Do you go on field trips? Where are you planning to go this year?

[helena]

This year I really want to do lots of outings.

 

Today we took our first field trip to a gem and mineral show. I had the girls make a list of gems to look for while there (using a favorite book Smithsonian Rock and Gem), and they wrote a little paper on it when we got back. I gave them a mini budget which they had fun with too.

 

We also just went on a Soviet submarine (awesome!!).

 

 

So, what kind of field trips are you hoping to do this year? Do you have your kids keep a journal, take photos or record it in some creative way? Do you think it's overkill to do a paper on field trips?

 

Has anyone tried Winter Promise field trip pages? http://www.winterpromise.net/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=915&osCsid=7c766fa75b27ead4f4ffa9cb1cddddb4

 

:bigear:

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

This past year, we were studying earth science and astronomy, so we visited some caverns and a planetarium. We were also learning about the Middle Ages, so we went to the armor court at the art museum and the kids drew pictures of knights based on the armor. We took other field trips that weren't directly related to our studies, like the zoo, a narrated trolley tour of our city, the Natural History Museum, a Farm Park, the beach and a few others.

 

This year I haven't really planned out our field trips. I think we'll go to a Jewish history museum near us, a science museum in another town, our own science museum, and possibly a play or a concert. Not entirely sure, yet.

[rwjx2khsmj]

We are planning to do an east coast historic tour this spring, Williamsburg to Plymouth.

 

In our area we have several museums that we haven't visited so we'll be taking advantage of those.

 

We will probably visit various museums and historic sights in Columbus, OH as well.

 

I'd really like to take a day trip at least monthly.

[regentrude]

We do a lot of activities together as a family that would probably qualify as field trips - about one a week when they were that age (now DD14 mostly has her own plans and activities).

We do:

Nature hikes, float trips

cave tours

visits to State parks, conservation areas, National parks, visitor centers

museums

live theatre

concerts

historic landmarks

castles, churches, cities

historic festivals (old time crafts, Renaissance fair...)

 

My kids learn just from being there, being exposed to everything, watching, listening, reading explanations. We do not do papers on our outings - that would turn them into "school".

[GoVanGogh]

We will be seeing a few plays this fall, as we have two friends that have a lead part in two different plays.

I still need to finalize plans for our 'big' field trip this fall: the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre... :D

 

I have never had my child write about field trips before, but may start next year. I have mixed feelings about it. Right now, I sometimes have him narrate something to include in our school journal.

[reign]

We are going to The Ann arbor hands on museum for the first day of kindergarten. I have a yearly pass to the DIA I hope to start using more. DIA is Detroit institute of art.

[lejardin]

Yes, we love field trips! We try to make them our family outing days.

I like your gem show idea!

Our field trips have included the zoo, planetarium, art museum, aquarium, butterfly house exhibit, nature center, Shakespeare play in amphitheatre (great!), heritage days festival, live plays, . Plan/would like to do more of the same in other towns if possible too. I'm trying to keep posted on happenings in and around town so we have a lot to choose from for our schedule and interest.

[annlaura]

I've heard the Art Institute offers free membership to teachers. If I qualify, we will try to go fairly often to see exhibits related to our reading. And ideally free days to Science & Industry and Field will coincide with a current topic for us. But we'll go even if they don't. I'd like to go to some of the cultural centers too.

[helena]

I've heard the Art Institute offers free membership to teachers. If I qualify, we will try to go fairly often to see exhibits related to our reading. And ideally free days to Science & Industry and Field will coincide with a current topic for us. But we'll go even if they don't. I'd like to go to some of the cultural centers too.

 

What do you think of free days? I'm not totally sold on them. They have the tendency to be hectic around here. I still do them.. because free makes makes me lower my standards a bit. :tongue_smilie:

 

We've done Huntington Garden's free days a few times, those were fine...

I think I'd like to do that soon!

 

For anyone in So Cal here's the link: http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary_02.aspx?id=844

 

Here's another fun one for Disneyland homeschool day: http://www.ochomeschooling.com/disney/

[annlaura]

Honestly, we try to go around 2:00 so the school groups are starting to leave. We've had good luck with that tactic. My older son doesn't nap anymore, but the little one will sleep on the way usually and be fresh for the outing.

