From Texas history exhibits to college campuses, field trips across Round Rock ISD help students connect classroom learning to real-world experiences.
“Our field trips are such a meaningful part of learning at Laurel Mountain and truly bring our enrichment and environment vision to life,” said Mandy Masters, principal of Laurel Mountain Elementary. “We select trips that intentionally extend classroom learning and reflect our Future’s Framework values: curiosity, play, creativity, connection, and real-world leadership.”
Laurel Mountain fourth graders recently visited the Bob Bullock Museum in Austin, where the exhibits aligned directly with their curriculum related to the state’s history.
Jaelyn Banks, a fourth-grade teacher and team lead at Laurel Mountain, said the museum’s chronological layout helped students make sense of historical concepts they have been studying all year.
“In fourth grade, all we do is Texas history,” Banks said. “By the time we get here, we’ve usually reached the Texas Revolution, so students get to see their learning reflected through real artifacts. It helps connect something that happened a long time ago to real life.”
Banks said field trips also allow students to learn through discovery rather than traditional instruction.
“It gives them a change of scenery and lets them learn more on their own instead of always from a teacher,” she said.
Another field trip that one of our schools hosted looked different. Jollyville Elementary School students participated in a different kind of learning experience when they visited Austin Community College’s (ACC) Highland Campus, where they were introduced to college life and future career possibilities.
According to Jollyville’s Assistant Principal, Mary Decker, field trips like the one to ACC are designed to broaden students’ perspectives and help them begin imagining their futures.
“We focus on preparing our students with academic and study skills they will need as they go into middle and high school,” Decker said. “We were excited for Jollyville students to be able to see what opportunities await them at postsecondary institutions like ACC. We want to ignite that passion for learning now so they can start planning their academic paths for the future.”
These examples highlight how field trips across Round Rock ISD are selected intentionally to strengthen academic understanding and connect learning to the world beyond the classroom.
“Across all grade levels, our goal is the same in the district,” Masters said. “To spark joy and curiosity, strengthen academic understanding through hands-on experiences, and help students connect their learning to the world around them.”