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Classroom Journeys: Adventures Without Ever Leaving the Building by Dacia Jones

9/26/2023

5 Comments

 
​Ever felt the need for a vacation but found yourself tethered by responsibilities? Welcome to the life of a teacher. However, just because we can't always whisk our students away on exciting field trips doesn't mean we can't create the adventure of a lifetime right within our classroom walls.

Setting Off on the Classroom Express
When I taught first grade, every month was marked by an exotic trip to a different country. And no, we didn't teleport, nor did we have an ultra-speed jet hidden in the school's basement. Instead, we had our trusty school bus.
Each "journey" began with our students clutching their tiny suitcases or even black garbage bags, eagerly waiting to board our bus. My brilliant assistant, doubling as a bus driver for the day, would take them on a thrilling roundabout of the school parking lot, giving them the sensation of taking off to a distant land. If you've never seen a bunch of first graders truly believe they've traveled halfway across the world by circling a parking lot, you're missing out on some pure magic.

Airplane Mode Activated!
Upon returning, our classroom door acted as the gateway to our chosen country. After getting their passports stamped (because what's travel without bureaucracy), students entered our makeshift airplane, greeted by rows of chairs. Jump ropes served as our seatbelts – safety first, even in imagination land! While strapping them down might raise some eyebrows today, back then, it was all in good fun and added to the authenticity of our flight. Plus, who wouldn't love an in-flight snack?
And as the shower curtains were drawn, separating the plane from the classroom, we touched down in our new destination. This could be the bustling markets of China, the serene landscapes of New Zealand, the bustling streets of New York City, or my favorite national park.

So Where Do You Want to GO?
​
National parks are treasure troves of adventure and learning. Why not kick off your classroom journeys with these natural wonders? Delve deep into the Grand Canyon, encounter the wildlife of Grand Teton, or explore the mysterious caves of Carlsbad Caverns, all from the comfort of your classroom.

Making the Adventure Unforgettable
  1. Mood Setters: Lights, sounds, and even scents can transport students instantly. Rainforest sounds, for example, can set the tone for a jungle adventure.
  2. Props & Costumes: From traditional clothing to tools or instruments, props can make a world of difference.
  3. Engaging Activities: Think crafts, games, or dances indigenous to the chosen destination.
  4. Taste Tests: Offer students bites of traditional foods or snacks from the chosen location.
  5. Narrative Time: Share stories or facts about the location to give context to the adventure.
​
Conclusion
It's incredible how the power of imagination, when combined with a touch of humor and creativity, can transform a regular classroom into the world's most exciting destination. Your students will not only gain knowledge but also cherish these memories forever. So, teachers, strap in and take off on your next classroom journey. Remember, no turbulence expected, and every landing is a smooth one!
5 Comments
Carmella Doty
9/27/2023 07:41:24 pm

Loved this story. This is a great way to take kids on "field trips". I think that using Google Arts and Culture Website would be a great resource for this because it takes you to far way lands through the arts. What a great idea. Thank you for writing this piece. I am going to share this with my Early Childhood pre-service teachers, they will love it.
Carmella

Reply
kaswerte link
7/7/2024 09:05:26 am

Your encouragement is like finding the perfect puzzle piece, making your writing better and helping you improve!

Reply
YE7 link
7/7/2024 09:20:18 am

Creating engaging and approachable writing is akin to extending a warm invitation and kindling interest effortlessly.

Reply
kaswerteye7 link
7/7/2024 09:28:06 am

Your appreciation means a lot! It's like putting together a puzzle—finding the perfect word is like finding that missing piece that completes the picture of your writing. Keep practicing, and you'll definitely see progress!

Reply
Ye7 link
7/7/2024 09:36:29 am

You make it look easy, and I admire how you've organized it. I can tell you've put a lot of effort into this.

