video Conferencing

Before jumping into a new unit on Weathering and Erosion, the 6th grade class at Cardinal John Foley in Havertown took a closer look at the 3 different types of rocks. Learning about the different types of rocks led us 1,600 miles west to Badlands National Park, located in southwest South Dakota. The park is made up of buttes, spires, and canyons that all have been carved out of layers of sedimentary rock.
Unfortunately, it is not an easy feat to take a field trip there to gain first hand experience observing the rocks, the fossils that have been found, and the natural splendor of the park. However, lucky for us the National Park Service and Badlands National Park offers a Distance Learning Program that allows schools to choose from a variety of different virtual lessons that bring Badlands National Park right into their classroom.
The 6th graders at CJF held a video conference with Ranger Ed Welsh from Badlands National Park. In order to hold the video conference we connected to the Badlands through IP address via LifeSize ClearSea. Connecting through IP address allowed Ranger Ed to show us the snowy views of the Badlands buttes and spires; he was even able to zoom in which allowed us to make out some of the shaded layers of the rock through the snow.
Ranger Ed was able to take us back in time 75 million years and show us how the Badlands have changed from an inland sea with ammonites and other prehistoric sea creatures to a swampy land with prehistoric alligators, a savanna where some of the world’s first relatives of camels and felines were found, and finally to the rugged land that we see today that contains one of the world’s richest fossil beds. 6th Grader Therese T. remarked, “One thing I really liked about our virtual field trip was that Ranger Ed showed us many fossils that we would never be able to see. We saw fossils of animals I never knew existed!”
The National Parks Service has tons of materials designed for teachers of all grades.
Others to check out:
Distance Learning Opportunities
Ellis Island Video Conferencing
Unfortunately, it is not an easy feat to take a field trip there to gain first hand experience observing the rocks, the fossils that have been found, and the natural splendor of the park. However, lucky for us the National Park Service and Badlands National Park offers a Distance Learning Program that allows schools to choose from a variety of different virtual lessons that bring Badlands National Park right into their classroom.
The 6th graders at CJF held a video conference with Ranger Ed Welsh from Badlands National Park. In order to hold the video conference we connected to the Badlands through IP address via LifeSize ClearSea. Connecting through IP address allowed Ranger Ed to show us the snowy views of the Badlands buttes and spires; he was even able to zoom in which allowed us to make out some of the shaded layers of the rock through the snow.
Ranger Ed was able to take us back in time 75 million years and show us how the Badlands have changed from an inland sea with ammonites and other prehistoric sea creatures to a swampy land with prehistoric alligators, a savanna where some of the world’s first relatives of camels and felines were found, and finally to the rugged land that we see today that contains one of the world’s richest fossil beds. 6th Grader Therese T. remarked, “One thing I really liked about our virtual field trip was that Ranger Ed showed us many fossils that we would never be able to see. We saw fossils of animals I never knew existed!”
The National Parks Service has tons of materials designed for teachers of all grades.
Others to check out:
Distance Learning Opportunities
Ellis Island Video Conferencing
AoP Tech would like to thank Ms. Koob for sharing her wonderful experience with us.
If you know of a teacher that should be featured next month let us know - [email protected]
If you know of a teacher that should be featured next month let us know - [email protected]