The Value of Field Trips (Ongoing Series)

When considering ways to enhance the field trip experience for students, teacher and tour director, Faye Brenner comments on the importance of providing purposeful ways for students to reflect on the experience. Response From Faye Brenner Faye Brenner is the author of Transforming Student Travel: A Resource Guide for Educators.  As a student tour director, her […]

Fun Summer Learning for the Whole Family

Summer Learning Day is July 13th and we have some tips to bring your family together and make learning fun for everyone – big and small. This national event focuses on the importance of continuing the learning over the summer, which can be an opportunity to create special memories and get kids excited about exploring […]

The Value of Field Trips (Series Continued – June 2017)

This month, as part of the Education Week series on the importance of field trips, principal Anne Jenks reflects on how to make field trip experiences enriching, interactive opportunities, including virtual field trips! Response From Anne Jenks Anne Jenks is the principal of the McKinna Elementary School in Oxnard, Calif. She is a Leading Edge Certified […]

Tips for a Great Visit to a Historical Site

Whether planning a family vacation this summer or taking your group of students on a trip, consider a historical site.  From military forts or battle fields to recreated villages and caves, there are some great historical places all over the United States that each have a unique story to tell. Researching a few sites before […]

10 STEM Ideas for Summer Vacation

Stay physically and mentally active over the summer by adding a little STEM. Science, technology, engineering, and math activities encourage curiosity, help us better understand our world, and can be a lot of fun! Here are some great STEM ideas the whole family can try this summer. Go on a STEM hunt. Look for science, […]

The Value of Field Trips (Series Continued)

Continuing the series of articles from Education Week, Mike Janatovich reflects on the importance of asking if students are truly experiencing the field trip they are on, or are they just filling out an assigned sheet of paper at a different location than school. Response From Mike Janatovich Mike Janatovich is the assistant principal of […]

7 Tips for Great Virtual Field Trips or Other Technology-based Experiences

What did we ever do without technology? It offers students a chance to “see” the entire world and interact with people on the other side of the world almost instantly. From virtual field trips to expert-led experiences, students are engaging with interesting, knowledgeable people and other students using Google Hangouts and Skype. Here are some […]

Get Active in May

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and we want get your students moving. We all know the health benefits of physical movement, but equally important are the learning benefits. Students pay closer attention and often retain information better. It can be difficult to carve out time for extended playground or gym time when […]

Maximizing Engagement

To maximize the potential for engagement and learning, Camille Farrington, at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, says there are five Action experiences and five Reflection experiences, she and her colleagues find are key for building rich out-of-school adventures. Read about these important factors in the following piece shared with you from the […]