Experiential learning is an integral part of a Sierra Canyon education. Central to the School's mission is the belief that students should be given opportunities to investigate the world beyond the four walls of the classroom and to let that world inform the knowledge they are gaining from traditional coursework.
In Pre-Kindergarten through 2nd Grade, teachers plan a variety of field trips within school hours to extend ideas discussed in the classroom. Beginning in 3rd Grade, extended trips are introduced. These experiences enhance the curriculum and teach students the importance of group living, leadership, independence, and team-building skills.
The following are examples of extended, beyond-the-classroom experiences:
| 3rd Grade | |
|---|---|
| Trip | Indigenous Peoples Celebration |
| Location | The Leonis Adobe Museum and Sierra Canyon Lower Campus |
| Duration | 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
| Purpose | Study of Indigenous Peoples Culture |
| 4th Grade | |
|---|---|
| Trip | California Missions |
| Location | Solvang, California |
| Duration | 1 Night/ 2 Days |
| Purpose | California History |
| 5th Grade | |
|---|---|
| Trip | Pali Institute |
| Location | Running Springs, California |
| Duration | 2 Nights/ 3 Days |
| Purpose | Team Building, Leadership, and Outdoor Education |
| 6th Grade | |
|---|---|
| Trip | Olympic Park Institute (OPI) |
| Location | Olympic Rainforest, Washington |
| Duration | 4 Nights/ 5 Days |
| Purpose | Team Building, Leadership, Outdoor Education, and Ecology of Rainforest Studies |
| 7th Grade | |
|---|---|
| Trip | Camp Surf |
| Location | San Diego, California |
| Duration | 3 Nights/ 4 Days |
| Purpose | Community Building, Outdoor Education, Ocean Awareness and Conservancy |
| 8th Grade | |
|---|---|
| Trip | Our Nation’s Capital |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Duration | 4 Nights/ 5 Days |
| Purpose | United States History, Government, and Community Building |
