Fun The February Field Trips

This month has been full of some fun field trips and we have one more coming up next week! Last semester (hubby is a college professor so I typically think in the terms of semesters) we didn't go on as many because we just couldn't seem to fit them in. But my middle child had commented that she wanted to do some more before we moved so she could see some of her friends from our group (called GLOW) before we head to Indiana, so I'm trying to oblige her. Although we all LOVE field trips!

We incorporate field trips throughout our school weeks and days for many reasons. One is because they are fun and when we get to do them as a family I truly believe we are helping our family grow closer together when we can have fun while learning and exploring.

This month we had so much fun going to a local goat dairy farm, but more then just goats she taught us about gardening in the seasons, we got to taste some of her crops including some arugula and we took home some bay leaves. We also were introduced to all her animals - each having their own job - the dogs, a cat, the chickens and roosters, the horse and the goats. Plus we were able to hold some baby goats! Aren't they so cute??

Holding a little chick.

The winter garden and some guinea hens.

He loved the baby goats.

The other field trip we had so much fun at let us explore our historic downtown area of Charleston, SC. We started off at Washington Square Park and then followed a map (led by a student) to the Powder Magazine (built to safely hold 5 tons of gunpowder - been a museum since 1903 and one of the few American Revolution military buildings still standing in our state) and then onto the historic Nathaniel Russell House. He was one of SC's wealthiest pre- and post- Revolutionary export merchants (of sea island cotton, indigo, and Carolina Gold rice).  The house was completed in 1808 and shows antebellum city life of this era.

Original cobblestones that were used as ballasts.

This was a special tour called King Charles to King Cotton and showed the students "the state's history from the 1670 settlement of Charles Town, to 1860 when cotton was the king of cash crops." They also explored the states oldest graveyard as well as Chalmers Street where the cobblestones originally were used as ships ballasts.

The Powder Magazine

Oldest graveyard in the state.

So much history that we've had the privilege to incorporate into our life and our schooling. We have and will continue to do our best to take advantage of all these times we have learning and living together while also "schooling" along the way.

Audrie doing a spiral.

We have another field trip coming up next week which is one we are very familiar with - to the ice rink. The Carolina Ice Palace has been here for 20 years (they celebrated that anniversary this past summer.) We will be getting a behind the scenes tour and learn more the difference in hockey and figure skates as well as the importance for good temperatures for the ice and the rink. Though my kids have been skating here for over 4.5 years, they still enjoy this upcoming field trip. They continue to practice and grow in their skills as (fingers-crossed) all 3 of them will be in the "upper level" of Figure Skating called Free Skate. Hoping my son has put enough practice in to finally pass all the Basic Skills and Pre-Free Skate.

Ari is the one in red further back.

My son working on his pre-freeskate combo.

My husband scrubbing!

Although I do skate, my husband doesn't do it quite as much. However, the rink has recently added curling to it's repertoire and my husband has joined the Charleston Curling Club. He's only been a few times, but we were able to help at their latest Learn to Curl this past Friday - kind of a field trip as well.

Waiting his turn to curl.

What type of field trips do you take? What history can you take in from right around you??