Going on a field trip can be a new adventure that leaves a lasting impression on students of all ages. While a special trip outside of the classroom only lasts for a few hours, the lessons it teaches can be implemented back at school and at home in a variety of different ways. It’s Field Trip Factory’s goal to incorporate new ideas and lesson extensions that continue to bring field trip lessons to life long after the experience wraps up.
Field Trip Factory reaches communities through a variety of trips, focusing on nutrition and making healthy choices. We rounded up a few simple ways to make field trips lessons last beyond the day of the event.
1. Take Time for Reflection
One of the easiest ways to extend the lessons of a field trip is to set aside some time for reflection. It’s a quick way incorporate a variety of skills…writing, group work, creative and critical thinking…and more.
For example, make time for a short game. Each child names their favorite fruit or vegetable, accompanied by a fun gesture – their favorite “exercise”. Involving everyone and adding a special twist to what they just learned doesn’t need to be complicated.
It could be a five minute exercise, a trip to the library to discover new books about the field trip topic, anything goes. But taking a little time to think about the lessons learned outside of the field trip environment will reinforce the lessons for even greater retention.
2. Let Students Demonstrate New Skills Outside of School
If you’re a teacher or group leader, perhaps sent a quick note home describing the general skills taken away from the field trip. If your kids went on a nutrition scavenger hunt, one of the best ways to extend understanding is a trip with their parents to the grocery store.
Being able to return to the lessons in a new context is a fun way to test student’s knowledge. Who knows, maybe they will teach their parents a thing or two!
3. Keep it Hands-On at Home
Especially with lessons on health, wellness and nutrition, there is a wide variety of ways to extend field trip lessons. One we love? We think hands-on snacking is a great way to reinforce healthy habits while having fun at home with parents and siblings.
Parents, indulge your creative side with a myriad of at-home activities that bring experiential learning to life. Step outside of the box with “Kitchen Table Science“, simple ideas that turn your home into a top-secret science lab. In this way, “health and nutrition” extend beyond what foods to eat, but to the larger idea of food and nature as science concepts.