From experiments for older students to exhibits and hands-on activities for the little ones, Los Angeles has plenty to offer for opportunities to expand your science curriculum. Interactive field trips are perfect for expanding minds and showing your students just how fun science can be inside and outside of the classroom.
Choose from these seven exciting science field trips to expand your science lessons and excite your students about learning.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Animal Exploration
Designed for students in pre-K through 2nd grade, this interactive field trip allows your students to get up close and personal with sea animals. Students learn about the tidepool animals and even get a chance to touch the creatures. Combine this field trip with the Sharky’s adventure to learn even more about the shapes and sizes of sharks.
California Science Center
Space Shuttle Endeavor
Beam your students in 4th through 12th grade into space with this interactive field trip at the California Science Center. This specialized field trip leads students through artifacts and exhibits designed to answer all of their questions about space. Your students can learn the ins and outs of the space shuttle “Endeavour” and complete the field trip with a special IMAX movie.
La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
Guided Site Tour
Expose your students to the wonders of science with a guided tour of the La Brea Tar Pits and the accompanying museum. Perfect for students in 3rd through 8th grade, this field trip digs deep into how to conduct a paleontological dig. Students can also explore one of the pre-eminent Ice Age excavation sites to expand their science lessons.
Underwood Family Farms
Educational Farm Tour
Want to expand your students’ minds about how a working farm contributes to science? Plan your next field trip for students in K-8th grade at Underwood Family Farms. This interactive field trip helps students learn about where their food comes from. The tour includes opportunities to pick vegetables, understand how food is grown and even bring home a pumpkin or two. Top off the field trip with a visit to the Family Animal Center while visiting with a farmer.
Discovery Science Cube
Cube Field Trip
Find two floors of science discoveries perfect for students in grades 2 through 8. The Discovery Science Cube, with two locations in Los Angeles, features interactive exhibits on power and even superheroes. Enjoy an interactive science demonstration or wander through the cube to see hands-on exhibits and investigations to complement your science curriculum.
George F. Beattie Planetarium
Star-Gazing Experience
Showcase the beauty of the stars with a field trip to the George F. Beattie Planetarium. With field trips designed for grades 2-12, this planetarium is home to a star projector that offers your students views from the North Pole to the South Pole. Sign up for the star-gazing experience in the planetarium where students can learn more about astronomy.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden
Guided Tours
Designed for grades 3 to 6, the guided tours at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden take your students through rows of blooming flowers and plants to explore. Give your students to explore wildlife in natural settings, learn more about how plants grow and witness the workers offering TLC to the blooming wonders.
Now that you’ve learned about our favorite science field trips in the Los Angeles area, share your favorites in the comments below. We want to know how you enhance your science curriculum when venturing outside of the classroom.
Photo Credit: * Leviclancy - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70299236*