FIELD STUDIES

The IGS provides a number of specialized trips and excursions for both Grade 11 & 12 cohorts. These trip offerings are designed to enhance the knowledge obtained in the classrooms and lectures with practical, hands-on experiences.

While most of our attempts to cultivate a robust community of practice involved reaching out to people around the region, we began broadening our scope with our first “Rails to Relevance” trip in 2012.  To engage our students with Canada’s structure of government and democratic institutions (key learning outcomes for Social Studies 11), our teaching team came up with the idea of taking our Grade 11 cohort on a cross-Canada train trip. 

On our inaugural voyage, 40 students were given two central questions to explore: 1. What does it mean to be a citizen of Canada?; 2. What is Canada’s responsibility to the world?  Along the way, students interviewed Canadians of all stripes and were tasked with creating documentaries to showcase their findings.  Our Member of the Legislative Assembly, Lana Popham, and Member of Parliament, Elizabeth May, accompanied us along the way and taught classes on governance and civic engagement as we sped along in our moving classroom.  By the time we reached Ottawa, word of our unique field trip had spread, and we were granted access to politicians and leaders from all the major parties. 

Since 2012, “Rails to Relevance” has become a mainstay of our Grade 11 offering and inspired a Grade 12 excursion which takes students to Haida Gwaii (Rails to Resilience).  As a result of the annual senior-level trips, our community of practice has expanded to include individuals from all walks of life, from an energetic Quebecois tour guide to a world-renowned Hermetic code scholar.  These individuals have come to resonate with our learners year after year and now have a vested interest in the future success of our program.

Students in Grade 11 & 12 can expect to leave the Claremont campus at least one time each week, with excursions ranging from trips to local areas of interest, to a culminating Grade 11 trip across Canada by train and an Grade 12 trip to Haida Gwaii.