Nations Classroom Blog

Today, we will honor the members of our Armed Forces who have served our nation with ceremonies, celebrations, and classroom lessons. It is a day of gratitude that offers many opportunities to teach through a historical lens and to engage students in history on an emotional level. 

As Veterans Day approaches, many of my colleagues are finding creative and cross-categorical ways to integrate classroom activities that honor our nation's veterans. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia has created a few resources to help you celebrate Veterans Day in your classroom.

In response to the rising need for science and math education in American classrooms, National STEM Day was established on November 8, 2015. National STEM (STEAM) Day highlights to need to incorporate STEM topics into students' everyday lives.  

With so many classes being taught virtually this year, check out these great online activities for STEM Day 2020!

In October of 1787, the first copy of The Federalist Papers is published in support of the U.S. Constitution, one of the foundational documents of America's government. The authors (John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton) believed in the importance of the document and studied it from top to bottom, much like we still do in our modern-day civics classes. 

Today we have more resources when it comes to studying the Constitution, one of them being the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. If you're looking for content to spruce up your unit on the Constitution, look no further than these free, online resources. 

The great outdoors, wide-open spaces, and experiential learning. School trips to America's National Parks offer more than you can imagine for teachers and students alike. 

But, if you can't visit the National Parks with your students this year you can still visit virtually! Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks offer fantastic curriculum and virtual tours for housebound adventurers. 

On June 15, 1215, King John signed Magna Carta at Runnymede.

According to the Library of Congress, Magna Carta exercised a strong influence both on the United States Constitution and on the constitutions of the various states.

There were two big ideas of Magna Carta that can be seen throughout most of America's constitutional documents: that every citizen had a right to personal freedom and private property (National Constitution Center).

When students visit Colonial Virginia, they will have the opportunity to engage with America's history in a tangible way. Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown offer hands-on learning experiences centered on history, science, engineering, and technology. Next time you're on the Historic East Coast, make a trip to Colonial Virginia to experience the cultural exchanges, strained relations, and significant battles that altered history. 

If you don't have the chance to visit in person, your students can still immerse themselves in colonial history by using the free teacher resources on the History Is Fun website.

Our Founder, Jay Bloxsom, likes to say that we aren't moving towards a "New Normal," we're working towards a "New Better." As we return to inspiring students through travel, there are two big questions that parents and educators are asking about travel.

One, how will we travel safely?

Two, how can I be sure that I am receiving the best refund/payment protection plan that will be honored?

Students + technology = new learning opportunities for your next field trip. Here are three programs for students with advanced, developing, and basic computer science skills that can help them build connections between technology, academic subjects, and their student travel experiences.

One of our more southern student tour destinations is Charleston, South Carolina. The beautiful city is located on the east coast and is steeped in history. Student groups can visit Boone Hall or Magnolia Plantation to learn more about southern history, or they can spend time at Fort Sumter and the U.S.S. Yorktown to experience military history first hand. 

Charleston is also an amazing destination for school trips focused on science and STEM. If you're looking for a field trip that will teach your students about ecology, wildlife conservation, and environmental science, the Barrier Island Eco Tour would fit perfectly in your itinerary.