Best Science Camp Near Lake Arrowhead

Life as a teacher is a constant balancing act. You want to provide your students with the best possible education in your subject, hopefully even instilling a passion for the subject in your students. At the same time, you need to adhere to your state’s standards and make sure your students have all the knowledge they need when exam time arrives, all while working within budget limitations too. That’s why there are places like Pali Institute.

Pali Institute is an experiential learning retreat that provides overnight field trips throughout the San Bernardino area and beyond. Here’s a peek into why we’ve earned the reputation of being the best science camp near Lake Arrowhead.

Reaching Tactile Learners

Lecturing may be the most efficient way to cover a large amount of information, but as every teacher knows, only rare students find lecturing to be the most effective way for them to learn. Your students learn better by experiencing the concepts you’re teaching in a hands-on way. Few schools have the resources to offer lab time for every and any topic the students learn about, so this is where Pali Institute comes in. As a facility that is dedicated to experiential learning, we’re dedicated to bringing science to life and we have the tools to do so. Prepare to see that “disinterested kid in the back” come alive.

Offering Career Exploration

Preparing kids for their future careers is one of the most important jobs our educational system has, and yet it so often falls by the wayside because of all the other immediate demands. Even with the best of intentions, a teacher can’t give their students a true taste of what a science-related career would be like unless the students can actually dig in and get their hands dirty. Our courses at Pali allow students to find out first-hand what it would be like to be a biologist, a geologist, an archaeologist, a forensic scientist, and more. These lessons put science in context and help kids start thinking about whether they may enjoy a career in the sciences.

Building on Your Past and Future Classroom Work

Every teacher has felt the frustration of knowing their students weren’t understanding some of the material but not having the budget or the time to delve deeper. Chances are that you’ve also seen students memorize the facts and definitions from your lessons but you knew that they didn’t understand the true applications of the information. Our lessons at Pali can build on what you’ve already taught your students by bringing those facts to life. Instead of students knowing the definitions of thrust and wind resistance, they can see them at work on their own rockets.

In addition to expanding on the topics you’ve already covered, an experience at Pali Institute will also benefit your future lessons. It allows you to refer back to their students’ lessons at Pali and explain, “This is what why your rocket went that direction” or “Remember the marine life you learned about at Pali? This is how they work together in their environment.” The simple ability to discover science in action can also inspire students to be more engaged in the subject in general, allowing them to come into your future classes with a new thirst for learning.

Expanding on More Scientific Specialties

Try as you might, no school has the time or resources to give students experience in every scientific field. From biology and anatomy to physics and geology, there’s only so much you can cover, even in a STEM school. Pali Institute offers you the opportunity to select the lessons you want for your students over the course of several days. You can expose them to a wide range of scientific specialties they wouldn’t be able to experience in the classroom, potentially even opening them up to discover a new passion and career path they wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Customization for Your Classroom

Every teacher knows that education is never “one size fits all.” Each student’s learning style and ability level is unique, and the same goes for each group that comes through our gates at Pali Institute. This is why we allow educators to customize their students’ experiences. You can choose from a three-day, four-day, or five-day experience in addition to selecting the courses you want throughout the course of the trip. Our skillful instructors will cater each lesson to your students’ grade levels and prior knowledge, as well as the goals you have for them throughout their time at Pali.

Building Environmental Appreciation

Science is all about understanding and enhancing the world around us, and a crucial scientific subject today is environmental preservation. For students to live in urban environments, it can be difficult to grasp the true beauty and importance of nature because they’re used seeing only concrete and technology in their surroundings. Pali Institute, on the other hand, is located in the San Bernardino mountains. By experiencing the wonders of nature for themselves, our hope is that your students can develop a closer relationship with the planet and an appreciation for why they need to protect it for generations to come.

Compliance with State Standards

As you strive to educate your students, you have to balance quality and practicality. No matter how enriching an educational experience may be, it also has to adhere to your state’s standards to ensure that your students get the knowledge they need. Rest assured that Pali Institute fits the bill. Not only are we accredited by the Association for Experiential Education but our lessons also apply to state standards in California, Nevada, and Arizona. It’s the best of both worlds: checking boxes on your list of standards while also providing your students with a truly beneficial experience.

If you’re like most teachers, you entered your first year of teaching as an energetic educator with dreams of inspiring your students and making a lifelong impact on them. Though it’s true that there are limitations and requirements you need to meet, you can do that while also creating the powerful educational experiences you’ve dreamed of by getting creative with your planning. If you want to give your students the benefits above, find out more about the best science camp near Lake Arrowhead by calling Pali Institute today.