field trips to learn about weather

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Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

Providing unique experiences designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity since 1933.

Museum hours Open today from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Museum hours Open tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

5700 s. dusable lake shore drive chicago, il 60637.

Plan a visit

Learning Labs

For SY 2022-23, this lab will be a virtual-only offering .

Explore atmospheric phenomena and learn how scientists predict weather. Students perform hands-on experiments and use observations and data to make their own weather forecast video in front of a green screen.

About the lab

  • Grades: 3-5
  • Capacity: 16 students
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Offered Tuesday through Friday at 10:15 and 11:45 a.m.

Next Generation Science Standards

Science and engineering practices:.

  • Asking questions and defining problems
  • Developing and using models
  • Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Engaging in argument from evidence
  • Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information

Crosscutting Concepts:

  • Cause and effect
  • Scale, proportion and quantity
  • Systems and system models
  • Energy and matter
  • Stability and change

Disciplinary core ideas:

ESS2.C: Weather and climate

PS1.A: Structure and properties of matter

ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth science

Students will:

  • Understand the difference between weather and climate.
  • Explore how forecasters use science to make predictions and learn about the tools scientists use to predict weather.
  • Use data, observations and technology to make a weather prediction.
  • Actively engage in hands-on, inquiry-based science investigation.
  • Share Learning Lab-generated thoughts/ideas/questions with peers and program facilitators.
  • Work collaboratively with peers.
  • Observe and analyze weather predictions using scientific tools.
  • Practice 21st-century science and technology skills using online resources.
  • Communicate using accurate terminology/vocabulary.

Activities and resources

Try these hands-on classroom lessons and other resources to extend learning.

Climate Action Heroes

Climate action heroes virtual field trip.

Climate Action Heroes—unite! We all play an important role in the fight against climate change. In this 20-minute video, Dreamers will learn the difference between weather and climate, the effects of climate change, and the importance of using their climate action superpowers for good! This virtual field trip includes interviews with 7 real-life Climate Action Heroes as well as a lab experiment that tests what a warming climate means for Planet Earth and its inhabitants. We recommend familiarizing yourself with all the tools and resources below prior to viewing.

field trips to learn about weather

Climate Action Heroes   virtual field trip and corresponding resources were made possible through the generosity of

here’s what you need

  • hero persona details
  • greenhouse effect experiment
  • additional resources
  • earth month calendar
  • climate action hero pledge
  • climate action hero comic strip

climate action heroes virtual field trip video

With special thanks to VIVA Creative!

learning standards

Next generation science standards.

3-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems

Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

3-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.

4-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity

Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.

5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity

Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources.

ready for more? deeper learning recommendations

Steamwork videos.

Langley holds up a tea bag to demonstrate how some tea bags have microplastics.

  • What is ocean acidification? by NASA’s Climate Kids
  • Weather vs. climate by UCAR
  • What is happening in the ocean?  by NASA’s Climate Kids
  • What is the big deal with carbon? by NASA’s Climate Kids
  • What is the greenhouse effect? by NASA’s Climate Kids
  • Climate Kids Activity Book
  • Climate Kids @ NASA Games
  • Project Learning Tree STEM Strategies, PreK-8
  • Climate change 101 with Bill Nye by National Geographic
  • Climate change around the world (and other videos) by UEN (Utah Education Network)
  • Climate change seen in U.S. National Parks series by United States National Park Service
  • What if all the ice melted on earth? by ASAP Science
  • Earth and Life Science playlists by Crash Course Kids
  • Climate change basics by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

what can kids do?

  • Calculate your carbon footprint with ClimateHero
  • Be an energy saver by the AMNH (American Museum of Natural History)
  • Kids vs. Plastic Toolkits by National Geographic Kids
  • Save the Animals by National Geographic Kids

what can adults do?

  • Chesapeake Bay Program How-tos + Tips on Everyday Actions
  • Moms clean air force
  • Talking to Your Kids About Climate Change by National Geographic
  • How To Talk To Kids About Climate Change by NPR

We’re eager to hear your thoughts! Send us a note .

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Virtual Field Trips

Two children stand in a grassy field with a snowy mountain range in the background. One child looks through binoculars and the other looks in a book.

Explore the World with Virtual Field Trips

Designed for ages 9-15 but customizable for all ages, virtual field trips allow students to travel the world and explore natural environments without leaving the classroom. Each virtual field trip contains a video, teacher guide and student activities.

Minorities in Shark Sciences Education Hub

Ocean Heroes: Coastal Frontline Communities and Climate Justice Made possible with support from the Bezos Family Foundation and Students Rebuild

The health of the oceans is suffering, and this has affected some of us more than others. Coastal communities, and those who are less-advantaged because they have less access to resources and face increased societal oppression, are more at risk from rising sea levels and storms. But there are some amazing groups working around the world to make change, educate their communities and build collective awareness. One featured partner, Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), creates K-12 content about sharks, skates and rays, the threats they face and conservation efforts to protect them. Courses include video lessons, activities, quizzes and action items.

All Virtual Field Trips

coral reefs

Protecting Our Oceans and Ourselves

More people rely on our ocean for food, energy, transport, recreation and other natural resources than any other time in history.

tree

Climate Heroes: The Power of Trees

Trees are our climate superheroes! From Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, trees are playing critical roles in cleaning our air and improving our resilience in the face of climate change.

cicada

You’re the Scientist! Citizen Science, Frogs and Cicadas

The conservation community relies heavily on volunteers not only to restore natural areas but to help gauge the success of restoration efforts.

city

Changing Climate, Changing Cities

Get a front-row, ground-level seat to the challenges cities face as they confront this force of nature, and discover the solutions experts are promoting to mitigate it.

coral reef

The Secret Life of Corals

Learn how fragile reefs are being damaged by human activity and climate change, and how scientists are developing ways to restore corals.

orangutan

Borneo: The Symphony of the Rainforest

On this journey, we’ll learn how experts are using cutting-edge science to find out how healthy the rainforest is—and to discover where it needs some help!

Clayquot Sound

View from a Canoe

Can you imagine a place with 100 million acres of forest and 30,000 miles of coastline? It exists. The Emerald Edge is home to the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest.

desert

Wild Biomes: America’s Rainforests & Deserts

Two wildly different ecosystems, both dependent on the same precious resource: Water. On this virtual field trip, we’ll travel to Seattle and Arizona.

coral reefs

The Coral Reefs of Palau

Join our expert scientist, marine biologist Stephanie Wear, on a virtual field trip to the coral reefs of Palau where you'll explore amazing underwater cities.

panda

China’s Great Forests

Join our expert scientist Yue Wang, a conservation planning officer for The Nature Conservancy, on a virtual field trip across the world to two stunning provinces in China.

windmill

Powering the Planet: Renewable Energy

Join scientist Alex Wegmann as we embark on a Virtual Field Trip to explore a compelling question: How can we get the energy we need without harming nature?

mountains

Journey of Water: Colombia’s Páramo

In this virtual field trip, we will explore the magical páramo ecosystem and the stunning mountain landscapes found just beyond the capital city of Bogotá.

boats

Peru: A Coastal Ecosystem

Join fisheries scientist Matias Caillaux to explore the Humboldt Current Ecosystem off the coast of Peru while learning about the area’s amazing diversity and productivity.

bird

Ridge to Reef: A Virtual Field Trip to Hong Kong

The “Ridge to Reef” (R2R) concept is a holistic approach that takes into consideration all the environments within a watershed — from the top of the mountains down to the ocean — and shows that what happens on land affects what happens in the water.

