| Where will we go this year? |
|
"Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and it can take place anywhere and at anytime."
~ Peter Chausse
Though there are still several days of summer left, it's hard to ignore the back-to-school sales, newspaper articles, and messages from the central office that indicate the new year is just around the corner.
As you begin to daydream about what you'll do in the classroom this year, it's worth taking some time this summer to think about what you'll be doing outside the classroom as well. Field trips have become indulgent extras in today's fast-paced academic calendar. They take a lot of time to set up, can be a headache to execute, and often cost more than school budgets can manage. But there are plenty of good reasons why you should consider well-planned field trips an essential part of your instruction.
Field trips can:
- Expose students to different perspectives
- Develop civic leadership and responsibility
- Motivate students to problem-solve
- Teach to standards while reaching diverse learners
- Encourage community building
(Adapted from A Guide to Great Field Trips by Kathleen Carroll.)
Many of our fondest school memories come from field trips and the opportunities we had as children to learn outside the classroom. This is because as humans we learn best by doing, and the most effective field trips are the ones that make the learning process hands-on.
With adequate time to plan, you can find great places to go, and even the funds to get there. Check out the resources below to help you get started!
|
Field Trip Destinations
|
|
A "field trip" can really be an adventure of any kind that takes you outside the normal framework of the classroom. At one extreme you might take a trip to another country, at the other - you can lead students through a visualization exercise that takes them on a journey of the imagination.
Click here for a list of field trip ideas.
|
Field Trip Planning Guide
|
|
You can use this checklist to help you begin planning field trips - while you're still on vacation!
|
Teacher Resources: Field Trips
|
|
Live It Learn It
Live It Learn It creates hands-on learning experiences for DC public school students by utilizing the city's tremendous resources as an urban classroom. These rigorous learning experiences, tied to DC's academic learning standards, enhance student motivation and promote academic achievement.
Donors Choose
Find funding for your field trip! DonorsChoose.org
is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our
public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers
submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students
need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned
individuals choose projects to
fund.
Target Grants
Find a grant to fund a field trip. Target will award 5,000 Field Trip Grants of up to $800 each during the
2008-2009 school year. Applications will be posted by September.
|
