Trips – Beyond The Classroom
At Highland Hall, each grade takes at least one field trip during the school year to broaden students’ experiences and to complement classroom learning.
In 1st & 2nd grades, the teacher may choose to take a simple field trip designed to meet the children’s developmental level, help them gain self-confidence, and encourage their connection to the natural world and to each other. This may be a hike to a local park or a visit to a zoo.
3rd grade trips usually include visiting a farm where students participate in farm activities. To coincide with their study of Jewish traditions & shelters, the children build a temporary dwelling during Sukkot and camp overnight at the school.
4th grade field trips may include going to the Zoo to complement their studies of animals, or take field trips locally to directly explore and connect with their studies of local geography. There is an overnight trip that is generally one night.
In the 5th grade, students participate in a Pentathlon with fifth graders from other Waldorf schools, and a camping trip to support botany studies occurs at Sequoia National Park. Field trips may involve a trip to the Norton Simon museum to accompany the ancient civilizations block. Meanwhile, in the 6th grade, the class participates in the Medieval Games, or Rising Warriors, with other Waldorf schools; events include friendly competitions of jousting, javelin throws, and sometimes mud-log tossing. A camping trip to Death Valley National Park enhances the study of Geology; other trips may involve a trip to a bank, observatory, or science center to accompany the business math, astronomy, or physics blocks.
In the 7th grade, the students attend a ropes course that includes challenging individual and team-building exercises. Classes may travel to Zion National Park or Yosemite along with participating in the Waldorf Track Meet that involves other regional schools. Field trips may involve the Getty Museum for its Renaissance art or other similar places. The 8th grade may visit a factory to accompany the social science curriculum and traditionally takes a week-long trip that includes a wilderness experience or a cultural component. For decades, the annual trip was rafting in northern California but has also included the southwest, and even Washington, D.C. on a rare occasion.
We believe strongly that some of the best learning happens through direct, hands-on experiences. We strive to get our students beyond the desks and outside to engage in activities that strengthen their understanding, knowledge, and connection with the world. This is especially true for our High School where all students participate in a week-long trip at the beginning of the year. The 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades may also go on field trips that relate to their studies such as a museum or concert. For instance, last year all the music students in the Middle School & the High School participated in a special behind-the-scenes learning opportunity at the L.A. Philharmonic.