Explore Our Youth Curriculum

Access resources aligned to The Nature Conservancy’s research and designed specifically for a young audience and classroom use.

field trips to learn about weather

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field trips to learn about weather

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Rate the lesson plan, field trips, science labs, climate science in focus field trip.

Devils Postpile National Monument

In “Climate Science in Focus (Field Trip),” students have a chance to collect real streamflow data either in a neighborhood stream or at a NPS site. Designed around 9th grade Next Generation Science Standards, it can be easily adapted down for middle school or up for advanced high school classes. 

The Earth consists of four systems: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere, which are interconnected. Changes to one part of the system can have consequences on the others. Changes to global or regional climate can be caused by changes in the sun's energy output or Earth's orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activity.

Water is essential for life on Earth. Relative water availability is a major factor in designating habitats for different living organisms. In the United States, things like agriculture and water rights are hot topics. Current models predict that average global temperatures are going to continue to rise even if regional climate changes remain complex and varied. These changes will have an impact on all of Earth's systems. 

Studies have shown that climate change is driven not only by natural effects but also by human activities. Knowledge of the factors that affect climate, coupled with responsible management of natural resources, are required for sustaining these Earth systems. Long-term change can be anticipated using science-based predictive models, making science and engineering essential to understanding global climate change and its possible impacts.

National Parks can serve as benchmarks for climate science trends and effects over time because they are protected areas void of human influence. Understanding current climate trends will help set students up to be successful in interpreting and engaging in discussions about climate change, which will lead to informed decision making.

Option 1: Schedule a field trip with Devils Postpile National Monument or your local NPS site to bring students on a hydrology program. Visit www.nps.gov  to find sites in your area. Option 2: Take students out to a local stream for a teacher led lesson on hydrology (Procedure 5.1). Visit  www.nps.gov/DEPO  for information on having the equipment mailed to you. Option 3: Schedule a ranger from Devils Postpile National Monument to come into your classroom to discuss hydrology. Option 4: Set up a virtual lesson with Devils Postpile National Monument or another NPS site to bring a lesson on hydrology into the classroom. Contact  Devils Postpile National Monument  for further information. 

Objective(s)

Students will be able to: 1.         Complete a stream assessment lab activity 2.         Record and analyze appropriate data and report findings through an appropriate medium

Most of the materials for this unit are provided in the Stream Flow River Study Trunk or as downloadable files.

Download Instructions for Teachers

Download Measuring and Calculating Stream Flow worksheet

Download Stream Flow Procedure

Lesson Plans

Last updated: October 5, 2015

Virtual Field Trips

Spark wonder, curiosity, and conversation in your classroom with a virtual field trip! Book one of our FREE interactive programs with a live educator at a date and time most convenient for you. All you need to participate is a computer, webcam, and internet access.

Schedule a 45-60 minute live online presentation for your class or group of students (minimum group size 8 students). Programs can be hosted by our team on Zoom or Google Meet, or we can join on your group's platform. 

We ask that teachers/group leaders participate to assist with questions and issues that may arise.

Fill out our Program Request Form to schedule a Virtual Visit for your group. Please submit our program request form at least 3 weeks in advance of the program date! If you have any questions, you can email our School and Public Programs team . 

Weather Wow: Up in the Air!

Did you know a typical cumulonimbus cloud can weigh 105.8 MILLION pounds?! How does it stay up in the sky?! Explore how the sun affects our Earth’s weather with an interactive experiment comparing hot and cold air. Transform your students into science sleuths and cloud detectives as we explore this mystery together and learn how air behaves when it changes temperature.

Two rectangular plastic bins, labeled containers of hot and cold water, a green bottle, a purple towel and a small round plastic container

Supplies you'll need to try the activity at home during Let's Compare Warm and Cold Air!

To do the activity along with us, students will need: (all supplies except bottles can be shared in groups)

  • A small plastic bottle, like a water or soda bottle
  • About a tablespoon of dish soap in a container at least as large as the mouth of the bottle (you'll be turning the bottle upside down & dipping it in the container.)
  • Two larger containers (such as bowls or tubs) - big enough to hold the bottom of the bottle with some water
  • About 2 inches of cold, ice water in one of the larger containers
  • About 2 inches of very hot water in the other larger container (it's best to boil the water just before the program begins, as it will cool a bit before we get to the demo to use it.)

Weather Wow: Hurricane Trackers

A new tropical cyclone has been detected in the Atlantic Ocean! Your class of meteorologists-in-training must work collaboratively in teams to track the developing hurricane and make an emergency preparedness plan for a coastal town. Immerse your students in an exciting, interactive adventure as they explore weather hazards, interpret and communicate incoming weather data, and discuss how to prepare and reduce impacts of the storm.

Hurricane Tracker Virtual Field Trip

  • Explore NCAR: Live Virtual Tour

Grades 6 - adult

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Mesa Laboratory sits nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO. In addition to being an amazing architectural landmark designed by I.M. Pei, this world-class research laboratory focuses on an understanding of Earth system sciences including atmosphere, weather, climate and the Sun, which is the ultimate source of energy for Planet Earth. Explore the NCAR Mesa Laboratory and the importance of Earth systems to our society with a live NCAR guide on this interactive, virtual tour.

a tour guide stands in front of a digital image of the Mesa Laboratory

Please contact School and Public Programs Team with any questions about our educational programming and resources.

© 2020 UCAR

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Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center

Groups & Field Trips

Expand your students’ understanding of weather science with a visit to the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center. Or you can arrange to have an Outreach program at  your school!

Groups of 10 or more – take a look at our packages also!

Field Trips and Groups

Traditional classrooms, Homeschool groups, Cyber school groups, or groups of 10 or more,   explore our group & field trip packages   to select the offering that best suits your group. We even have options for a visit with Punxsutawney Phil as part of your visit! If you need financial help with admission for your students, read below about our Aristotle Program. For a hassle-free way to allow children to have a memento of their visit, read about our School Visit Gift Shop Program in the tab below.

To schedule your group visit or field trip, complete this form   and submit via fax to 814-938-8830 or e-mail to [email protected]. If you have questions, please call us at 814-938-1000 .

CYBER & HOMESCHOOL SPECIFICS: Please note: To schedule Punxsutawney Phil as part of your field trip, you must have 15 or more students on the day of the visit. If this attendance requirement is not met you will be charged for 15 students. Our basic tour/video packages do not require a minimum number of students to host a visit. 