[mommylawyer]

Since we are studying the Civil War right now, DH and I are planning on taking the kids to various museums and battle sites and even hoping to catch a reenactment or two. I'd also like to go to DC in the spring.

[fourcatmom]

I am planning at least one or more field trips a month. So far I have scheduled a

 

Native American Museum, a Native American campfire, a Native American presentation on wolves (my 10 yo loves wolves), panning for gold at a state park, a train museum, a science explore museum, an Apple and Pumpkin Farm, Wicked Play, a train trip to the city on Amtrak, a Marine Lab near the beach (where they actually have whale bones), an aquarium, rock climbing and I can't think of the others...my kids are older though and we live in a great location with lots of resources...I am very excited for this year!:001_smile:

[AngelaNYC]

We have a lot on the calendar so far this year with our homeschool group. Over the next few months we doing tours and/or classes at:

 

The Little Red Light House

Ellis Island & Liberty Island

Harbor Defense Museum

Science Museum of Long Island

Paley Center of Media

The U.N.

Mobia

NY Hall of Science

 

I'm going to try and make more of a learning experience out of our field trips this year and document it all on my blog. I just need to remember my camera...

Edited August 27, 2011 by Abkjw01

[d.g.]

We're on a strict budget, so the pricier events or field trips are out, but we plan to do quite a few free/cheap events. We're doing the Middle Ages and Astronomy/Earth Science this year, so there are plenty of opportunities for enrichment.

 

Our current field trip plan includes Sedgwick County Zoo, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Exploration Place, The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, KS, a nearby observatory, a local Renaissaince Fair, and several free events throughout the year. We'll be doing at least one "field trip" each month.

 

As for papers on the outings, not so much. If we take lots of pictures, I'll post them on Facebook for family to see and have DS help write captions for them.

[mcconnellboys]

The only things I really have planned thus far are fine arts related.

 

We are going to our local children's theater to see Tales of Edgar Allen Poe at the end of October. We are seeing Tales of a Shimmering Sky in January; Sacagawea in February; and There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom in March.

 

We have an October date scheduled to see our Symphony's yearly discovery concert for school children. This year the theme is something good, as usual, but I'm drawing a blank right now on what it is, LOL, sorry....

 

We are going to attend several school day performances at Centre College's Norton Center this year, too. In February, we're seeing "The Rivalry" which is about the Lincoln/Douglas debates. In March we're seeing Diavolo Dance Theater (think Cirque du Soleil) and also Act I of the ballet version of Moulin Rouge. Boy, I hope we don't have a snowy winter! Why are so many of these things in the worst months for travel?

 

Since we're studying physics this year, we're going to go see Cincy Museum's new LITE lab at some point (Learning, Innovation, Technology, Education). It is thoroughly physics emersive. Louisville Science Center offers lots of chem/physics lab classes, including a nano tour at the University of Louisville, so I'm going to try to schedule some of those in for the year, probably for early spring. Or one in November/Dec and then another in spring....

 

Cincy Museum is also starting a Paddlewheels and Whistles exhibit on Cincy during the steamboat era, so we'll be exploring that while there....

 

We're getting ready to go to the Frazier International History Museum in Louisville to see the Da Vinci exhibit that is on there before it leaves in mid-September. We're also going to do a Civil War related hs day they're offering this year.

 

In the spring, we'll be doing the USAF museum's hs day at Wright-Pat in Dayton. Those are always wonderful and I especially try to do them when we're studying modern history and physics.

 

That's all I can think of right now!

[helena]

I'm impressed with all of your lists (and inspired)! I need a cup of coffee and a few quiet hours to research what's going on in my neck of the woods. :001_smile:

[WIS0320]

We live right near D.C. and NYC is an easy drive away. We will be visiting many of the Smithsonian museums, the White House, National Archives and so on this school year. We'll also be making one trip to NYC to see the Statue of Liberty. We'll head south and visit Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown as well.