It's time for a field trip!

Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.-Helen Keller

Fifth grade could hardly wait for March 29, 2021…this was the date of their field trip to the Arkansas Outdoor School in the Little Rock, AR area. Our departure was set for 7:15 am. I could see the excitement on all the faces as we climbed into the cars, loaded bags, and said some “goodbyes” to mom. Our class had chosen the classes/activities earlier in March: Team Challenge, Archery, Fishing, Canoeing, Rock Climbing, and Hiking. Some students were looking forward to rock climbing, some wanted to learn how to fish, and some wanted to spend some time outdoors. But all of us wanted to learn, have fun, and experience some nature.

After moving our things into our rooms, it was time to get started with our first activity: Team Challenge. We learned how important trust, communication, and confidence was to not only an individual, but also as a team. Archery showed us how to focus, rock climbing tested our confidence, canoeing encouraged us to communicate, and fishing required us to slow down and be patient with ourselves.

The next morning, we went on a hike. We were shown how important diversity is in nature. We identified many plants and animals and also how to respect nature.

Field trips connect students to the real world by providing every student with real world experiences that I’m pretty sure they will never forget!