Field Trip Gift Shop Program

To make having a souvenir of their visit to the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center (PWDC) possible for every student who attends, and to make it easy for the teachers and attendants on the day of the visit, we suggest the following program:

  • Children can pre-order souvenir items by using   this form . These items can be ordered ahead of time by sending the form home to parents.   The money can be collected and the orders faxed to the Weather Center prior to the visit. (During school visit season, our supplies of the listed items can change. Please contact us prior to sending the form home to be sure the items are still available.)
  • If the classroom chooses to participate in the ordering program, each child, regardless of whether they pre-ordered any items, will receive at no charge , a gift bag from PWDC containing two (2) souvenir items.
  • PWDC will package any ordered items together in the bag with the free souvenir items and label each bag with the child’s name. The bags will be boxed for easy travel on the buses. The teacher can pay for the items the day of the trip.
  • Please note: We require receiving the order summary a minimum of three days prior to your visit to allow us enough time to package and label the bags.
  • This program accomplishes three things: it allows children to have a memento of their visit, which is a big part of any field trip, it saves time and eliminates the chaos of having the children shop in the gift shop, and it helps the operating fund of PWDC so we’ll be here to help educate and entertain future students.

Outreach Programs

When field trips aren’t possible, the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center will come to you! Our one-hour program features centers which groups of students will rotate through. Each center features an interactive exhibit and an activity or experiment that complements the exhibit. The centers can be adapted for grade levels K-6 and are designed with state standards in mind. Some examples of our traveling exhibits include a Van De Graaff generator, tornado simulator, wild weather quiz, hurricane disc, cloud in a bottle, heat map and temp-sensitive pads. 

Cost for the program presentation is   $350 .  (A mileage fee for travel expenses to and from your location is additional.)

PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS (Ages 3-5). Currently we offer two unique options that meet several of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards and are appropriate for early childhood education facilities, private schools, and child care centers. 

  • The Seasons   – A one-hour outreach program about weather and climate that focuses on the four seasons by incorporating music, movement, interactive activities, and a weather craft or art project. Students will make a thunderstorm using rain sticks and thunder drums, dress for the seasons and more!
  • Weather Safety   – A one-hour outreach program that explores the safe and unsafe practices and emergency responses to weather hazards such as sun/UV rays, heat, thunder and lightning, floods, wind, and tornados. Interactive exhibits and fun demonstrations will be utilized throughout the program.
  • * Please contact us for our Preschool programming pricing. 

Outreach programs are available in January, February, March, April, October , November, and December only.

For more information or to schedule your program, please contact our Director of Education at 814-938-1000 or via e-mail to [email protected] .

Mary Jean Johnston Education Fund

Your school may qualify for an admission subsidy. Check to see if you qualify.

Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center (PWDC) established the Mary Jean Johnston Education Fund as a way to offer support to school districts and other educational organizations. Through this program, we are able to offer financial assistance for admission fees.

Who it serves PWDC’s primary market for school group visits is the seven-county region surrounding and including Jefferson where we are located. This includes Armstrong, Clarion, Forest, Elk, Clearfield, and Indiana counties.  We are happy to welcome schools from counties outside of our primary market and offer the Mary Jean Johnston Education Fund to those schools as well.

Who is eligible Financial assistance is based on the school’s percentage of students eligible for the state’s free or reduced price school lunch program. The minimum percentage to qualify for assistance is 40%. In addition, Head Start programs, Home Schools, Charter schools, and other educational programs are eligible for a subsidy.

How assistance is awarded Teachers or group leaders must fill out this application form and submit via e-mail or fax. Submitted applications are evaluated by staff members and the Director of Education & Programming works with each school individually to determine the best match of funding to need and museum experience. Up to 50% of the admission price can be awarded to eligible schools. Head Start programs, Homeschools and Cyberschools can be awarded a subsidy of up to 20% towards admission.

Other Funding is not awarded to individuals.  Funding is provided to groups that register for a guided visit or guided visit with program. Funding is on a first-come, first-served basis. The Mary Jean Johnston Education Fund is an ongoing fund. To learn more, please contact our educator at [email protected] or at 814-938-1000 .

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The Neverending Field Trip

Different Types of Field Trips for Learning about our World

Who doesn’t love a great field trip? The opportunity to step outside of life’s normal routines and experience something completely new is always a good time and a great way to learn things you might not have known! 

There are tons of different possibilities for field trips, whether you’re traveling far from home or just exploring the woods behind the house, but sometimes it can be hard to see all the opportunities for learning that surround you. That’s why knowing what types of field trips there are can be super helpful for figuring out what sort of educational opportunity you want! This is my list of the different types of field trip opportunities that exist.

I typically divide field trips into two main groups: Nature-focused Trips and People-Focused Trips . 

Different Kinds of Nature-Focused Field Trips

field trips to learn about weather

My first major category contains any field trip that is specifically focused on nature. That’s a lot . Whether we’re talking about trips aimed at teaching kids about plants or animals, exploring underground caverns, or learning about the night sky, it’s all about nature!

Learning about the natural world is a huge draw for kids and adults alike, and there is so much out there to choose from. To help narrow it down a bit, I’ve tried to further divide natural trips into smaller groupings.

Astronomical Field Trips

Astronomical field trips are all about space! There’s nothing quite like the unexplored reaches of the universe for sparking excitement and curiosity in the minds of kids. And new discoveries are being made all the time! 

Some of my favorite astronomical field trips have been stargazing in the Atacama desert and watching a rocket launch in Florida, but it could be as simple as taking the kids outside of town to identify constellations! 

Astronomical Field Trip Ideas

  • Stargazing (in your back yard or somewhere special!)
  • Trip to an observatory
  • Watching a rocket launch
  • Watching an eclipse
  • Space Museum Trip

Examples of our family’s Astronomical Experiences

A model of an astronaut hanging in front of a virtual globe at the World Expo in Dubai.

How to Choose and Plan an Astronomical Field Trip

A tent in the woods with a picnic table in front of it.

7 Great Ways To Add Education To A Camping Trip

Visiting Wild Camels and Cleopatra’s Emeralds in Wadi el-Gemal

Visiting Wild Camels and Cleopatra’s Emeralds in Wadi el-Gemal

7 Great Ways To Add Education To Your Next Beach Trip

7 Great Ways To Add Education To Your Next Beach Trip

The Wonderful “Good-ness” Of Badlands National Park

The Wonderful “Good-ness” Of Badlands National Park

Botanical field trips.

Botanical Field Trips are all about exploring the wonderful world of plants. Exploring how cactus survive in the desert, marveling at the diversity of wildflower in the spring, or taking the time to look at the leaves in the fall are all botanical trips.

Some of my favorite trips have been to botanical gardens around the world where we get the chance to see unique plants growing in their natural environments.

Botanical Field Trip Ideas

  • Visiting a botanical garden
  • Plant identification trip (works pretty much anywhere!)
  • Foraging Trip
  • Trip to an Arboretum

Examples of our family’s Botanical Experiences

Two kids pretending to interact with a famous street art painting in Georgetown Penang.

16+ Amazing Activities that make Penang one of the best things to do in Malaysia with kids

A hidden gem for families visiting South Africa – The Drakensbergs

A hidden gem for families visiting South Africa – The Drakensbergs

Table Mountain – Visiting An African World Wonder With Kids

Table Mountain – Visiting An African World Wonder With Kids

15 Amazing Educational South African Adventures for Worldschooling Families

15 Amazing Educational South African Adventures for Worldschooling Families

Best things to do with Kids in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Best things to do with Kids in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

A picture of the jungles around the Kilim River during sunrise in Langkawi.

