Dear Families,
The middle school is preparing for three field trips this
coming week and this is a wonderful moment to share some reasons why we
continue to invest time and effort in this from of learning. The simplest explanation is that the students
love field trips and they remember them.
A major study found that 96% of participants could not just remember
where they went; they could also talk about who they were with, what grade they
were in, and could name three or more specific aspects of what they did[1].
Field trips take students out of their normal environment, provide them with
hands on learning experiences, and increase their knowledge and understanding
of the world in which we live[2].
With this in mind, next week the Sixth Grade will be heading
to Cherry Crest Farm to navigate a corn maze. This opportunity
will require our students to work on team building and problem solving challenges
alongside their advisors. Our Seventh Grade will be tested by whitewater
rafting down the Lehigh River. This trip combines the challenge of stepping out
of ones comfort zone while also observing the river and how it flows so that
this knowledge can be shared in science classes in the coming weeks.
Our final trip for the week is the Eighth Grade visit to Philadelphia. As someone new to the area, I am excited to
accompany the class on this learning opportunity. Guided by Mr. Schumacher, the
students will be asked to observe the downtown area, gathering evidence about
how our city developed, and asked to think about why humans historical have
tended to shift from rural to urban areas. This field trip complements beautifully the
study of urbanization currently underway with this grade.
I look forward to sharing pictures and stories from our
adventures with you all in the coming weeks.
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