Fun Field Trips for Teens

Field trips are just as important now that your students are teens as they were back in elementary school.  There’s no need to stop taking them, but you’ll want to change how you approach them…and you can do some pretty interesting things!

Here are some field trip ideas for middle and high school students.  There are both local and travel options, ranging from free to need-to-plan-ahead.  What are your teens favorite places to visit, and would you add to this list?

Here are some FREE, local field trip options:

  • Local historic architecture
  • Air Shows
  • Historic Re-enactments
  • Climb Rocks
  • Historic Museums (some are free)
  • Pick-Your-Own Farm Visit
  • Rivers & Lakes
  • Zoo (only free on certain days, or with a pass)
  • Local Newspaper
  • Factory Tours (some are free)
  • Visit the Beach
  • Visit the local Airport

Around Town

  • Most of the free trips listed above are in-town
  • Lots of hospitals offer presentations, and these could count toward a health credit
  • Most teens are able to sit quietly in a courtroom to see how the judicial system works
  • Every city has a history, and most have city history museums – explore yours!
  • A local small business owner may give a tour and explains the pros and cons of ownership

History-Based

  • State capitols are a good place to see the legislative system in action
  • National parks offer both nature and history with one beautiful hike
  • Civil War battlefield locations are often free and relatively easy to find in the eastern US
  • Living history museums (think Williamsburg) are fun for all ages

Science Lovers

  • Amusement parks are a good place to see how physics works in the real world
  • Indoor skydiving spots are also a great place to test physics
  • Caves, caverns, and wildlife refuges are all great outdoor adventures
  • Many aquariums have programming for older students
  • Factories and manufacturing plants are in more places than you’d expect, and very interesting
  • Space centers, including NASA, offer all sorts of programming for older students

Specialty Adventures

  • Symphony and theater performances are cultural experiences
  • Art museums are as well, and you can tie them to history or culture
  • TV / Radio Stations give tours and presentations, and they love going in depth with older students
  • Music recording studios are another great option for sound enthusiasts
  • Our boys really enjoyed a unique adventure to learn about fermentation and physics

After the field trip, take time to debrief.  This may be an art project, an essay comparing or contrasting different aspects of the topic, or even a lab report, timeline, or research paper.  These last few ideas are perfect for high schoolers doing virtual/simulated science labs, deep-diving into history, or creating a senior thesis or research project.  Talk about:

  • The results or outcomes of the field trip.
  • What did they know before they went on the field trip? What did they learn?
  • What new insights can they take from the experience and apply to daily life?
  • What connections can be made between anything at the field trip with other aspects or topics they’re learning about?
  • What was the most interesting or fun? Why?
  • What else would they like to learn about this topic?

More Inspiration

Finally, even though these aren’t free, educational subscription boxes are a great way to bring the field trip into your home.  Here are some of our favorites!

Need some field trip inspiration?  Here are a list of adventures from across the United States – find one for your next local or vacation journey!

Geography / Location-specific
Mississippi
Vermont
Seattle
Chocolate World / Milton Hershey
Frankenmuth / Christmas World
Oklahoma City
San Francisco
Vermont
Seattle

Gettysburg
Mayberry RFD
Cabo San Lucas
Tulsa
Western Oklahoma
Fort Smith / Hot Springs
Orlando / Epcot
Amish Country
Outer Banks, NC
Kansas
Arizona
Roswell, NM
Nashville / Ryman / Parthenon
Niagara Falls
Washington DC / July 4th
Colorado Springs / Olympics
New York City
Cleveland / Rock & Roll
Lake Champlain / Maritime History
Maryland
Louisiana / Cajuns & Creoles
Minnesota Wyoming Colorado / Geology Grand Rapids Eau Claire Ontario / Canada Southern California Hampton Roads North Carolina Piedmont Lowcountry SC / GA      

History
Ancient Mayans
Oil & Energy
Battle of Vicksburg
Cornwall Iron Furnace
Abe Lincoln’s Home
Boston / Revolutionary War
Philadelphia / Constitution
Virginia’s Historic Triangle
Williamsburg
New Hampshire / French & Indian War
Valley Forge
Fort Ticonderoga
Biltmore House Omaha
Oregon Trail / Chimney Rock
Outer Banks / History of Lighthouses Colorado / Gold Rush Mackinac / War of 1812 Mount Rushmore / Deadwood The Lost Colony Pirates of the Outer Banks Patriot’s Point, SC




                      
Science & Math
Real-World Math
Zoo Studies
Johnson Space Center / Christina Koch
Airplanes & Air Shows
Principles of Flight
Kennedy Space Center U.S. Mint Inside a Cave Kitty Hawk / History of Flight US Space & Rocket Center Recording Studio Business of Cookie Making Fermentation & the Physics of Axe Throwing

Career-Based Electives for Teens

Electives are an excellent way to delve into topics and interests – no matter how strange they seem – in your child’s middle and high school years.  There’s your typical shop and home economics, but also specifics like aviation or hieroglyphs.  Think back…when else did you have so much freedom to explore?  As homeschooled teens, the world is their oyster!  

Elective classes give them a chance for career exploration, too.  Your student may discover that he doesn’t really want to be a veterinarian after all….or that he loves to write!

If you want some inspiration or just a quick-start guide, discover several free downloads of elective course curricula for specialized electives in our Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Choosing electives for high school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking.  If it’s a class outside of the core curriculum (required courses for graduation), then it’s an elective class.  What do colleges want to see?  What does your child really need?  And how do you know what to pick…?

Electives can be a good way to make high school fun, to bring some moments of levity to a day crowded with the intense courses found in these upper grades, particularly in a college prep scenario.  What is your child interested in?  Which hobbies does s/he gravitate toward?  Are there any career interests yet?  This is a good way to let colleges know more about your student, as they see which electives made the cut and ended up on the transcript.

If your student doesn’t know what they want to take and / or doesn’t have a field of interest for a possible future career yet, it might be time to check out a Career Exploration course.  The Career Clusters Student Interest Survey is an inventory that helps narrow down your child’s field of interest based on preferences, hobbies, and skills.  It takes about fifteen minutes to complete and then shows the top three fields of interest for possible careers.  This metric includes sixteen different ’career clusters,’ including jobs ranging from entry-level to professional, and is a great way to determine elective choice!

If you have the opportunity, it will benefit your student to take elective choices aligning with his or her career interests.  This will help with determining if that is a good fit (it’s better to find this out in high school than once you’ve paid for that college training!), and will give them some introductory level knowledge, which can be a leg up in the job market.

Have an open discussion about future goals and plans with your high schooler.  Are they considering college?  Military?  Vocational-technical school?  Starting a business?  Each of these post-graduation paths will benefit from a variety of elective opportunities.

Depending on their future goals, create your high school plan.  First fill in your state graduation requirements.  Then add in all the interest-based ideas your teen has and work toward filling in the elective, and sometimes the core classes as well, with those interests.

Be sure to check with your local and state laws regarding what is required for graduating from homeschool high school.  Note the classes, credits, and other details so that when your student reaches their senior year, your transcript is ready to roll.  If you need help, the Sparks Academy School Counselor can help with creating a four-year plan

Discover more inspiration at:

Hands-On Science & Nature Projects for Upper Grades

Spring and summer are a fantastic time to take your homeschool outside!  Hands-on projects can be completed year-round, but during these times, it’s easier to incorporate nature and do big, messy projects.  Getting hands-on helps students to become more engaged, involve their senses in learning, and prevent burnout.  It also helps to flesh out abstract ideas in a more concrete format, applying difficult-to-understand concepts into a real-world application.  This not only helps the student understand more, but also retain more.

Each of these resources is appropriate for middle and high school students.  If you prefer family-style teaching, they can be tailored down, or you may eliminate some of the more complicated aspects, for elementary students.  Want to create your own hands-on nature study?  Download the unit study planner, and get started exploring your family’s interests!


Exploring the outdoors is a great way to learn!  Soak it all in, homeschool mama, and wear your homeschooling style proudly!


Think Like a Scientist

Mathematical concepts and the scientific method are a good place to start…


Get Inspired

Sometimes we just need a little inspiration to get started!


Take a Field Trip

Here are some virtual field trips that will inspire you to take one of your own…


Get Outside

Unplug and get your hands dirty!


Go Wild

Is it animals, wild plants, the jungle, or the human psyche that intrigues you?


A Little of This; A Little of That

Projects and ideas that didn’t really fit in a box…


Explore through the Pages

A literature study is a fantastic jumping-off point for further exploration.  Pick a topic, read all about it, and then get hands on with the additional projects!


Use a Complete Curriculum

Maybe you’re not quite ready to head outside…or maybe you’re required to have more structured learning.  Either way, these curricula incorporate real-world learning projects into the lessons!



Hands-On Subscription Boxes You’ll Love!

Learn about forensic science and methods. Go hands-on with techniques like fingerprinting, collecting shoe prints, and more. Use the same tools the pros use to detect the presence of blood and identify theft suspects. Each box comes with gear that real investigators use along with activities designed to let you learn by doing. Your first box contains a free one-year subscription to our online detective game. Examine the evidence and solve the case.


MATTER

We search planet Earth for the most interesting forms of matter. Each month we ship fossils, tools, specimens, materials, or artifacts that have been carefully selected as some of the most interesting pieces of matter in our accessible universe. Part museum, part laboratory, perfect for quarantine! Feed your curiosity or spark someone’s else’s. This one is for the kid who knows everything!! It will spark an interest for further research…

Beautiful Discovery

Beautiful Discovery kits use visually and kinesthetically engaging patterns of nature to unleash your hidden pattern power and give you STEAM skills. Items include eco-games, art, origami, drag and drop code, models, natural wonders, full color informational cards, full color picture books and booklets, paints and colored pencils, drawing sheets with art lessons on patterns seen in the natural wonders.

