Field trips are more than a fun day outside of the classroom - they are a key component of school instruction; they broaden the educational experience and make a subject more relevant. A day learning away from the classroom can help children earn some hands-on learning experience to really set some concepts and lessons in stone.
Hands-On
While a routine can help a student feel comfortable enough to learn and grow, a field trip can help them learn from a new perspective. Hands-on learning really comes into play when it comes to a field trip as students are learning about topics they’ve been exposed to in a classroom, but are getting the opportunity to experience the lesson for themselves.
Resources
On a field trip, not only are children learning in a hands-on way, they are also learning using tools that may not be available in their usual classroom or school. Field trips make it possible to take students to see an underwater ecosystem at an aquarium, participate in citizen science in a museum, use high powered microscopes or telescopes, and so much more.
Socializing
A study conducted by the University of Arkansas found that students that participate in a field trip to an art museum show increased empathy, tolerance and critical thinking skills. Students that stick to partners or groups during field trips make lifelong memories and friendships while they’re partaking in activities that help them learn new concepts outside the classroom.
Networking
Field trips allow students to connect classroom concepts to real world industries across the board. These trips can also show students new potential dream jobs that exist in the real world, or college degree programs they may never have thought about, or even extracurricular activities that they may have never heard of before. This opens the door to a plethora of opportunities for a child’s future.
A recent study by Emilyn Ruble Whitesell showed that middle school students who participate in science field trips through the Urban Advantage program score better on the state science test. Field trips and hands-on learning make concepts more memorable and help keep learning fun. Comment below - what was your favorite field trip?
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