When most people think about going on an airboat ride, they think about the high speed adventure of seeing wild alligators while skimming along the waters of a place like Lake Cypress. While it's true that you might recognize Florida's natural beauty on your ride, there is more to it than meets the eye. There is actually an ecosystem within the trees, bushes, grass and water that all worked together long before airboat rides, and well... even before humans! So while we definitely encourage you to take your children on an Orlando airboat tour for a fun ride, here are a few things they can learn about Florida's ecosystem.
If you're a Florida native, you probably remember traveling to St. Augustine as a kid, maybe even on a school field trip, to learn about Florida's history. You might recall the history behind the Fountain of Youth and visiting the Old Jail. Maybe you have a great memory in general, but we're betting that trip left a real impression on you, enhancing your classroom study of Florida's history. In fact, research shows that field trips can help students grow in cognitive and affective outcomes such as: increasing interest and engagement in science regardless of prior interest, having positive feelings toward a topic, and better memory retention of the field trip long after the visit.
So, along with teaching your students (or your own kiddos) about St. Augustine and its status as Florida's oldest city, you could also teach them about an older, natural city (of sorts) at Lake Cypress. For millions of years, Lake Cypress has been home to generations of animals, plants, and even microscopic organisms. So teach your students what an ecosystem is in the classroom, then let the Florida airboat ride reinforce your lesson by showing it in action. You'll be able to show your students the different factors and elements that determine how an ecosystem is classified.
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Along with your class learning about the Florida's ecosystem, an Orlando airboat ride can also give your students a better understanding of Florida's unique wildlife, and where those species fall in the food chain and the process of photosynthesis. But, at Wild Florida, the lessons won't stop after your class leaves the airboat. Inside our Gator and Wildlife Park, your students can get up close and learn different facts about animals from not only Florida, but those found across the world. Along with factoids posted at each exhibit, your class can attend our Exotic Animal Show and get to pet and maybe even hold some of the animals as they learn about where they live, what they eat and other unique characteristics.
Whether you've been teaching for just one year or 30 years, or you're a homeschooling extraordinaire, we understand that field trips are always a bit daunting as you'll have to spend a day herding children. If you're still on the fence, or you're not sure what goes into planning a field trip at an outdoor attraction, download our Teacher's Survival Guide! You'll be able to read more about what to expect at an outdoor attraction and what your students will learn when visiting Wild Florida specifically. If you're already ready to plan your class field trip to Wild Florida, you can view our different field trip packages and see which package would be best for your class.
