MISSION
Provide access to meaningful, hands-on educational experiences grounded in the real world for elementary-aged explorers in Northern Virginia and beyond.
VISION
Expand opportunities for young learners to experience place-based education while inspiring and empowering explorers of all ages to contribute to their communities and impact positive change on the world.
VALUES
Take Chances * Make Mistakes *Get Messy
Never Stop Growing * Have Fun
On the Learning Adventure Bus, we believe that kids learn through doing, that real-world experiences are better than a computer screen any day of the week, and that the best lesson of all is the one kids discover for themselves.
With that in mind, every adventure is designed around these guiding principles....
Experiential Learning
Beyond being exciting and engaging, experiential learning is research-proven to lead to long-term academic success. Children who learn through doing have been shown to better retain information by up to 63%. More importantly, they discover why what their learning matters and how it can be applied now, in real life, in real ways.
It's the unforgettable magic of an amazing field trip. Every single time.
Standards Enrichment
Our adventures are designed to accompany and enhance explorers'
in-the-classroom education. Based around the Virginia Standards of Learning, our adventures highlight themes common to all elementary curricula. Adventures and projects will be applicable across grade-level and our conductors will differentiate accordingly, challenging explorers where they are and helping guide them to where they want to be.
Hands-on Engagement
There's a reason why getting messy is so fun. There's also a reason why it works. Research shows that, specifically in the STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), hands-on learning is proven to be %150 more effective than traditional learning. That's why we end every adventure with the chance for explorers to demonstrate their new understanding by creating, building and - of course - getting their hands dirty.
Focus on the Arts
We believe in integrating the arts into everything we do. That's why we move beyond STEM education and keep our buses (ok, the adventures on our buses...) powered by STEAM. Bringing in the arts not only increases young learners' engagement and enthusiasm, but
Arts-Integration is linked with across-the-board increases in academic achievement. Not to mention, exposure to art has been proven by neuroscientists to actually bring joy.
Increased motivation, achievement and happiness? Count us in.
Community Involvement
What could be better than Project-Based Learning? Project-Based Learning where the projects are designed to empower young learners to better their own community and world. By bringing our explorers out in the community, they have a chance to identify real problems - and come up with real solutions - all on their own. Giving every adventure, and every new learning, an authentic purpose.