Perfect for the student who is hesitant about math, but all about art! This box combines the beauty of nature with real-world math through projects with seashells, crystals, dried leaves, flowers, for their beautiful patterns. There’s even an computer coding element with simple drag and drop block coding that will simulate the patterns seen in the natural wonders studied in each box.

Spangler Science 

Let’s make science fun one month at a time! A subscription to Spangler Science Club is a guarantee that we’re working together to prepare your young scientist for a future STEM-based career. Choose from one of three levels of hands-on science kits and subscribe to amazing science delivered every month!


Groovy Lab in a Box

With Groovy Lab in a Box, you will receive boxes full of everything you need to learn about and do hands on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiments for ages 8+. We blend Scientific Inquiry and the Engineering Design Process, which allows children to create ingenious inventions, enhance problem solving skills and FUN!

Exploring Beliefs for World Religions Day

The Encarta World Dictionary defines religion as “people’s beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life.”  In a world that is constantly struggling for peace, having a better understanding of belief systems and values can help us to understand different people and cultures…which may lay the foundation for a thoughtful progression amid a multitude of complex cultures.  Studying world religions can lead to a better understanding of the relationships between religion and politics, economics, and social structures..


Novel Studies & Curricula


Short Primers


Art: Stained Glass Windows

Supplies

Directions

  • Print out the picture that you want to copy. We used shields and crests.
  • Trace the picture on the tracing paper with the black marker.
  • Color it with crayons. Use bright colors. Don’t color too hard, or the wax will run!
  • Cut out your shield and laminate it to make the colors even brighter. 
  • Hang it up and let the sun shine through!
Find more history-themed art projects in Recycled History!



    

Literature: G.A. Henty & Comparative Books

  • Beric the Briton
    • This tale of the Roman invasion of ancient Britannia remains one of G.A. Henty’s most popular novels of all time. Join Beric and his best friend Bodouc as they live the adventure of a lifetime – captured by the Romans, trained as gladiators, and placed in the service of Emperor Nero himself! When the story of a mysterious “Christus” begins to circulate the Roman Empire, Beric and Bodouc are forced to confront their pagan past. Will the two young prisoners be able to overcome their thirst for revenge and discover the source of true forgiveness?
  • For the Temple
    • The troubles in the district of Tiberias, the march of the legions, the sieges of Jotapata, of Gamala, and of Jerusalem all come to life. In this impressive and carefully studied historic setting, you will follow a lad, John of Gamala, who passes from the vineyard to the service of Josephus, becomes the leader of a guerrilla band of patriots, fights bravely for the Temple, and after a brief term of slavery at Alexandria, returns to his Galilean home with the favor of Titus. The fall of Jerusalem is brought to life in this classic.
  • The Kids Book of World Religions
    • By gaining a greater understanding of the cultures and beliefs of people around the world, children build respect and tolerance for the differences that make each of us unique.With objectivity and accessibility, this title in the Kids Book of series looks at the histories, scriptures, places of worship, religious leaders, gods and major festivals that are the foundations of many of the world’s religions.
  • Investigate the World through Religious Tradition
    • Over 7 billion people live on the earth, and 84 percent of them describe themselves as being religious. Few topics incite such passion as religion. What does that mean? Why are humans invested in ideas that may never be proved? Why has religion played such an important role in history?



It’s NOT Ancient History! Making Connections with World History

Although the people we study in history lived decades or even centuries ago, their actions impacted how we live our lives today.  Names, dates, facts…these are some of the things that I hear students complain about when they talk about disliking history.  It’s too confusing…they can’t put it into context.  A visual display, however, can help tie everything together in an easier-to-digest format!  Our two favorite, visually-appealing ways to link historic events include this book (fantastic for those with small spaces) and this wall chart (for those with a dedicated homeschool area).

But it’s not just faceless names and random dates; history is full of transitional events that have altered the world’s story.  By learning about different eras, you start to see what changes might happen in the future and what would drive that change.  For example, learning about the fall of Rome teaches you that even the most powerful society can fall apart—and what happens to cause that crumbling.  

By studying history, humanity has a chance to learn from its mistakes, theorize about alternative options based on correcting past mistakes as it moves forward with future events.  After all, history rhymes…so it’s likely that there will be a chance to act differently in the future.

There are five concepts – or 5 Cs – of history.  These are at the heart of every question historians ask as they seek to better understand the past, and they include (from most easily understood to the more complex): change over time, causality, context, complexity, and contingency.  The strangeness of the past enables us to step back and look at our society and ourselves from a new perspective—indeed, we might start to look a bit strange to ourselves!  (Think not?  Check out Motel of the Mysteries)

General Ancient History

Classes

Printables

Extras

Egypt

Greece

Rome

Asia / Middle East

Medieval

Mythology

Rabbit Trails