5 Math Field Trips in Kansas City
Let’s be honest- a lot of your students probably dread math class. But these field trips can reignite a passion for math and give them a new outlook on the subject! Explore the worlds of exponents, addition, and engineering with these exciting, hands-on field trips.
Linda Hall Library
The Feminine Math-tique
Grades: 6-12
Virtual Option: No
This exhibition traces Lynn M. Osen, an accomplished mathematician who started her career as a systems analyst in the Second World War. This work highlights the barriers that keep young women out of math careers. She spent much of her life working to dispel the myth that women should be barred from math. This exhibition is a great way to bridge math and social studies, engaging students in asking “why” things were the way they were, imploring them to share their own feelings on the subject, and how we can do better in the present and future.
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Miniatures
Grades: K-12
Virtual Option: Yes
Explore the concept of scale with the perfect physical embodiment of the lesson: a collection of miniatures! Potential accompanying lesson plans include exponents, the scale of the galaxy, decimals, fractions, and more. Adjust the difficulty of the math to the grade level. For a hands-on experience, have students draw their own miniature versions of their favorite piece of art, sculpt tiny objects, build with popsicle sticks- the possibilities are endless!
Science City
Become an Engineer
Grades: 1-8
Virtual Option: No
With LEGO Education WeDo Robotics, Become an Engineer challenges students to solve problems all while building and programming their very own robots! The program is facilitated to specific grade levels and uses scientific principles to enrich the activity. For lower grade levels, include follow-up questions about their experiences and what they learned. Older grades can explore how robots have evolved throughout history and their place in the modern age. You can even compliment the field trip with rudimentary lessons in coding!
Wonderscope
Wonder Market
Grades: K-3
Virtual Option: No
Your students can shop, be a cashier, and re-stock shelves at Wonder Market! This experience is designed for young ones, and can be tailored to the grade. K-1 can count vegetables at the museum and do simple addition of item cost in preparation or as an after-activity. Grades 2-3 can do more complex addition problems including more items.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center
School Visits
Grades: K-6
Virtual Option: No
In collaboration with LEGO Education, LEGOLAND Discovery Center creates unique learning experiences for every student who walks in the door. Their workshops bring STEM to life, all the while encouraging healthy group dynamics, critical thinking, and problem solving. Your students will be immersed in the world of engineering at LEGOLAND as they realize the only limit is their imagination! This field trip pairs well with lessons about kinetic energy and engineering. For younger students, count, add, and subtract LEGO blocks in preparation. As a step up from that, use LEGOs to teach about multiplication, division, and fractions! Using LEGOs in math lessons prior to this field trip will make the experience all the more special and tie everything together.
Between building with LEGOs and learning about the intersection between feminism and math, you can find a field trip from this list for just about any class. These field trips create an unforgettable experience that will solidify math concepts in your student’s minds and encourage them to find a love for the subject.
Looking for more ‘math’ field trips? Visit Explorable Places to search for field trips based on subject, grade, location, activity and price. You’ll find just what you’re looking for.