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What do you think of the value of extended field trips? My school has taken third grade for a long day to Legoland and fifth grade to Marinelab for two nights. We are rethinking the trips. What should be considered?

Hello Marsha, That's an awesome question, I think field trips are a great idea, especially in elementary school. One thing to think about though, is the fact that they need to be related to things that the children are learning about. Say teachers are beginning a unit on space, they may want to think about taking a field trip to the planetarium at the museum. I think it's important for students to take the things they are learning in the classroom and apply it to the outside world so they can make a connection. That's one thing that my university supervisor always tells me, is that everything you do should to be reverted back to things that the children are currently learning or have learned in the past in order to make their learning relevant.

I love field trips and students often say that they are the highlight of your course! Going outside the school gives students a chance to observe or experience things much better than videos or text. You also introduce them to enthusiastic professionals and role-models. However, I always made sure that field trips weren't just a walk around with hands in pockets. Don't think of these as a chance for a break. Scout out what the field trip is all about and look for hands-on and authentic experiences. Most places will allow teachers to check things out without cost and don't be afraid to ask for modifications to suit your class. I always made sure that a field trip wasn't a completely isolated event. So, I recommend preparing some follow up activity and make sure that it fits into your curriculum. I'd also ask the students for their feedback on the trip. I often passed this on to whomever we visited and made changes myself. I have also conducted my own field trips - I just took my class to another place to teach. Hope this helps! Gabe Kraljevic

Hello! Just like others have mentioned, I think field trips are a great addition to a course. Students can learn a lot and get the chance to connect the classwork to real life! Going on field trips can help students see the purpose behind what they are learning. It could expose them to different situations that develop their understanding. Field trips are usually enjoyable experiences that your students will treasure. If your school does not have the means to do field trips, a good idea is to do virtual field trips. There is a great article I found that talks about the benefits of field trips both in person or virtually. Simply taking your class outside for a lesson can really help your students see connect the content to the world.


-Ana Gonzalez

http://common.nsta.org/resource/default.aspx?id=10.2505%2f4%2fjcst05_034_05_14