by Yvonne Jonas
In June, our fifth-grade students will pack their carry-on suitcases to travel over 2000 miles to the heart of America’s government, Washington D.C., with an itinerary pact with various academic and social learning opportunities. For five days, the student’s will visit prominent government buildings, historical places, museums and theaters in Washington D.C, Baltimore, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia.
The participating students will visit the White House for a photo stop, climb the stairs of the U.S. Capitol and pay their respects to our fallen heroes at the Arlington National Cemetery. They will take guided tours as they expand their learning at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and African American History Museum. They will experience a piece of history somberness at the Holocaust Museum and may even plant a seed for a future career in aerospace engineering after visiting the Air & Space Museum.
Our future journalist will be exposed to the power of words at the Newseum, while our future military patrons may be inspired after visiting the U.S. Navy Memorial. And when they think the fun can’t stop, they’ll embark on an illuminated tour of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and Washington Monument, along with having some fun with the animals at the National Zoo.
At COPPA, we believe in expanding our classrooms beyond the four walls. Whether it’s a trip to the Museum of Tolerance to bring some of the history pages to life or a weekend trip to Catalina Island for a hands-on learning experience in oceanographic science. We believe that study trips help connects the dots they’ve learned in the classrooms and promotes educational and social growth.