A local business has designed a product to help engage students and bring a new type of field trip into the classroom.
Tsawwassen mom Tami Oudendijk has teamed up with her sister, Shauna Farrell, and friend Mira Chan to start Field-Trip-In-A-Box.
The unique concept brings a full field trip into the classroom, engaging students in a new way of learning and giving the traditional field trip a twist.
With Field-Trip-In-A-Box, the trio goes into the classroom and puts on a 90-minute workshop that is theme-based but covers several different subject areas.
"Our education model for developing a field trip includes choosing a theme that spans multiple grade levels and subjects," Oudendijk said. "We infuse the activities with opportunities to develop soft skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking and communication.
"As the kids participate in activities, they are combining math, language, social studies, science and, in some cases, fine arts curricula, based on B.C. elementary learning outcomes, as well as exploring the soft skills mentioned above."
Field-Trip-In-A-Box is a new venture for the three business partners, who launched their business Fun-In-A-Box-Canada back in 2003.
Oudendijk said they were looking for a change and also searching for a way to make learning more experiential, interdisciplinary and engaging.
Aside from the benefits for students, Field-Trip-In-A-Box aims to make field trips more affordable and easier for schools and teachers.
The program comes with no travel costs or the need to make arrangements, because it comes right into the classroom, and allows teachers to have a field trip experience without a loss of classroom time typical of traditional field trips.
Field-Trip-In-A-Box costs about $6 to $10 per child. Right now Oudendijk and her partners are offering a field trip designed around a water theme, however they are working on other themes as well.
For more information about Field-Trip-In-A-Box visit www.funinaboxcanada.com/blog/fieldtrip,email [email protected] or call 604-782-4345.
