8 Ideas To Inspire Your New Homeschool Curriculum

School will be different this year.  As the summer draws to a close, uncertain parents and teachers are facing this unavoidable reality. School districts have to juggle digital and in-person teaching solutions, all the while enforcing safety precautions, reinventing curriculum and dealing with any liabilities moving forward.

It’s clear that remote education is not equitably or equally accessible across the board. It’s also clear to many parents that their kids are not built for learning via Zoom.  With that, it isn’t surprising to see parents who are reluctant to send their children back to a virtual classroom.

Parents who saw the effects of mandatory at-home learning over the previous semester may not be inclined to repeat the experiment. However, those with access to digital resources and stable at-home learning environments may actually benefit from a more non-traditional education, at least in the meantime.

If you are a parent or educator who has decided to keep your students home this semester, here are a few social-distancing field trip ideas that could inspire your lessons on history, science, economics, politics, sociology and the arts.

Your NPS Units: National Parks, National Monuments and National Historic Landmarks

When it comes to educational resources, there are few better places to visit than public lands. Designated lands and landmarks provide perspectives on history and nature that are difficult to experience online or even in the classroom.

Public lands are some of the most accessible and valuable spots in the U.S. Note that there is a difference between National Parks Service units, State Park units, National Forest Service units, Bureau of Land Management units, etc. It is worth knowing where you are, who manages the land, and how the rules differ from service to service.

In fact, there is even a difference between NPS Units in terms of National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Landmarks, National Parkways, National Preserves, etc. Generally, the difference has to do with who in the federal government gets to designate the land; congress can declare a national park, but the president must declare a national monument. It also has to do with the type of unit; for example, is this a vast natural area, a historically preserved building or a significant roadway?

Wherever you are located in the U.S., you are likely within a reasonable distance to at least one NPS Unit. The NPS currently has 419 units nationwide, and you can search for NPS units by state. If you’re willing to make a road trip out of it, select a few must-see units and discover America’s Best Idea yourself!

Your Local National Forest

National Forests are also public lands, but they operate slightly differently from NPS Units. Operated by the U.S. Forest Service , National Forests provide a scenic oasis whether you are deep in the woods or standing in the middle of one of our many Urban Forests.

The U.S. Forest Service website is full of educational resources and ideas for learners of all ages. There, you can find classroom materials, USDA education packets and even professional development tools. Additionally, learn about the impact of climate change on our forests, how to care for local flora and fauna and the history of land use and management in the U.S. Pick up a map of your local National Forest , go out exploring and create your own homework projects inspired by the great outdoors.

Your State Parks and Forests

Besides federally managed lands, each state also has State Parks and Forests that are owned and operated at the state level. Depending on your state’s terrain, economy and government, these parks could be free or for a fee, and they could be anything worth protecting like a lakeshore, mountain range, park, forest, trail, river, beach or historic site. The main differences between state and national parks are management and jurisdiction.

State Parks and Forests are convenient because they are often a bit lesser known than the federally managed units. Depending on how popular the site, state parks may be ideal places for socially-distant education; some even have on-site museums and interpretation programs just like National Parks.

Trip Historic

Let’s face it: History can be dull if you’re forced to memorize facts out of a book.  Any parent knows that kids learn by experiencing the world more than they learn in school. That’s why we travel.

One silver lining to our exile from the globe is a desire to explore our own backyards. You can combine the two, history and travel, by using Trip Historic to guide your plans.  Trip Historic allows you to search historical sites by location, time period or interest.

Are your kids studying Native American history?  How about a visit to Mesa Verde, Colorado , site of cliff dwellings dating back to 600AD?  With Trip Historic as your guide you can find sites where your kids can learn about events from prehistory all the way up to the Cold War.

Your Local Museums

There are few better places for an educational trip than sites that are generally already prime destinations for traditional school field trips. Depending on where you live, this might be a bit trickier than finding public lands; unless you are close to a larger city, you may not have access to museums. Additionally, museums in larger cities may not be open at this time.

However, if you happen to live close to a local museum and it is safe to visit, this is a great option. For the time being, it is probably wise to steer clear of hands-on, interactive museums (even though those can be more fun) in favor of no-touch galleries and historical collections.

Take advantage of each safe exhibit; challenge your students to read the information, write down facts that they didn’t know before, or find five favorite artifacts to study after returning home. Possibilities for teachable moments are nearly endless at a museum.

Geocaching

If the idea of visiting museums or national parks garners an eye roll, add in an element of scavenger hunting. If you’re not familiar, Geocaching is a free activity where you hunt for “treasure” boxes hidden in plain sight all over the world. You can even create your own box for others to find.

The app takes the fun of Pokemon Go and adds a dash of education when you choose the sites to explore. You earn points with each cache you find and earn virtual badges for completing challenges, giving an element of both competition and community.  The site even has GeoTours that you can use to discover sites around a theme, including one that visits National Parks .

As an aside, don’t sleep on Pokemon Go as an educational tool, especially for video gamers.  The game has smartly sprinkled Pokemon nests and gyms within most historical sites and museums.  While evolving Turtwig might not seem like your idea of education, you’d be amazed at how much kids pick up by osmosis.  Use Pokemon Go as a lure to excite kids about visiting parks and museums, picking up a lesson or two along the way.

Your Local Library

If you have conquered the museums and want to learn more about what you’ve just seen, check out your local library for books and resources. Again, libraries may not be 100% functional at this time, but many library systems subscribe to digital loaning services such as Overdrive.  Even if you are not there to check out physical books, librarians are often significantly under-appreciated community resources. Just drop your library an email to connect with one.

Your local librarian can tell you all about great books to read, and can perhaps even find you a digital copy. They can also steer you in the direction of web resources, similar topics to explore, any relevant local events and public computers if a computer is not accessible at home.

Your Local Theater

The arts are just as important as the sciences, considering that music and art are directly related to brain development and language acquisition. The theater scene has suffered tremendously during these times, but if your town hosts a small local theater troupe, concert hall or cinema, these are great options. Or you can enjoy Broadway theater at home, the most popular currently being Hamilton streaming on Disney+.

Music, performance and film are not only cultural keystones, but early exposure to a wide variety of the arts is integral to creativity, problem-solving skills and open-mindedness down the road. Encourage your little learners to be inspired by taking them to any safe, accessible community performances or by bringing the arts to your television.

Bottom Line

Classrooms may look different in the coming months, but if you’ve chosen to abstain from traditional school, there are plenty of things to evoke curiosity and wonder in your kids. As safety regulations allow, taking this time to explore your local community and public lands is an excellent placeholder for the classroom until it becomes safe enough to return to school.

By Caroline Lupini, Forbes Staff