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My favorite lessons plans are ones that are interactive, hands-on immersion studies...and, boy, did we have some great immersion studies this past weekend!
On the spur of the moment, my husband and I decided to take our sons on a weekend vacation to Virginia Beach, VA. The boys had never been to the ocean before and, needless to say, they were impressed. We had some great discussions on why the ocean is salty, why the tides rise and fall, and whether or not sharks were going to attack us. We found some skate egg-cases washed up on the beach. Skates are similar to manta rays and have an egg case shaped just like a shark's, only smaller. We were able to see the little holes in the egg cases where the baby skates had emerged. We also saw a pod of dolphins jumping and playing not far from the shore.
Beyond the beach, though, we visited several educational places. We saw harbor seals, otters, and many other types of sea and river life at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. My son was able to touch horseshoe crabs and see that a live animal really does live in those seashells we found on the beach. The aquarium has a large marshy area that we were able to walk through, and we all learned the difference between a marsh, a bog, and a swamp. It all depends on the amount of salt water, fresh water, mud, and whether or not peat is part of the mixture. Who knew?
We then drove into Norfolk past the largest Naval Base in the United States. We saw more than one destroyer, battleship, and even an aircraft carrier. We drove into Fort Story, a US Army Base just north of Virginia Beach, and experienced first hand the increased security. We had to raise the hood of the car and allow the soldiers to look into the car for any weapons or other illegal items. This of course sparked questions from my son regarding why anyone would want to take a weapon or bomb onto the base. While in Fort Story, we were able to see the original Cape Charles Lighthouse built in the 1700s and the new Cape Charles Lighthouse, currently in use.
On our final day, we visited Yorktown, site of the British surrender at the end of the Revolutionary War. My son (age five) had heard very little about the Revolution before then, so the entire experience was new and he learned a lot. We were able to see the actual tent that George Washington used for his headquarters, and we also saw many cannon and other weapons left from the war. We then drove to Jamestown and saw the ruins of many buildings from the original settlement. We had studied the Jamestown Settlement before, so my son was able to put a place with all the things he had learned before.
The entire weekend was full of so much learning and so many new experiences. This is my favorite way to learn and to teach. I know that seeing the actual site of the Yorktown surrender is more memorable for my children than just reading about it. My older son is already asking when we can go back!
This post is my entry to win a camera in the "Share Your Favorite Lesson Plan" Contest sponsored by Sprittibee and Academic Superstore. |
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