The next time you are choosing between staying home and watching television or taking the kids to the park, think about the beautiful memories you will be making by changing your routine and the educational benefits your kids are going to get by being exposed to something new.
Vacations and day trips are fun and at the same time these trips can be educational. Preparing for and visiting a park offers the family opportunities to learn subjects like geography (visiting new places), history by visiting parks like the Statue of Liberty and math (think preparing a trip budget y measuring the distance to the park). Not only that, but park visitors could learn new skills like how to paddle a kayak or canoe, how to identify the planets in the sky or how to fish.
Below are a few links that show the connection between parks and education. If you want to learn more about your own state’s standards, look up your state education agency on the web.
The state of Massachusetts
Science in the state of Massachusetts Grades 3-5
The lifecycle and more http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/scitech/1006.pdf
All of Massachusetts standards http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html
Texas
All of Texas’ standards
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148&menu_id=720&menu_id2=785
The lifecycle is on page 23 of this informational website by Texas Parks and Wildlife
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_p4503_0131n.pdf
Photo is courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife
