Thursday, May 17, 2012 8:19 AM
Lavender fields in France.
Download a larger image of the lavender fields in France. Share the photo with your class, then try these discussion questions and activities:
- Lavender has been used since the time of early Egypt, when it was part of the embalming process. What are some other uses for lavender throughout history?
- Lavender is often grown for bees to flavor their honey. How has honey been used over time? Look up what flowers attract bees the most, try this resource.
- Design a garden that would attract bees.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Olympic Village in Barcelona
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to France, seen a field of lavender or completed a similar lesson, tell us about it by leaving a comment below. You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, May 17, 2012 8:19 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, May 10, 2012 8:33 AM
Statue in the Olympic Village in Barcelona, Spain.
Download a larger image of this statue in Barcelona's Olympic Village. Share the photo with your class, then try these discussion questions and activities:
- This statue is part of the Olympic Village in Barcelona, Spain. Visit the Olympic website to investigate. Make a map showing other locations where the Olympics have been held. Other topics to consider:
- What sports have been added to the Olympics?
- Who has won the most medals - which athlete? Which country?
- Which sport do you consider the hardest? Research it and present an argument to prove your point of view.
- You are tasked with designing a statue garden for statues of yourself and two other people...
- Of whom will you make statues?
- What poses will you choose?
- Will there be color?
- Draw your design. Give a title to each statue and write a description of each.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Pompeii, Italy
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Barcelona, the Olympic games (or will go in London!), or have completed a similar lesson, tell us about it by leaving a comment below. You could be our next guest blogger!
Check out NETC's Educational Tours to Spain.
By Amy on Thursday, May 10, 2012 8:33 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, May 03, 2012 7:59 AM
Preserved bodies at the ruins of Pompeii, Italy near Mount Vesuvius.
Download a larger image from the ruins of Pompeii, Italy. Share the photo with your class, then try these discussion questions and activities:
- Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 C.E., burying the city of Pompeii, Italy. Pompeii was part of the Roman Empire. What was life like at the time for Roman citizens?
- What are some of the more recent volcanic eruptions?
- Where did they occur?
- What was their impact on the people and land around them?
- Create a map that shows the Ring of Fire.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: The London Eye, England
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Pompeii, Italy or completed a similar lesson, tell us about it by leaving a comment below. You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, May 03, 2012 7:59 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, April 26, 2012 9:59 AM
The London Eye towers of the River Thames and offers riders spectacular views of the city.
Download a larger image of the London Eye in England and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- You have been given the task of attracting more tourists to your city or state. What are the important aspects of your city that you want to highlight?
- Design an amusement park type ride to attract tourists and show off your town or city.
- The London Eye is an example of this type of ride. It provides views of significant parts of London. Locate the Eye on a map of London and list the places that you could see from the top.
- Choose three of these attractions and write a walking tour that will introduce them to a visiting tourist.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Salvador Dalí Museum in Figueres, Spain
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been on the London Eye, to London or completed a similar lesson, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, April 26, 2012 9:59 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, April 19, 2012 7:59 AM
Salvador Dalí's Theater Museum in Figueres, Spain.
Download a larger image of Dalí's Theater Museum in Spain and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Learn more about Salvador Dalí and his art here.
- What other artists were painting at the same time as Dalí? How were they similar and how were they different from Dalí?
- If you had to create a portrait out of found objects, what could you use from the space around you?
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Stonehenge in England
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Dalí's Museum in Figueres, Spain, or completed a lesson on surrealist art, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, April 19, 2012 7:59 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, April 12, 2012 7:59 AM
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Prehistoric Stonehenge Monument in England.
Download a larger image of Stonehenge in England and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Stonehenge was built at around the same time as the pyramids at Giza, over 4,000 years ago. What other ancient sites were built around that time? What was the purpose of each? Compare and contrast them to Stonehenge.
- Stonehenge was built without the benefit of modern equipment. Imagine that you are the engineer in charge of building Stonehenge, using only human labor. Write a journal entry explaining how the work will be done.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Stonehenge, England, or completed a lesson on prehistoric monuments, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, April 12, 2012 7:59 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, April 05, 2012 7:59 AM
UNESCO World Heritage Site - Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France.
Download a larger image of Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France. Share the photo with your class and then discuss the following:
- What are the challenges and benefits of living on an island? If you were building a town on a small island, what would you include? What would you avoid?
- Imagine that you are a medieval pilgrim, having walked for miles to visit the church at the top of the island. It was believed to have been built by the direction of the Archangel Michael in 708 C.E. The pilgrims had to wait for low tide to walk across to the island. What impact would this have on you and your faith?
