Who said we couldn’t travel during the pandemic?!
This past November, 49 classrooms representing over 500 preK-2nd grade students in the U.S. climbed aboard a Zoom webinar for a Level Up Village Virtual Field Trip to Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Hosted by local teachers and students in each county, our friends in Africa showed us the activities they love to do, the games they like to play, their markets, neighborhoods, and schools.
For me, planning the field trip was a great way to reconnect with LUV’s partners in Africa. With schools closed across the world for the past 7 months, it was hard to bring classrooms together for a regular LUV course. But our partners were never out of mind. The field trip gave us a chance to see each other and connect again. For the students in the U.S., including many young learners, it was a great way to help them connect to Africa for the FIRST time ever!
One school director wrote us to say: “I think you would be pleased to know how many conversations these trips have sparked among our first graders and how much teaching we are able to sneak in because they are so fascinated.” For summer 2021, we are planning to have some U.S. preschools prepare video clips to share with their friends in Africa and elsewhere, so they can also see some American activities, communities, and schools. Sharing experiences and cultures is what it’s all about! You are never too young to learn 21st century skills!
The field trips were recorded so in case you missed them the first time, you and your students can always come along anytime to relive the journey with us!