Why Langkawi is the Perfect Place for Teaching Kids Geology in Paradise

Geological field trips.

Geological trips are all about the earth and what makes up the ground we walk on. It’s about a lot more than just looking at some rocks. Getting to see the building blocks of our planet and how they fit together can be an amazing experience, and can take you to some incredible places. Let’s just say that geology rocks. (Hi, I’m a dad.)

There are plenty of amazing options for learning about the earth, but some of my favorites are caving trips, checking out the Grand Canyon, and hiking active volcanoes! 

Geological Field Trip Ideas

  • Fossil hunting trip! ( Fossil hunting with kids )
  • Going caving
  • Hiking a mountain/volcano
  • Visiting a Hot Spring (Yes, please)

Examples of our family’s Geological Experiences

Field Trip to the First National Park: Yellowstone with Kids

Field Trip to the First National Park: Yellowstone with Kids

Visiting Guatemala’s Beautiful Black Sand Beaches

Visiting Guatemala’s Beautiful Black Sand Beaches

Prehistoric dinosaur and mammoth fossils on display in Madison, WI.

8 Free Or Low-Cost Field Trips Near Madison, Wisconsin

A Good Guide to the Great Pyramid

A Good Guide to the Great Pyramid

Fossil under magnifying glass

Dinos in Dallas – 7 Fossil Themed Field Trips in the Metroplex

Ecological Adventures with Kids in Mindo Cloud Forest Reserve

Ecological Adventures with Kids in Mindo Cloud Forest Reserve

Zoological field trips.

Zoological trips can include so much more than zoos, but they  are  a great place to start. Any trip that’s focused on the fauna of an area is a zoological field trip, whether that’s exotic animals in the zoo or the squirrels at the local park. Animals can be great for kindling a kid’s curiosity, and because of how interconnected the natural world is, they can be a great launching point for any number of exciting lessons!

My family checks out zoos and aquariums pretty much any chance we get, but my favorite trips have all been in the wild. If you get the chance to go reef snorkeling, definitely take it.

Zoological Field Trip Ideas

  • Animal Spotting/Bird watching trips
  • Visiting an Animal Conservation Center ( Grizzly and Wolf Conservation Center, Yellowstone )
  • Visiting an animal Rescue Center ( Proyecto Asis, Costa Rica )
  • Going on Safari! ( Kruger National Park, South Africa )
  • Swim with wild dolphins or go whale watching! ( Educational Family Adventures, Puerto Vallarta )
  • Visiting a zoo

Examples of our family’s Zoological Experiences

An Amazing Penguin Adventure With Kids At South Africa’s Boulders Beach

An Amazing Penguin Adventure With Kids At South Africa’s Boulders Beach

The Statue of Murugan and Rainbow staircase at Batu Caves

A beautiful mix of Geology and Culture – Batu Caves with kids

Taking A Slow Walk With Sloths On Bogarin Trail

Taking A Slow Walk With Sloths On Bogarin Trail

Magical Ruins and Wild Horses in Cumberland Island National Seashore

Magical Ruins and Wild Horses in Cumberland Island National Seashore

13 Family Adventures in Puerto Vallarta that are Educational and Fun

13 Family Adventures in Puerto Vallarta that are Educational and Fun

Learning about Cloud Forests in Beautiful Monteverde Costa Rica

Learning about Cloud Forests in Beautiful Monteverde Costa Rica

Other ecological field trips.

I use the term “ecological field trips” as my catch-all for other nature-focused field trips. Really, any trip that gets you out into nature can be a great launching pad for learning. It’s just about getting into nature and seeing what you can discover! There’s no better way of helping your kid to appreciate the natural world than simply getting them outside to spend time in nature.

Some of my favorite ecological field trips are nature hikes, waterfalls, and dispersed camping.

Ecological Field Trip Ideas

  • Going camping ( Camping with Kids )
  • Visiting a National Park ( My favorite is Badlands )
  • Kayaking or rafting Trips
  • Go snorkeling ( Snorkel gear for Kids )
  • Take a day at the beach! ( 7 ways to add education to a beach trip )

Examples of our family’s Ecological Experiences

10+ Amazing Snorkel Gear Options for Families with Kids

10+ Amazing Snorkel Gear Options for Families with Kids

My kids and I explore the visitors center at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve – New Orleans, LA

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Why Langkawi is one of Malaysia’s Top Island Getaways

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Best Galapagos Tours for Families on Santa Cruz

Different kinds of people-focused field trips.

My daughter standing barefoot with the Great Pyramid of Giza in the background.

The other broad field trip category is field trips about Humanity . It’s all about the things that people do, and the ways that we do them. Whether it’s looking at the things we’ve built, the foods we eat, or the jobs we have, if it’s about humans it’s a people-focused field trip. 

Let’s break it down a bit more. 

Agricultural Field Trips

Agricultural field trips are trips that are focused on the farm. Farm trips are great options for teaching kids all about the life cycles of plants, the types and effects of weather, where our food comes from, and more! 

Some of my favorite agricultural trips include fruit picking, petting zoos, and bee farms! 

Agricultural Field Trip Ideas

  • Visiting a Bee Farm
  • Pick your own produce trips ( Picking Strawberries in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia )
  • Visiting a coffee or tea plantation ( Finca Filadelfia, Guatemala )
  • Visiting a farm ( Caoba Farms, Guatemala )
  • Visiting a petting zoo
  • Make your own Chocolate ( Chocolate Tours, Guatemala )

Examples of our family’s Agricultural Experiences

Learning what goes into a great cup of coffee at Finca Filadelfia in Antigua

Learning what goes into a great cup of coffee at Finca Filadelfia in Antigua

A table top covered with foraged mushrooms.

Exploring the Fun World of Fungi – Mushroom Foraging with Kids

On the Farm with Kids – Caoba Farms Restaurant and Tour

On the Farm with Kids – Caoba Farms Restaurant and Tour

3 Amazing Places to Learn about Chocolate in Guatemala

3 Amazing Places to Learn about Chocolate in Guatemala

Architectural field trips.

Architectural field trips are all about looking at the things that humans build. I typically only consider more modern buildings to fall into this specific category. Basically, if you’re looking at a building that is still actively being used today, it’s an architectural field trip. If it was built in the far past, or if it’s a set of ruins, it goes in the next one.

My favorite architectural field trip is probably Frank Lloyd Wright’s Waterfall house. I was taken there when I was in high school, and to this day I think about that trip any time I see a three-legged stool. Other great trips include going to famous buildings like the Space Needle, or checking out colonial-style houses from the 1700s.  

Architectural Field Trip Ideas

  • Explore Famous landmarks ( New 7 Wonders of the World )
  • Visit a lighthouse
  • Explore local architectural styles (French Quarter, New Orleans)
  • Explore Famous houses or buildings (Falling Water, Frank Lloyd Wright)

Examples of our family’s Architectural Experiences

5 Beautiful Spanish Ruins to visit in Antigua, Guatemala

5 Beautiful Spanish Ruins to visit in Antigua, Guatemala

My family looking over the plaza

Copan Ruinas With Kids – Best Things To Do

A City Carved in Stone – Visiting Petra with Kids

A City Carved in Stone – Visiting Petra with Kids

The New 7 Wonders of the World

The New 7 Wonders of the World

Casco Viejo with Kids: Exploring Panama City’s Historic District

Casco Viejo with Kids: Exploring Panama City’s Historic District

A Field Trip into Nashville’s Past at Historic Belle Meade

A Field Trip into Nashville’s Past at Historic Belle Meade

Archaeological field trips.