Reply



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  • Home
    • About Expeditions
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    • Our Sponsors
    • Events Calendar
    • For The Parks
    • In the News
    • Support Us
    • Contact Us
    • Impact Stories
  • Our Services
  • Educators
    • Our Books >
      • Adventures of Marvin & Huck:
      • Lila & Toby: Into the Wild
      • Educational & Meaningful
      • Book Connections
    • Our Kits >
      • Family Outdoor Discovery Box
      • ParkQuest Engineering Kits
    • Expeditions in Education BLOG
    • Experience the Parks >
      • Experience Pullman >
        • Experience Pullman Blog
    • Great Lakes Odyssey >
      • Getting Started with GLO
      • Great Lakes Odyssey Travel Blog
      • Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
      • Indiana Dunes National Park
      • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
      • Keweenaw National Historical Park
      • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
      • Voyageurs National Park
    • Math in Nature
    • Nature Pages
    • Preserve the Parks PBL >
      • Addressing Environmental Resilience in Puerto Rico
      • Protecting the Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterfly
      • Creating Sustainable Communities Inspired by Pullman
      • Combating the Green Crab Invasion in Acadia National Park
      • Enhancing Sustainable Trails at Big Cypress National Preserve​
      • Exploring the Green River's Impact on Water Purity and Cave Preservation
      • Protecting Crater Lake's Endemic Newts
      • Restoring Native Trees at the Lincoln Boyhood Home
      • Restoring the Elwha River
    • Backpack the Parks!
    • Park Pioneers
    • Ready to Go Lessons
  • National Parks Expedition Challenge
    • Expedition Challenge Full List
    • Acadia to Bryce >
      • Acadia National Park
      • Alcatraz Island
      • Amache National Historic Site
      • Amistad National Recreation Area
      • Arches National Park
      • Assateague Island National Seashore
      • Badlands National Park
      • ​Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
      • Big Bend National Park
      • Big Cypress National Preserve
      • Biscayne National Park
      • Black Canyon of the Gunnison
      • Bryce Canyon National Park
    • Cabrillo to Dry Tortugas >
      • Cabrillo National Monument
      • Cape Cod (ONE) National Seashore
      • Cape Cod (TWO) National Seashore
      • Carlsbad Caverns National Park
      • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
      • César E. Chávez National Monument
      • Chaco Culture National Historical Park
      • Channel Islands National Park
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Cumberland Island National Seashore
      • Cuyahoga Valley National Park
      • Dayton Aviation National Heritage Historical Park
      • Death Valley National Park
      • Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
      • Denali National Park
      • Dry Tortugas National Park
    • Eleanor to Fort Pulaski >
      • El Malpais National Monument
      • El Morro National Monument
      • Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
      • Everglades National Park
      • FDR Memorial
      • First State National Historical Park
      • Flight 93 Memorial Park
      • Ford's Theatre
      • Fort Laramie National Historic Site
      • Fort Monroe National Monument
      • Fort Pulaski National Monument
    • Gateway to Hot Springs >
      • Gateway Arch National Park
      • Gettysburg National Military Park
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Grand Teton National Park
      • Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
      • Haleakala National Park
      • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
      • Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
      • Homestead National Historical Park
      • Home of Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site
      • Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
      • Hot Springs National Park
    • Indiana to Lincoln Memorial >
      • Indiana Dunes National Park
      • Isle Royale National Park
      • Jewel Cave National Monument
      • Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
      • Joshua Tree National Park
      • Kenai Fjords and Alaska Coastal Parks
      • Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
      • Keweenaw National Historical Park
      • Lava Beds National Monument
      • Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
      • Lincoln Home National Historic Site
      • Lincoln Memorial
    • Maggie to Pullman >
      • Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
      • Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
      • Mammoth Cave National Park
      • Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
      • Mesa Verde National Park
      • Natchez Trace Parkway
      • New River Gorge and Preserve National Park
      • Niobrara National Scenic River
      • Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
      • Olympic National Park
      • Palo Alto Battlefield
      • Pearl Harbor National Memorial
      • Petroglyph National Monument
      • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
      • Pinnacles National Park
      • Pipestone National Monument
      • Pullman National Monument
    • Redwood to Zion >
      • Redwood National and State Parks
      • Rocky Mountain National Park
      • Saguaro National Park
      • San Antonio Missions NHP
      • San Juan National Historic Site
      • Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
      • Shenadoah National Park
      • Tidal Basin-NAMA
      • Tumacácori National Historical Park
      • Vanderbilt Mansion National Historical Site
      • Vicksburg National Military Park
      • Voyageurs National Park
      • Waco Mammoth National Monument
      • Wright Brothers Memorial
      • Yosemite National Park
      • Zion National Park
  • STEAM in the PARK
  • Crossing America