5 Fresh Spring Class Trips Ideas for Teachers
What’s the hardest part of planning a class trip? Is it finding the time? Getting approval? All the logistics?
How about simply coming up with a new and interesting idea?
With year-end field trip season in mind, here are five ways educators can solve that last problem — finding fresh ideas for a spring class trip.
Our five recommendations combine education and fun and will work well for classes from 4th to 10th grade. Each entry also includes key information about the attractions and a suggested lunch spot for your group.
In all, there are five parts, each with its own theme:
1. Washington, D.C.: A ‘Constitutional’ Trip
A field trip to Washington can cover many different topics: history, civics, art, science and more. But what if you made your next D.C. trip class laser-focused on a single topic?
We recommend a “Constitutional” trip to D.C., centering the visit around the United States’ foundational documents. Hitting these sites, your students can see the documents themselves, learn about the people who wrote them and consider the root ideas that continue to be debated today.
2. Philadelphia: The Foundational Tour
While Philadelphia offers tour groups so much — art, culture, science and more — you can’t go wrong by sticking to basics here. And for Philly, “the basics” mean the founding of our country.
Where else will students get a sense of what it was like to be Washington, Jefferson or Franklin on those steamy days in the 18th century? Simply seeing the facade of Independence Hall or walking up to the Liberty Bell carries a certain intrinsic value. And there’s so much more …
3. Richmond: There’s More Here Than You Think
If your classes are studying the Civil War, Richmond has an obvious appeal. But that’s just the beginning of the city’s educational offerings.
In Richmond, your students can learn about science, architecture, pre-Civil War history and the arts.
And yes, the Civil War-era offerings are worthwhile. The city is reckoning with its past, not glorifying it.
4. Washington, D.C.: Under the Radar
Anyone can take students to the Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian’s history and art museums, the Lincoln Memorial. Why not show your class a different side of D.C.?
Our “Different D.C.” recommendations feature stamps, words, Dwight D. Eisenhower and a museum that considers itself decidedly un-Washington. These are great stops for Washington-area students who have “been there/done that,” but also for classes from farther away.
5. Gettysburg and Williamsburg/Jamestown: Get Outside!
If you’re thinking your class needs to go on a spring field trip just to get out of enclosed spaces, we’re not going to argue with you. Two of our more popular destinations offer that chance and carry significant education value as well.
Going to Gettysburg and Williamsburg/Jamestown is a great way to mix fresh air and fresh lessons for your students. These trips are perfect in the spring, but they’re great in the early days of autumn, too.