Archaeological field trips are trips out to see the buildings and artifacts of humanity’s past. It’s all about seeing the way the world was, and learning about humans got through life before our modern advances took hold. It’s about seeing where we’re from, and how far we’ve come.

Ancient ruins, cave dwellings, and the Wonders of the World all fall into this category and are among some of my favorite field trips. 

How to choose an Archeological Trip

Archaeological Field Trip Ideas

  • Visit Native American ruins (Cahokia Mounds, Illinois | Aztalan State Park, Wisconsin )
  • Visit more recent American ruins ( Dungeness Ruins, Cumberland National Seashore, Georgia )
  • Visit ruins in other countries ( Spanish Ruins, Guatemala | Egyptian Ruins, Luxor, Egypt )
  • Visit Petroglyph or Cave Painting sites ( Petroglyphs in America | Main Cave, South Africa )

Examples of our family’s Archaeological Experiences

Turtles, history, and Fun in the Sun on Georgia’s Famous Jekyll Island

Turtles, history, and Fun in the Sun on Georgia’s Famous Jekyll Island

A Close up Look at Deforestation – Sarigua National Park

A Close up Look at Deforestation – Sarigua National Park

The entrance to Abu Simbel.

Abu Simbel With Kids: Visiting The Temple That Moved

The contents of an archeologist's dig kit on diaplay.

How to Choose an Archeological Field Trip

Mayan Ruins and the Spirit of Adventure

Mayan Ruins and the Spirit of Adventure

Stand Where Moses Stood – Visiting Mount Nebo In Jordan

Stand Where Moses Stood – Visiting Mount Nebo In Jordan

Historical field trips.

Historical field trips are  also  about learning from humanity’s past, but I feel like they’re a bit different from archaeological trips. In essence, historical trips are less focused on the buildings and artifacts of the past, and more focused on the actions and events. They’re about remembering the past, the choices that we made as a civilization, both good and bad. It’s sort of splitting hairs, at times, and in the end, I’m not sure the distinction matters, but it’s there. 

Some of my favorite historical field trips are historical reenactments and demonstrations, like at Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. Other good trips include visiting monuments and memorials, the USS Arizona, or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. These places make history more palpable and can anchor historical learning in a kid’s mind.

Historical Field Trip Ideas

  • Explore the local history of your town
  • Visit the site of a historical location or Reenactment (Colonial Williamsburg, VA)
  • Learn about major historical events in your own country’s past ( Crazy Horse, SD )
  • Learn about human history at a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site ( UNESCO Cultural Sites )
  • Learn about the history of wherever you happen to be! ( Jean Lafitte National Park, LA )

Examples of our family’s Historical Experiences

Best Free Activities for Families on San Cristobal Island

Best Free Activities for Families on San Cristobal Island

The Desolate Prison Island where Nelson Mandela Spent 18 Years

The Desolate Prison Island where Nelson Mandela Spent 18 Years

Two kids look out at the Nile

Best places to visit as a family in Aswan, Egypt

The Best Roman Ruins in Jordan – Visiting Jerash with Kids

The Best Roman Ruins in Jordan – Visiting Jerash with Kids

Exploring the otherworldly beauty of Jordan’s Wadi Rum

Exploring the otherworldly beauty of Jordan’s Wadi Rum

A Worldschooler’s Guide to re-discovering the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

A Worldschooler’s Guide to re-discovering the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Gastronomical field trips.

I know I say that a lot of these categories are among my favorites, but this time I mean it! Gastronomical field trips are all about food. The food we make and eat as a culture has a lot to say about us. It both depends on and dictates our agricultural practices and our economy. If you want to learn about a culture, you should learn about its food , and that includes your own home culture! A nice culinary field trip pairs very well with an agricultural trips, so if you can find a farm that has its own restaurant, be sure to stick around for seconds.  

Some of my favorite culinary field trips have included cooking lessons, cultural restaurants, and local farm tours, but really any new meal you eat offers an opportunity to learn something new. 

Gastronomical Field Trip Ideas

  • Learn how to cook a favorite meal
  • Visit a farm and make, or eat, a meal made from what they grow ( Caoba Farms, Guatemala )
  • Explore street food options in a different country ( Street Food and Culture )
  • Learn about how a favorite snack gets from farm to table ( Chocolate Field Guide )

Examples of our family’s Gastronomy Experiences

What not to eat in Egypt (plus some amazing meals you shouldn’t miss!)

What not to eat in Egypt (plus some amazing meals you shouldn’t miss!)

Volcan Agua from Terrace

Restaurants with a view – 10 Rooftop Terraces in Antigua Guatemala

Me, holding a homemade shrimp empanada.

Want to learn about a culture? Learn to cook its food

Fresh clams from a beach vendor in Guatemala.

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Other cultural field trips.

People-focused field trips cover a wide array of experiences. Any trip that doesn’t easily fall into one of the other categories gets labeled as a “Cultural Field Trip.” These are the trips that are about the different ways that people do things today. They’re about exploring the way that the world around us works, and they can be considered trips into the “real world.” Trips to the bank to find out how banking works may not sound like the most exciting trip, but it’s a field trip that can help foster an understanding of cultural systems that can have a huge impact on our future. 

Some great cultural field trips could include a trip to learn about using looms to hand-weave a rug, to a local factory to see how they make things, or to a cultural festival to learn about how other people do things!

Honestly, these trips can be almost anything, so long as there’s a focus on learning. 

Cultural Field Trip Ideas

  • Visit a local capitol building ( Madison, WI )
  • Watch a live musical or opera
  • Explore musical instruments from other cultures (Nose flute, anyone?)
  • Take a factory tour, or visit a US Mint

Examples of our family’s Culture Experiences

The Best Places in the Anton Valley to Explore with Kids

The Best Places in the Anton Valley to Explore with Kids

Museum trips.

field trips to learn about weather

I wanted to give a special note on museum trips.

Museums are often a blast to visit, and they can be super educational. I love museums, and I definitely suggest visiting them often. But, they don’t really fit with my personal definition of “field trip.” 

Museums typically bring a lot of materials for education together for people to enjoy, but they remove the context needed to allow kids to make cross-discipline connections. They pull things out of the “real world” and put them in a box.

Which is fine, really. I don’t think poorly of museums in any way, I just think that they go great  with  field trips, but maybe not  instead  of field trips. 

And, there are often exceptions to that rule.

One of my favorite museum experiences was chatting with a paleontologist who works in the Perot museum! We watched real-world paleontology getting done by a real scientist , right where she actually worked! That’s pretty much the definition of a field trip! 

