Top 10 Free Field Tripsby Holly Poulos
Field trips are not only an invaluable way for students to learn outside the normal framework of academia, they're also fun! However, the cost of these trips can be prohibitive, especially with dwindling Federal and state budgets. Try our ideas for a free "field trip": from virtual visits to faraway places, to a stroll through your school cafeteria, we have plenty of ideas to keep your students engaged in learning. New teachers and those in less-funded districts will find this resource particularly valuable.
Cafeteria Workers, Janitors, Groundskeepers & Secretaries
It's easy to forget that you have vital community employees right in your own school building. Take your students on a "trip" to the cafeteria to see the cafeteria workers in action. Students can write up a list of questions for the staff members, such as the difference between cooking for a family versus hundreds of students. You can also visit the secretaries to find out how many phone calls are made to the school each day or the school groundskeeper to ask about cultivating a garden. Students can then follow-up with reports or short stories about the jobs.