For instance I took a road trip with my family to northern California. On impulse my mom asked to stop in Asilomar State Beach. We parked alongside the coast trail and trudged down to the water. This brought back great memories of a Science class field trip to Monterey, Ca. when I was in 10th grade. I started poking around in the tidepools. My eyes were attracted to the colors. I started pulling out different shades of green, then brown and red slimy, plant-looking stuff...I had found a variety of algae. Ahha! It was so beautiful I had to take a picture to show my "kids". Now, when they ate their samples of dry seaweed I gave them to try in class during the "algae is not a plant" lesson they could see the fresh specimens too. This is the power of the field trip. I asked my mom if she'd ever put her finger in a sea anemone before. "What's that?", she said. "Where is it? I don't see it.", she said as I got my shoes wet trying to point it out. She gently placed her finger in the mouth of the anemone and let out a weird gasp "Ah! I didn't know they did that!" . Again, there is power in the field trip. Some experiences just can't be felt in the classroom or technology assisted virtual field trips. As a student, I remember having the opportunity along with my classmates, to investigate whatever enticed me in the tidepools. To get down into the water, observe, discover, experiment. It was pure joy. It's one of the reasons I am a Science teacher today. The power of the field trip.
Onward to the Rare Seeds Seed Bank in Petaluma, California. Lots and lots of seeds. This west coast location of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company resides in a former bank building. I was on the lookout for some varieties that my students wouldn't be able to find at the local home improvement store. Purple of Sicily cauliflower and spiral shaped Romanesco Italia Broccoli seemed fun to me!
Next stop, Monterey Bay Aquarium. Although I had been to this aquarium twice before I was excited to see a new exhibit called "The Jellies Experience". Jellyfish are viewed in an artistic light with interactive displays and interpretations. The light shows created by these awesome animals are part of the "groovy" feeling of this "psychedelic" trip. Of particular interest to me was the upside-down jellyfish. They have symbiotic algae in their tissues, which photosynthesize. I will be sharing this new knowledge with my students. Perhaps a jellyfish costume with glow-stick lighted tentacles is in order?
The last stop on this field trip was California Carnivores, the largest carnivorous plant nursery in the nation. It's located in Sebastopol, Ca. It's been on my summer "bucket list" ever since I purchased a Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plant). The staff was very friendly and granted me special "behind the scenes" access as soon as I played my "I'm a Science Teacher" card. They showed me how to feed a mealworm to a venus flytrap and explained the different flytrap cultivars. In their toasty greenhouse, I got to see some other rare exotics like the corpse flower, not yet in bloom. They wouldn't let me leave without showing me the propagation pools where they encouraged the plants to grow before potting them up. As I was leaving I picked up a free kids booklet they were probably trying to get rid of. It's an educational comic book style lesson/activity on the types of carnivorous plants around the world. This is some great stuff for creative student assignments on tropisms! Yes! One more field trip bonus!
Now that I am home, I feel so fortunate that I was able to go out on these learning excursions, to let my curiosity guide me. I wonder why at some point in our schooling field trips seem to become impossible or at the least difficult to do. Permission slips. Funds. Transportation. Rules. Justification. You can't put a value on the type of learning that occurs on a field trip. The impression that an event or first-hand experience can give a child is priceless. This year I'm going to make a goal to give my students at least one field trip.