Beautiful Butterflies in Copan Ruinas, Honduras – Mayan Hills Resort

Beautiful Butterflies in Copan Ruinas, Honduras – Mayan Hills Resort

Finding Egypt’s hidden desert whales in beautiful Wadi al-Hitan

Finding Egypt’s hidden desert whales in beautiful Wadi al-Hitan

17 amazing things to do in Luxor, Egypt

17 amazing things to do in Luxor, Egypt

Truly, there is an astonishing variety of possible field trips that can be done, and every one of them can be an educational experience worth having. I’ve offered up a lot of different “types” of field trips, but remember that the real world often doesn’t fit itself in neat little categories. So long as you are open to teaching and learning in whatever opportunity presents itself, any field trip you take will be a success. 

So in the words of my favorite field tripper,

 “Take chances, make mistakes, and  get messy !”

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field trips to learn about weather

6 Virtual Field Trips for Cold Winter Days

Winter can be a time of magic and wonder, as well as gray and gloom. If you and your children are starting to get cabin fever, you may be looking for a bit of an escape. The good news is that in this day and age, you don’t have to be stuck looking out the window waiting for the weather to change. Instead, you can help your children explore the vast wonders of the world with some fun and educational virtual field trips .

There are a ton of child-friendly virtual field trips available. You can tailor your choices according to your child’s interests and the subjects they’re studying in school. 

However, don’t be afraid to take a leap into the great unknown and go somewhere neither of you have ever considered. You just might uncover some new and exciting passions in science, history, art, or travel!

We’ve listed some of our favorite options for virtual field trips below to inspire both you and your children to discover what’s going on outside of your neighborhood.

Yellowstone National Park

A family trip to Yellowstone may be a dream you hope to accomplish someday. While a virtual field trip to the national park is nowhere near the real thing, it can pique your children’s interests and help them learn something new. 

The National Park Service offers a long list of virtual tours, video walks, and planning resources, as well as educational materials. 

Zoos & Aquariums

A trip to the zoo might sound like just the right thing to relieve boredom and add some excitement to your day, but if the weather isn’t right, an in-person trip won’t be much fun. Fortunately, you can always take a virtual trip to the second most visited zoo in the United States – the Houston Zoo . 

The zoo has webcams in many of the animal habitats, including the gorilla habitat, elephant yard, and flamingo pool, as well as a special up-close cam for leafcutter ants. Just be sure to check in ahead of time, as the zoo lists the animals’ routines and explains when you’re most likely to see them in action. 

If the animals are resting or their habitats are being cleaned, pop on over to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to check out what’s going on there through their underwater webcams.

Art Museums

Some of the most famous art museums in the world offer virtual exhibits. Our favorite to check out include:

  • The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam
  • The Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City 
  • The Louvre in Paris
  • The Musée d’Orsay in Paris

These virtual field trips offer more than just an up-close look at some of the world’s greatest works of art — it can also help you and your children satiate your wanderlust for the time being.

Science Museums 

If art doesn’t capture your kids’ imagination as much as the wonders of science, there are still plenty of virtual exhibits to check out. The National Children’s Museum incorporates STEAM activities and provides lots of accompanying resources. Boston’s Museum of Science also offers virtual exhibits as well as related kid-friendly activities on exciting scientific themes.

Canada’s Wonderland

A bit less educational but still a ton of fun, this virtual field trip will give your children a real thrill. Canada’s Wonderland is Canada’s leading amusement park and is even home to a record-breaking coaster called the Yukon Striker. They have virtual point-of-view rides available for 30 of the theme park’s most popular attractions, including the Yukon Striker!

That’s right – even outer space isn’t off limits for a virtual field trip! If there are any space junkies in your family, they will love getting a 360-degree view of the actual surface of Mars thanks to NASA’s Curiosity rover and the Access Mars project.

Don’t let this short list limit your imagination when it comes to virtual field trips! A simple Google search for “virtual field trips” will reveal exceptional resources online. It will be easy to help your child explore their interests beyond what a textbook can offer. Plus, these virtual adventures can help ward off those winter blues until springtime.

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field trips to learn about weather

  • Our Mission

Using Virtual Field Trips and Game-Based Lessons to Support an Inclusive Classroom

Teachers can acknowledge and celebrate their diverse classrooms by providing a variety of learning experiences.

Photo of high school class with virtual lecturer

In the heart of every classroom are stories—the kaleidoscope of diverse narratives that the students bring. Sharing my own story of moving from Jamaica was a defining moment in my American school days, and it eventually inspired me to empower my students to share their backgrounds too. In a memorable project, my 10th graders explored authors from their cultures, leading to discoveries like the poems of a student’s Cuban grandfather. Her pride in sharing her heritage underscored the impact of student voices in education.

Our role as educators is about more than teaching—it’s about creating environments that celebrate these diverse stories. By weaving educational technology into our teaching, we can open doors to dynamic, inclusive learning spaces. I'm excited to share strategies that enhance this integration and nurture a classroom where every story is valued.

Offer Interactive Field Trips

Imagine your students, their eyes wide with wonder as they digitally step beyond classroom walls to connect with experts who look like them—from an African American software engineer at Meta to a young Indian children’s book author. These encounters are more than just engaging; they’re gateways to understanding society’s diverse voices. With virtual field trips, your students may find role models who resonate with their life stories, showing them the possibilities that lie beyond their communities.

Virtual field trips turn students from passive observers into active participants, engaging directly with a diverse range of professionals. Covering a spectrum of subjects from science to art, these trips cater to learners of all ages. I recall my students during a Skype-a-thon, virtually traveling from Tunisia to Israel in a day, engaging in a cultural exchange that included guessing games with an Argentine classroom and singing national anthems. Such experiences are crucial in cultivating global awareness and curiosity.

Collaborations, such as partnering with our local zoo for conservation lessons or engaging in virtual book clubs and language exchanges, further enrich this journey. Experiencing art museums through virtual tours or standing virtually where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic speech, brings learning vividly to life. This is education transformed into an attainable dream, connecting students with the world in meaningful ways.

Crafting inspiring virtual field trip experiences can be a rewarding process with some creative planning:

Align trips with curriculum: Choose virtual field trips that enrich your curriculum and highlight voices often missing from traditional education. For example, a virtual visit from a Tuskegee airman can make a World War II unit profoundly more impactful, providing unique perspectives that breathe life into historical facts.

Involve students in planning: Include students in planning these trips. Ask them to suggest field trips and guest speakers. A simple survey can uncover hidden gems like a local scientist or a grandparent with a rich historical background, adding depth to your lessons.

Encourage active participation: Urge students to engage with experts during field trips by preparing questions, which fosters curiosity and transforms the experience into interactive learning . Provide structured note-taking templates like Cornell Notes  to encourage thorough engagement and critical thinking.

Reflect and share: Afterward, facilitate reflective activities where students share their insights, through either think-pair-share sessions or digital storytelling. This allows them to articulate and share their learning journey, deepening their understanding and connection to the content.

Here is a wide variety of tools to bring these experiences to life:

  • Amazon: Virtual Field Trips to Explore Careers of the Future  
  • California State Parks: PORTS Program
  • Center for Interactive Learning & Collaboration
  • Discovery Education
  • Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants
  • Google Arts & Culture
  • Microsoft Flip Events
  • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum  

Try Game-Based Lessons

Game-based learning isn’t a passing trend; it’s a transformative strategy that makes learning interactive, inclusive, and deeply engaging. When integrating games into your teaching, prioritize those that reflect a wide range of cultures, histories, and experiences. This ensures that each student sees a part of themselves in the learning material, helping to dismantle stereotypes and broaden understanding.