- Compare the location where Machu Picchu was built, high in the Andes in Peru with Mont St. Michelle’s location.
Click to learn more about Mont St. Michel.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Mont St. Michel, Normandy or France, or completed a related lesson in your class, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, April 05, 2012 7:59 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, France
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Thursday, March 29, 2012 7:59 AM
Picturesque Neuschwanstein Castle in the hills of Bavaria, Germany.
Download a larger image of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Neuschwanstein Castle was built by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria in tribute to Richard Wagner. Play some Wagnerian music. Make sketches as you listen. What images does the music bring to mind? In what ways does the music connect with the image of the castle?
- Think of someone you greatly admire. How would you design a building in their honor?
- You awake one morning to find yourself trapped in a room at the top of the highest tower. How did you get there and how will you escape?
- You are a movie writer and have been told to write a script that has the castle as the setting. Who would be the two main characters? What challenge or conflict would they face in your movie?
Click to learn more about Neuschwanstein Castle.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria or Germany, or completed a lesson on castles or historic buildings in Germany, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, March 29, 2012 7:59 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, March 22, 2012 8:00 AM
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.
Download a larger image of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey and share this photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or the Blue Mosque as it is known, gets it name from the blue tiles that decorate the interior. If you were to design the inside of this mosque what would it look like? Draw your own pattern of blue and white squares. How does your drawing compare to the mosque's actual interior seen here.
- The Blue Mosque was built in the early 1600’s. Talk about some of the other major buildings that were constructed around the world between 1600 & 1700. You can use this site as a resource.
- Have students break into groups to select one of these buildings to compare and contrast against the blue mosque, then present their discoveries to the class. Some things to think about:
- In what ways do the countries where these buildings are located differ? In what ways are they similar?
- How are the architectural styles different or similar?
- Are the materials used to construct the buildings the same or different? What about the colors?
- How are the uses/purposes of the building different or similar?
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: The Gargoyle of Notre Dame, Paris
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Istanbul or the Blue Mosque, or completed a lesson on architectural designs or historic buildings in Istanbul, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, March 22, 2012 8:00 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:04 AM
Women in colorful dresses dance in the Plaza de España in Seville, Spain.
Download a larger image of Flamenco dancers in Seville, Spain and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Listen to this song. What sort of dance steps would these women be doing?
- Create a dance that tells a story and matches the energy of this dance.
- The dresses pictured are very colorful. If this song were a series of colors, what colors would it be? Why did you pick the colors you did? What does each color represent?
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: The Gargoyle of Notre Dame, Paris, France
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Seville or anywhere else in Spain, or completed a lesson on Flamenco, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:04 AM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, Spain
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Thursday, March 08, 2012 4:00 PM
A gargoyle looks out over the city from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
Download a larger image of the gargoyle and its view of Paris and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Why do you think gargoyles were added to large buildings? (Gargoyles were used as artistically designed troughs that directed rainwater off the roofs of cathedrals and away from the walls)
- Did you know that gargoyles were originally painted in vivid colors? How would you decorate this one? Create your own design using whatever medium you'd like.
- Notre Dame was built 1,000 years ago. How has the view that the gargoyle is seeing changed in those years? Put together a collage that shows the changes in Paris every 100 years.
- Look for gargoyles on buildings around your town. Take a photo using a phone or digital camera and see how many you can find in the area. How do the designs differ? Which is your favorite and why?
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Prague's Medieval Astronomical Clock
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Notre Dame or Paris, or completed a lesson on architectural designs, Gargoyles or historic buildings in Paris, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, March 08, 2012 4:00 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, France, Travel
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Thursday, March 01, 2012 4:40 PM
The medieval astronomical clock sits in Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic.
Download a larger image of the astronomical clock and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- This is one of the oldest mechanical clocks in the world. Imagine life without any clocks. Make a list of all of the ways that you have depended on a clock today.
- The clock kept track of the Earth and its relationship with the other planets. Investigate why people in medieval times would find that important.
- Using construction paper and markers, develop a new design for a clock, one that is radically new and meets your needs and the needs of your friends. It can’t simply be a smartphone.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Monet and His Gardens at Giverny, France
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've been to Prague or done a lesson on astronomy, time, Prague or the Czech Republic, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, March 01, 2012 4:40 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, Teachers, Education
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Friday, February 24, 2012 3:09 PM
The Japanese Bridge in Claude Monet's garden, Giverny, France.
