feature stories
There's a big 'classroom' out there
Aug 9, 2007 2:35 PM
Listening to the mighty sounds of the trumbone at a Lincoln Center program …
Are class trips really worth the effort and expense? Use the simple formula below to find out.
Divide the number of spots on a leopard by the number of toes on four meerkats.
Add to that the number of students who would love to create their own video game or movie preview.
Multiply the total by the joy on a kid’s face when the theater lights dim and the curtain rises.
… making friends with a snake at the Staten Island Zoo.
What it all adds up to is that some of the best learning takes place
when you’re out of the building and out in the world. When you’re free
to walk, talk, explore, listen, touch, see. In New York, there’s a
whole lot of world in our own backyard. And for so many kids in this
city, you’re the only one who’s going to take them there.
So take a
look through pages 24 to 27 in this issue of the New York Teacher for
some ideas about field trips to take when the hectic beginning of
school settles down and that perfect fall weather rolls around. You’ll
find lots of possibilities from great organizations that are waiting to
welcome your class with incredible educational adventures and creative
follow-up projects. Many of those in-class projects are tied to
curriculum — so one great day can last a long time.