To actualize these concepts, consider the following tools and ideas.

Minecraft: Education offers students an opportunity to build virtual worlds like museum galleries showcasing key figures and events from their cultural backgrounds. There are even experiences they can explore related to social justice, identity, civil rights, Indigenous history and culture, Black Wall Street, “LatinExplorers,” and Juneteenth. These activities not only spark creativity but also enhance problem-solving skills and foster inclusive learning through play.

OneNote Digital Breakouts provide challenge-based activities that bolster critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork. I’ve created breakouts on a variety of topics following the structure described below. In the effort to promote diversity, students can engage with breakouts to delve into historical events and cultural achievements. 

  • Teachers can create a digital breakout focused on the Harlem Renaissance, celebrating its impact on art, music, literature, and cultural change. Challenges might include identifying influential figures from the era, like Countee Cullen or Cab Calloway, through deciphering poetry, visual art, or musical clues. Integration of primary musical audio clips, excerpts of literary works, artwork, and images of iconic Harlem Renaissance art can enrich the experience.
  • Students can create their own digital breakouts that are both informative and reflective of their communities. Students from culturally diverse backgrounds can create a digital breakout titled “My Heritage, Our Stories.” Each student or group focuses on their own cultural heritage, crafting puzzles and challenges based on significant historical events, solving riddles based on traditional folk tales, or scaling a recipe up or down, reinforcing their arithmetic skills. 

When thoughtfully designed and implemented, game-based lessons can advance the classroom, transforming it into an interactive, inclusive, and culturally responsive learning space. By actively involving students in creating games, these tools become more than just educational; they act as bridges, connecting and celebrating the diverse narratives and experiences of our world.

Our commitment as educators lies in fostering deeply inclusive learning environments. By integrating educational technology and collaborative practices into our teaching, we create spaces where every student, from any background, can see themselves, be themselves, and thrive. This method transcends conventional teaching techniques, establishing a solid foundation for empathy, equity, and excellence within education.

Two hands hold a fossil.

Fox19: UC uses fossils to teach kids about environment

Clifton area neighborhood school pays visit to geosciences to learn about stem.

headshot of Michael Miller

Fox19 covered an elementary school visit to the University of Cincinnati where fifth- and sixth-graders learned about the environment.

Students from the Clifton Area Neighborhood School took part in activities and learned about the latest research by faculty in UC's Department of Geosciences.

The science day is sponsored by UC's Center for Public Engagement with Science.

Professor Brooke Crowley led students in games of Jenga with a sturdy tower of blocks representing high biodiversity and a tippy tower of blocks representing low biodiversity. In her lab, she and her students use isotopic analysis to study long-extinct animals and to help conservationists protect rare and endangered species around the world.

Among her many UC research projects, she has studied goshawks and lemurs in Madagascar, jaguars in Belize and extinct mammoths and mastodons in what is now the United States.

"If we only have a few animals or plants in an ecosystem, it's less stable and you can have ecosystem collapse," she said.

UC Associate Professor Andy Czaja took part in the Geosciences showcase for visiting students at the Clifton Area Neighborhood School. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC

Graduate student Lilja Carden organized the event to showcase UC Geosciences.

Under an enormous mosasaur skeleton suspended from the ceiling, Professor Carlton Brett walked students through a timeline taped to the floor stretching back past the Ice Age, the age of dinosaurs, the Permian-Triassic extinction that killed most life on Earth and the Ordovician Period 485 million years ago that left fossil evidence in Ohio's creeks of the great inland sea that once covered the Midwest.

"Which of these are fossils?" Brett asked the students? "Yes, these are ancient shark teeth that are probably 10 million years old."

Associate Professor Andy Czaja showed off a model of the Perseverance rover and let students see rare fossils of bacteria dating back 3 billion years. The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. He is a member of the NASA science team that is using the rover to look for evidence of ancient life on Mars .

Watch the Fox19 story.

Featured image at top: A fossil shows evidence of ancient bacterial life. UC played host to students from the Clifton Area Neighborhood School for a science showcase. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC

UC Professor Brooke Crowley studies both living and extinct animals in her lab. Her research is helping to conserve wildlife around the world. Photo/Jay Yocis/UC

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Fox19 highlights a field trip that fifth and sixth graders from the Clifton Area Neighborhood School took to UC for a visit with geosciences faculty to learn about the environment. The science day was sponsored by UC's Center for Public Engagement with Science.

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Walnut 8th graders learn history during Washington D.C. trip

WASHINGTON (KSNB) - Several eighth grade students from Grand Island are spending their spring break taking in the sights of the nation’s capitol.

Forty-five kids from Walnut Middle School, along with seven sponsors, are checking out Washington, D.C. and the Gettysburg Battlefield. It’s all thanks to a grant from the American Battlefield Trust’s Field Trip Fund.

The grants are awarded based on a competitive national application process.

Every year, classrooms around the country submit paperwork to receive this money for teachers to plan field trips to Civil War, War of 1812, or Revolutionary War battlefields and related historic sites.

Eighth Grade American Studies Teacher Tyler Madison said he looked forward to giving the students the opportunity to walk where history was made.

“My hope is that this trip sparks an interest and curiosity that lasts long after they’ve left our school. Helping bring this history to life for my students is always a highlight of my year,” he said.

The American Battlefield Trust is the largest battlefield land preservation organization in the country, having saved more than 52,000 acres of hallowed ground across 24 states. Through visiting preserved battlefields and walking in the footsteps of the citizen soldiers who fought there, the Trust aims to provide a foundation of good citizenship for the leaders of tomorrow. The Trust strives to produce excellent educational resources in a variety of formats for both educators and the public alike, ensuring that Americans never forget how their country was forged.

During the 2018-2019 school year, more than 7,500 students from 24 states took part.

“These kids get a chance to go to where history was made, where our country was created and defined,” said Trust President David Duncan of Field Trip Fund recipients, “Battlefields are outdoor classrooms that will teach future Americans about our democratic republic.”

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Ostrovnoy, Murmansk

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WFTS - Tampa, Florida

Learn the history of Tampa on a water taxi tour down the Hillsborough River

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TAMPA, Fla. — Spring break is here, and everyone is looking for something fun and affordable for the whole family.

Luckily, the Tampa Water Taxi Tour is just that. The best part? The company hasn’t raised its prices in more than a decade.

Larry Salkin, the owner of Tampa Water Taxi, credits his ability to keep prices the same for the last 15 years to being an efficient businessman, something he said he learned in New York City operating a successful company he had to leave behind.

“After 9/11 and I watched the buildings fall, I was looking right at them; I said, you know what? Life is short. You better do what you want to do because you may not get the chance,” explained Salkin.

Tampa Water Taxi offers a variety of tours, including a Harbor and History Tour down the Hillsborough River.

Salkin is a natural-born storyteller who drops in little doses of trivia that even the most tenured Tampanians may not know.