Download a larger image of the Japanese Bridge in Monet's garden and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Who was Claude Monet? Ask students to break into groups to research and present a different part of Monet's life. Who was he and why is he so special to art history?
- What are the common elements of Impressionist art? What other artists were part of the Impressionist movement? Which artist is your favorite and why?
- Create your own Impressionist painting.
- Design your own garden. What plants and elements would be most important to you?
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Colorful Mosaics in Barcelona, Spain
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on Claude Monet, Giverny, France or art around the world, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Friday, February 24, 2012 3:09 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, France, Art
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Thursday, February 16, 2012 4:31 PM
A colorful mosaic decorates the benches of Gaudi's Parc Guell in Barcelona, Spain
This is just one example of the beautiful mosaics that can be found all around Antoni Gaudi's Parc Guell in Barcelona, Spain. Download a larger image of the mosaic and share the photo with your class. Then discuss the following:
- Creative writing (can be done in English or in the foreign language studied):
A family member passes away and leaves you this piece of pottery with a note saying that it contains hidden mysteries about your family. You investigate. What do you discover?
- Art activity:
Using a piece of graph paper, design a mosaic that looks like it is made of pieces of broken pottery.
Want more? See last week's Teach Through Educational Travel: Kings & Queens at the Palace of Versailles, France
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on Barcelona, Spain, Antoni Guadi, mosaics or art around the world, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, February 16, 2012 4:31 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, Spain, Art
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Thursday, February 09, 2012 4:58 PM
The Gardens at the Palace of Versailles in France
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on France, Versailles or the French Revolution, tell us about it by leaving a comment below! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, February 09, 2012 4:58 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, France
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Thursday, February 02, 2012 4:45 PM
A variety of shields in Spain
Download this image of shields in Spain. Show the image to your students in class and try the following activities to get your students involved in learning about symbolism in shields and the coat of arms.
- The symbols on a shield were the coat of arms of the family, identifying the person, especially in battle. Choose one of these shields and explain what the colors and symbols represent about your family.
- Research the coat of arms of Spain. Investigate the colors and shapes used, as well as their placement on the shield.
- Ask students to design their own coat of arms
Just for fun, here is a version we designed:
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on the history of the shield and coat of arms around the world, let us know in the comments section! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, February 02, 2012 4:45 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, January 26, 2012 5:04 PM
Cave painting depicted on the walls of Lascaux in southwestern France
- What is depicted in the photo?
- Where is this photo is from?
- What is the medium the image is drawn on?
- How old is the image?
Provide your students an overview of Lascaux:
In the Dordogne region of southwest France, lie the caves of Lascaux. The caves are famous for their numerous, complex, Paleolithic paintings, (like the one above) believed to be up to 20,000 years old. The paintings are primarily of large animals that were once native to the region, and also include human images and symbols as well. The caves were discovered by teenagers in 1940.
Take a virtual tour of Lascaux with your class and explore its various areas. Click "A visit to the cave" to begin.
• Ask students to draw their own interpretations of a cave painting and explain with it represents.
• If you were to leave a message about life today for future generations, what would you draw?
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on cave paintings in Lascaux or elsewhere around the world, let us know in the comments section! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, January 26, 2012 5:04 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel, France
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:57 PM
Windmill in Spain
- What crops grow in Spain?
- Which ones were ground in windmills?
- What foods were made from what was ground?
- Find a recipe for one dish that was created from the ground grain.
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on windmills and their impact throughout history and have any ideas for the classroom, let us know in the comments section! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:57 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:57 PM
Windmill in Spain
- How does a windmill work?
- Make an illustration to show the different parts of a windmill.
- You and your family live in this windmill. Describe a day in your life.
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on windmills and their impact throughout history and have any ideas for the classroom, let us know in the comments section! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:57 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Thursday, January 05, 2012 2:37 PM
Windmill in Spain
- Who invented the first windmill?
- What are some uses for windmills?
- Where in the world would you find windmills? Why?
We'd love to hear your ideas! If you've done a lesson on windmills and their impact throughout history and have any ideas for the classroom, let us know in the comments section! You could be our next guest blogger!
By Amy on Thursday, January 05, 2012 2:37 PM
Categories:Teach Through Educational Travel
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Hi, I'm Amy! Avid traveler and social marketing guru at NETC. I'm also the editor of NETC's Educated Traveler blog, where you'll find all kinds of information about travel and education, tips, NETC news, classroom lesson ideas and more! Subscribe above!
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