A Trip to Boston and Back in Time

Students stand in wooding cabin alongside a colonial cannon
A Trip to Boston and Back in Time
Westmark Staff

Each year, as they look ahead to their future in high school, Westmark’s Grade 8 students spend a week in Boston immersing themselves in our nation’s history. 

This year’s five-day experiential learning trip took place in April. And the eighth graders enjoyed a packed itinerary including museum visits, boat trips, walking tours, and bowling—experiences that illuminated their classroom studies and fostered lifelong bonds between them. 

Check out highlights from their trip in the photos below!
 

Shortly after landing in Boston, the students set off to explore the sights. They browsed through the historic Quincy Market and then stopped to take this picture in front of the Old State House, the original seat of the colonial government of Massachusetts.

A lively night of bowling provided a healthy dose of friendly competition among the group.

The students kicked off their first full day in the city at the Boston Museum of Science, where they learned about New England habitats and much more.

Later that day, the group hopped on a Duck Tour to see Boston from land and sea. Aboard, many in the group took the chance to sit at the helm!

A short drive to Plymouth brought the students to a living history museum, where they experienced what life was like for the Wampanoag and English peoples in the 1600s. Grinding corn, chopping wood, and sitting in a mishoon (“dug-out canoe”) were among their favorite activities. 
 

The students then traveled back to Boston to take part in the “Today’s Vote” program at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. Acting as members of the U.S. Senate, they formed committees and debated the topic of voting rights, just as it's currently being discussed on the Senate floor.

The eighth graders started off the next morning at the Salem Witch Museum, where they delved into the city's dark history. 

Back in Boston, the cheeky teens had lots of fun reenacting the infamous act of rebellion at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.

An evening tour of Fenway Park rounded out their last night in Boston.

Before boarding their flight home, the tireless crew delved into the history of the first battles of the Revolutionary War. They took a guided tour of Lexington and Concord and made a stop at the Minute Man National Historical Park. Finally, they boarded the USS Constitution for a closer look at “Old Ironsides.”