“1891, that was built by Henry Plant, who built the railroads on the west coast of Florida,” said Salkin. “He built this at a cost of $3 million, which is just about a billion dollars today.”

Salkin also offers a tour of celebrity homes around Harbour Island, including the home once owned by Yankee great Derek Jeter and rented to former Bucs quarterback Tom Brady.

“You’re looking at the largest private home in Tampa right now—31,500 square feet built on four lots, each lot cost $2 million,” said Salkin.

Salkin also likes to make jokes while on the tour.

“Jeter asked Brady, 'Are you going to buy the house?' Brady said, 'No.' 'Why not?' 'This darn blue and yellow tour boat comes by every day, and I find it annoying,'" said Salkin.

Jeter sold that home a few years ago. Plans have been announced to level the current home and build a larger one on that spot.

If your family is interested in taking a Water Taxi Tour, spots are still available for spring break.

Children under eight ride for free, and adults are around $30. Tours last 90 minutes.

You can learn more and purchase tickets here .

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IMAGES

  1. Virtual Field Trip: Weather

    field trips to learn about weather

  2. Weather Activities and Centers

    field trips to learn about weather

  3. Weather Activity Pack

    field trips to learn about weather

  4. Weather Learning Activities

    field trips to learn about weather

  5. KidVisionVPK Weather Station Field Trip

    field trips to learn about weather

  6. Learn the Weather for Kids

    field trips to learn about weather

COMMENTS

  1. Virtual Weather Wise

    ESS2.C: Weather and climate PS1.A: Structure and properties of matter ESS3.C: Earth and human activity. Lab goals. Students will: Understand the difference between weather and climate. Explore how forecasters use science to make predictions and learn about the tools scientists use to predict weather.

  2. School Field Trips to NSF NCAR

    A field trip to the NSF NCAR Mesa Lab Visitor Center is a fun way for your students in a preK-12 class, camp, club, or homeschool group to learn about the weather, the atmosphere, climate, Sun and space weather, and more! Our interactive exhibits and hands-on Learning Labs help students explore the world around them. What We Offer

  3. Weather Wise

    Explore how forecasters use science to make predictions and learn about the tools scientists use to predict weather. Use data, observations and technology to make a weather prediction. Actively engage in hands-on, inquiry-based science investigation. Share Learning Lab-generated thoughts/ideas/questions with peers and program facilitators.

  4. Climate Action Heroes Virtual Field Trip

    virtual field trip. Climate Action Heroes—unite! We all play an important role in the fight against climate change. In this 20-minute video, Dreamers will learn the difference between weather and climate, the effects of climate change, and the importance of using their climate action superpowers for good!

  5. Elementary Field Trip Programs

    Field trip programs are offered for grades K-12 from January through October. Many programs are offered seasonally. Most programs are limited to a maximum of 60 students per day. The following list of programs is a general selection of what is offered in the field. Programs vary in length and seasonal availability.

  6. Virtual Field Trips

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  7. Connect with the National NWS/Virtual Field Trips

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  8. Weather Station Field Trip

    Explore LearningMedia Resources by Subject. At the National Weather Service and Hurricane Center, Penny and the KidVision VPK kids learn how to read world weather maps, track hurricanes, predict the weather, and practice reporting on television.

  9. Electronic Field Trip to the National Weather Service

    Put on your galoshes and join us for a trip to the National Weather Service! This 20-minute KET video for grades 5-12 takes students inside the Louisville office of the weather service, one of three regional offices serving Kentucky, for a behind-the-scenes look at the science of forecasting the weather. The National Weather Service is part of ...

  10. Connect with Weather: Weather Channel Virtual Field Trip

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  11. Climate Science in Focus Field Trip

    Option 1: Schedule a field trip with Devils Postpile National Monument or your local NPS site to bring students on a hydrology program. Visit www.nps.gov to find sites in your area. Option 2: Take students out to a local stream for a teacher led lesson on hydrology (Procedure 5.1).

  12. Virtual Field Trips

    Virtual Field Trips. Spark wonder, curiosity, and conversation in your classroom with a virtual field trip! Book one of our FREE interactive programs with a live educator at a date and time most convenient for you. All you need to participate is a computer, webcam, and internet access. Schedule a 45-60 minute live online presentation for your ...

  13. Virtual Field Trips

    The interactive virtual field trips for students we offer are available to individual classroom teachers; school districts and other educational institutions, including public and private schools, colleges and universities offering education curriculum; and homeschool organizations. ... Students will learn that weather changes are measured by ...

  14. Extreme Weather Field Trip

    Learning Goals (for field trip and pre/post-activities) Through pre-visit, field trip, and post-visit activities, students will: Learn the difference between weather and climate. Identify the criteria and conditions for weather to occur. Experience how atmospheric processes like convection result in the creation of clouds, lightning, and thunder.

  15. Virtual Field Trips for Elementary

    Grades. Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

  16. 6 Free Resources for Virtual Field Trips

    The list of free virtual field trip resources here is adapted from my ISTE Live presentation in December 2020. Students can access these resources without logging into a new website—teachers can post the link to a 360 degree panoramic image or interactive experience in a platform students already use, making it easy for them to access in both traditional classroom settings and at home.

  17. Groups & Field Trips

    To schedule your group visit or field trip, complete this form and submit via fax to 814-938-8830 or e-mail to [email protected]. If you have questions, please call us at 814-938-1000. Please note: To schedule Punxsutawney Phil as part of your field trip, you must have 15 or more students on the day of the visit.

  18. Different Types of Field Trips for Learning about our World

    Agricultural field trips are trips that are focused on the farm. Farm trips are great options for teaching kids all about the life cycles of plants, the types and effects of weather, where our food comes from, and more! Some of my favorite agricultural trips include fruit picking, petting zoos, and bee farms!

  19. 6 Virtual Field Trips for Cold Winter Days

    The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City. The Louvre in Paris. The Musée d'Orsay in Paris. These virtual field trips offer more than just an up-close look at some of the world's greatest works of art — it can also help you and your children satiate your wanderlust for the time being.

  20. Inclusive Lessons for Diverse Classrooms

    Virtual field trips turn students from passive observers into active participants, engaging directly with a diverse range of professionals. Covering a spectrum of subjects from science to art, these trips cater to learners of all ages. ... Game-based learning isn't a passing trend; it's a transformative strategy that makes learning ...

  21. Ostrovnoy, Murmansk, Russia Today, Tonight & Tomorrow's Weather

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  22. Fox19 covers children's field trip to UC Geosciences to learn about

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  23. Walnut 8th graders learn history during Washington D.C. trip

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  24. Weather Alters First Pitch Invite II Schedule In Greenville

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  26. 10 Day Weather

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  27. North Carolina HERricane Experience

    North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) has joined Durham, Orange and Wake counties to host the second emergency management experience like no other for young women in rising grades 9-12. While attending HERricane, students will learn about disaster response and public safety through field trips, training and disaster simulation exercises.

  28. Ostrovnoy, Murmansk, Russia Weather

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  29. Learn the history of Tampa on a water taxi tour down the Hillsborough River

    Tampa Water Taxi offers a variety of tours, including a Harbor and History Tour down the Hillsborough River. Salkin is a natural-born storyteller who drops in little doses of trivia that even the ...