Field Trips
We consider field trips to be one of the best benefits of choosing a hybrid homeschool education at Learnwell. Whenever we can offer a hands-on, outside-the-classroom experience to enrich our students’ learning, we do. We also love it when parents plan field trips and use our secure, closed Facebook group where parents can invite other families to join them.
All of the Learnwell field trips are optional, but they are one of the many ways that our students and their parents connect to the school community. These optional offerings are where friendships are formed and classroom learning takes a deep dive.
Here are some of the questions we are asked the most about our field trips.
Why are field trips important?
Field trips serve a variety of purposes. First, they allow for experiential learning. Learning outside the classroom always cements what has been learned at a desk. A field trip also provides context to what a student has read in a book. Second, field trips allow students to touch, taste, see, and hear; they have a kinesthetic opportunity to find out about the world around them simply by taking a field trip near you.
Especially for students who attend a hybrid school like Learnwell, field trips are a great way to use the benefits of a more flexible educational option. Because students are not limited by being in a school building all five days of the week, they can attend field trips more readily. This enriches their absorption of everything they’re learning.
Finally, Learnwell field trips allow students and families to connect to one another. Because they are optional, families can choose the field trips that work best for them. Parents get to know other parents, and students get to spend extra time with classmates outside the classroom.
Are field trips required?
No, field trips with Learnwell are always optional.
How many field trips does Learnwell offer each year?
Our goal is to offer a range of field trips – both educational and social in nature – about once a month. We generally provide about 6 field trips, and then parents usually plan a few on their own as well. Field trips can be anything from a visit to a museum or a morning at the local park.
What are some good field trip ideas?
A few of the places we’ve visited as a school include Tellus Science Museum, local trails for hiking (Leita Thompson Park and Preacher’s Rock), Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, Carlos Museum, APEX Museum, Medieval Times, and nearby parks such as Fowler Park and Sharon Springs Park. These opportunities shift from year to year based on the interests of our currently-enrolled students and their families, our teachers, and the curriculum.
Does Learnwell offer in-school field trips on at-school days (Tuesdays and Thursdays)?
Not typically. Because we operate on a reduced in-class schedule, we prioritize our teachers’ opportunities to do in-class activities with their students on the days they are at Learnwell. We usually plan field trips for days when students are learning at home, such as Wednesdays or Fridays. The only exception here might be a virtual field trip or an author visit to a specific class, and that’s always up to the classroom teacher.
How do field trips work on the days that Learnwell Friday Electives are offered?
For the most part, we try to schedule field trips on days that all students can attend. We will make every effort not to schedule them on the mornings when Friday Electives are taking place. There may be an exception occasionally, but we’ll try our best to plan field trips for our enrolled Learnwell students at alternative times so that they can take part in Learnwell’s Friday Electives.
Are field trips free?
Field trips at Learnwell are not free if they require an admission fee. These are paid by individual families. We do try to arrange group rates whenever possible.
Can I bring my student’s siblings on a field trip?
Yes, most of the time. Unless a field trip is designated for a specific grade or age range, you are always welcome to bring siblings on field trips, even if they are not enrolled at Learnwell. Some of our field trips are planned for certain grade levels based on what they are studying in literature, science, or history. These will be limited to that grade level only. One example is that our middle school students visited the Apex Museum when they were reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. So it was offered only to Learnwell’s middle school students who would be reading or have already finished reading that book.
Are field trips open to all Learnwell students?
All field trips are open to any Learnwell student with the exception of grade-level specific field trips. One example of this is the 8th grade Georgia History field trips. These field trips are awarded to 8th graders as they advance through their history requirements. Therefore, they are not open to any other students – even siblings. Because every student gets to experience these field trips only once, during 8th grade, we want to keep it special so we reserve these for 8th-graders who have met the history prerequisites for each specific Georgia History field trip.
