Spotlight on Sources:
Welcome to Renzulli Learning’s Spotlight on Sources, some of our most engaging resources to excite and inspire your students!
Summertime can be a wonderful time for students to explore our many outstanding “Type I” experiences - activities designed to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines, topics, occupations, hobbies, persons, places, and events that would not ordinarily be covered in the regular curriculum - as detailed in the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) by Dr. Joseph Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis. One of our favorite kinds of Type I Activities are Virtual Field Trips!
Have students go to My Enrichment Activities and choose Virtual Field Trips. From there they can browse the Virtual Field Trips based on their Profiler Results or they can do an Advanced Search to find Virtual Field Trips on a specific topic or to a specific location. Once your students have located the Virtual Field Trip of their choice, have them add an entry in their Journal
Journal Entry: Which of the Virtual Field Trips that you explored would you like to visit in person? Explain why with at least three reasons and details. Do you have any advice for us if we go on this trip?
Check out a few of our favorite activities below!
Don’t forget, if you want to assign a weekly activity simply search the title of the weekly activity from your Teacher Dashboard and then send the activity to a student as a favorite! To locate these activities within Renzulli Learning you can SEARCH Enrichment Activities and type in the title of the activity you would like to locate. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Grades K - 2
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Eric Carle achieved fame through his artwork in more than 70 beautiful picture books, such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” At this site, you can journey to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art to see galleries of artwork by Eric Carle and other accomplished artists.
The Prairie in Bloom
Here are pictures of the prairie in flower at Nebraska's Homestead National Monument. If you are interested in history as well as in ecology, explore the site's links to learn how the Homestead Act of 1862 led to the settlement of the wide-open spaces of America's West. There is also a slideshow showing the use of controlled fires to strengthen the prairie ecology.
AirPano: Machu Picchu — the ancient city of the Inca Empire
More than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru. A symbol of the Incan Empire and built around 1450 AD, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. At this site, you can take a panoramic virtual tour of Machu Picchu — the ancient city of the Inca Empire. Click the link to view Machu Picchu.
Grades 3 -5
National Gallery of Art: East Building Virtual Tour
The National Gallery of Art presents a virtual tour of the East Building. Zoom in and out, and navigate freely around the grounds and inside the architecture, which was erected in 1978.
AirPano: Angel Waterfall of Venezuela - The World's Highest Waterfall
Venezuela is home to the world’s highest waterfall. The highest point of the falls reaches 979 meters, with water falling from a height of 807 meters. The height of the falls is so great that by the time it reaches the ground it becomes tiny particles that turns into fog. At this site, you can take a panoramic virtual tour of Angel Waterfall. Click the link to view the Angel Waterfall in Venezuela.
Sue at the Field Museum
Get to know Sue, the "largest, most complete, best-preserved T. Rex,” on this virtual field trip of The Field Museum in Chicago. Click through the picture gallery to see how Sue was uncovered, transported, put together, and how she is displayed. You will be amazed!
Grades 6 - 9
Rembrandt van Rijn: Abraham Entertaining the Angels
Rebrandt van Rijn, known simply as Rembrandt, is one of the most famous and influential artists of all time. This online exhibition will explore Rembrandt’s artwork depicting the biblical scenes of Abraham and much more.
Aquifer Virtual Field Trips
How important is water for us? On this virtual field trip, you will learn amazing facts about water! You will learn all about the hydrological cycle, the history of the aquifer, and even the effects of water on the environment!
AirPano: Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
Egypt is a very unique country, home to the Sphinx and Pyramids. Click the link to view the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Grades 10 - 12
n Excavation
In 1922, after seven years of searching, Howard Carter found the tomb of Tutankhamun. Over the course of several more seasons, through 1930, he excavated the site. Study the history of the search, and explore diaries and journals, drawings, maps, plans, and photographs that document the excavation.
Virtual Field Trip to the Computer History Museum
One of the earliest computers was called a computing engine. It was designed in 1850, but not built until 2003 - and it worked! Walk through this exhibit to see this machine in action, and pay an online visit to the Computer History Museum.
Virtual Tour: Antarctica
Come on in to take this virtual tour of Antarctica. You can learn other cool facts about Antarctica by exploring the site map. Click the link below to get started!
Each week, we will send you teaching suggestions and a few examples of our best and most popular resources. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Thanks for being a part of the Renzulli Learning family and we hope you find these resources helpful.
Your Renzulli Learning Team