My PLP class was given a chance to have one of the best learning experiences possible, a field school to California. Going on a field school allows us to learn outside of a classroom and connect our unit, Disruption, to the real world. I’m so happy that I decided to go on the field school because I got to have the most amazing experiences and meet the most amazing people in California.

 

A day before we left for California, my class was given a very interesting project. We needed to create a book on Book Creator that showed our learning throughout the trip. I was excited to work on this project in California because it is kind of like a scrap book so that I can remember everything that happened by looking at the photos, videos, interviews, and write ups.

The first place that my class went to was San Diego, and we went to the Safari Park, USS Midway, and a high school called High Tech High.

Day 1:

On the first day, we caught a flight at 4:30 in the morning and took two flights to get to San Diego. Once there, we watched the sunset and payed a game of frisbee by the ocean before dinner. For dinner we had our first of many Mexican meals.

Day 2:

When we got to the Safari Park, we took pictures, videos, and even had some cool interactions with the animals! For some of the days, we had challenges that we could do. One of them that was for the Safari Park was to make a short movie or a movie trailer about something in the park. This was a really fun video that I put together once I got back from the trip, using video that I took in the Safari Park.

Day 3:

On the third day of the trip, we went to the USS Midway for an audio guided tour. This was an amazing expirience, and the best part was talking to the volunteer veterans. These men actually worked on the ship when it was still being used for military reasons and they had so many stories to tell us.

Day 4:

One of the best expiriences of the trip was going to High Tech High. There, we met grade 9 students who we interviewed and got to know really well. The thing that made this expirience so great, was that my class still talks to the students there because we got so close with them in only two days!

That night, we went to the Cabrillo National Monument to learn about this explorer and look at his statue. That was a great night and I learned a lot about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.

 

Day 5:

This was the last day at High Tech High Media Arts! After making our projects the day before, we had more time to spend with our Californian friends. Unfortunately, this was our last day in San Diego, so we caught a flight right after school ended.

Day 6:

This was our first day in San Jose! On our first day, we went to the Google store, a Google HQ, and the Intel Museum. The Google store was really cool because we got to see a lot of their merchandise and just being in the Google area was an expirience. For example, all of the employees rode on bicycles that were the colours of Googles logo. The Intel Museum was also really cool because we got to see a lot of the famous Intel computer chips!

 

Day 7:

On this day, we went to the Computer History Museum and Stanford. The Computer History Museum was a very cool expirience because we got to have a tour and we got to explore the museum on our own as well. Stanford was one of my favourite parts of the trip! We got a tour of the campus and then we all went to the gift shop to buy Stanford hoodies.

Day 8:

This was our first day in San Francisco! One of the best parts of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge, and on this day we got to see it! After a long day of train rides, we got to see the Golden Gate Bridge which was a huge highlight.

Day 9:

This was our last day on the trip! Thankfully, it was one of the best days of our trip. We went on a walking tour of the city and then visited Alcatraz. On the walking tour I learned so much about the history of San Fransisco, especially the hippies who came for the Summer of Love. That night after the tour, we went to Alcatraz. This was an amazing opportunity, especially since I got an interview with someone who works there.

Once we got back home, I was able to finish this book and add all of the videos and photos into it. In the end, I had an amazing time in California and I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity!