★ Tuesday, October 7, 2014

6th grade Field trip to Joshua National Park

By Isabelle Gilet

The annual 6th grade trip will take place this year during the month of October. This timing, along with the strong educational component of the program we have chosen, will help students get to know each other better, develop class coherence and teamwork, and create opportunities for self-reliance and confidence building, all in the beautiful natural setting of Joshua Tree National Park.

Departure: Monday, October 13 (departure at 7:30 a.m. from SDFAS

Return: Friday, October 17 (return at approximately 1:30 p.m. to SDFAS)

Location: Joshua Tree National Park, with the Boojum Institute for Experiential Education. (Visit the website at: http://www.boojum.org).

Travel: By chartered bus. The trip should take about three hours each way.

Sleeping: Students will sleep in tents, 3 to a tent, in single sex tents. Students may bring their own sleeping bags and sleeping pads or the Boojum Institute can provide Sleep Kits (sleeping bag, liner, and pad) at a cost of $5 per night, or $20 for the trip. Tents are provided.

During this trip, students will:

• Develop an increased sense of “team” as a San Diego French American School cohort
• Improve life skills and interpersonal dynamics through successfully completing shared adventure activities
• Increase enthusiasm and motivation for school studies and participation in academic work following the event
• Have fun and enjoy selves during event
• Study field science, natural history, and ecology; gain environmental citizenship skills
• Develop outdoor skills, self-reliance and confidence during outdoor adventures
• Build friendships and respectful relationships with San Diego French American School students and faculty

 

Activities: Team-building activities, landscape explorations, guided hiking experiences.