Class Trips to Study the Civil War

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Teaching and studying history is quite boring in class, especially if you are studying via book and a few multi-media slides in a dark class-room. Moreover, if the topic is something like Civil war or war strategies, it is not hard to imagine, what will be the concentration level of most students in the class. However, you can always make a boring history topic into a more exciting real life experience by simple interventional tactics. This can be accomplished by education tours, a variety of pre-structured student group tours and travel experiences and other strategies that will not only help students to understand the subject well but also helps in improving the learning skills.

The best form of learning is always to experience events; however, for something like history of civil war, you still have plenty of options to improve the understanding of the subject and to build your interest and interest of fellow students.

These are:

-          Conducting day or over-night educational tours to different states and cities to explore different war museums. Museums are the best places to learn about war and war strategies as you will not only see the artillery and other arms and ammunition used, but also art pieces that will convey the message to everyone. Moreover, you can also see a number of remnants from the war sites that help you understanding your course material in a better manner.  One in particular is the Civil War Museum located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

-          In certain states and cities, local government has constructed civil war monuments and with the help of your educational tour experiences, you can learn a lot about the history, events and consequences of civil war in different populations.  Nearby to the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg during your class trip, you can tajke your class trip to visit Gettysburg.  The town of Gettysburg has a wealth of information pertaining to the Civil War.  From there, travel down into Northern Virginia to Harpers Ferry or the Manassas Battlefield.

Another great destination to travel to is Pamplin Park outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia.  At this location your student travelers can experience the way a civil war soldier lived, fired their weapon and made their ow food

-          Libraries are another great source of learning for civil war catastrophes, strategies and tactics. But since books are widely available, you may not have to visit the libraries in different states. However, most universities and colleges have separate sections to review and analyze material and papers to study tactics of civil war and with the help of your group tour and travel experience, you will have a better access to those learning methods. You can always arrange a class trip with the help of your history teacher and administration.

Learning goals:

Education tours for civil wars strategies are basically aimed at improving the social and group skills among students to enhance learning and also to develop team management and leadership capabilities during group tour and travel experience. 

3 Day class trip to Boston

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Class trips are always fun, especially if you are travelling to another state or city for over-night stay. Boston is one of the most renowned and preferred city for educational class trips in middle school students. Although, you can plan an over-night trip to Boston, but it may not give you enough exposure and learning experience since the city of Boston has a lot to offer, for which you need at least 3 to 4 day trip. It is always good to have the help of a tour company to make your learning experience even more remarkable.

What to do in Boston trip?

Boston is a great city that serves different activities for individuals of all age groups and interests. For students and young adolescents, the beautiful city of Boston offers recreational class trips:

-          Freedom trail: it is one of the most visited attractions of Boston that is full of historic and learning monuments like USS Constitution. Most students would love to see sites like Old North Church and New England aquarium. Walking trail has historic importance and very few people know that this trail is among the first few of the American tour trails. For history students, this trail will orient you to the glamorous and rich American history of past 2 decades.

-    Riding the duck: See the whole city on an amphibious duck boat.  Your tour guide will educate you about the history of many sites in Boston, take you on a water ride of the Charles River and create soem very fun opportunities.  Some of their stops include: Bunker Hill, Old North Church, the U.S.S. Constitution and much more.

-   Museums: Boston offers something for every type of class and students, be it history, science, botany or International politics.  One great experience is the John F. Kennedy Museum and Library, an architectural wonder in Boston

-  Prudential Tower Deck: this huge sky-scrapper offers you a view of the beautiful and lively city of Boston and enhances your learning and educational tour experience. Preferably, visit the deck during early evening time to enjoy the fullest. It is a great spot to take pictures and also to make some unforgettable memories with your class-mates.

-  Universities: Boston is the home to a great many world renowned Universities.  Take a college tour and have an opportunity to discuss college life with their students.  Some of the most notable Universities are Harvard, Boston Collegem Boston University, New England Conservatory of Music and MIT.

-  The Performing Arts: Orchestras, Theatre performances and Murder Mysterys are just part of what make of the Arts in Boston.  Come see the World renowned Boston Symphony, watch a Broadway Show on tour, experience the hip rhythmic show of Blue Man Group or be a part of the Murder Mystery in Shear Madness.

-  Six flags New England: amazing park with great scenic beauty and blossoming flowers is a great getaway after all the study related stress you have to go through at your schools. For class trips and educational tours, Six flags is one of the most desirable spot for students as you can eat different cuisines, enjoy rides and also be a part of some remarkable events (depending on which month you are visiting); however, there is always some activity going on for amusement of school kids.

See all that Boston has to offer and let Peak Performance put together a perfect tour package for you.

6 Great Parades for your next Band Trip

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Parades are your marching bands time to shine. There are so many different music tours, performance tours, and band trips available for the marching band that sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish which are the best parades for your band trip. After all, a top notch marching band deserves to march in unison while playing their instrument of choice with the best. In addition, a band trip is a great reward for band students who are putting in the extra work for the love of musical education. What follows are 5 great parades for your band trips.

1. The President's Inaugural Parade:  The President's Inaugural Parade will take place on January 21, 2013.  Since it only happens once every four years and typically does not have any more than one band from each state it is a difficult parade to get into.  The application process just started and you need to make sure you have it complete prior to the election.  But what a parade it is, millions of people lining the streets.  Contact Peak today for more information.
2. The Tournament of Roses Parade: The Tournament of Roses Parade is not just about college football. It represents the crème de la crème of marching band events. The top marching bands in the U.S. are invited to participate in this Pasadena event each season. Annual marchers include the United States Marine Corp and the Salvation Army Marching Band.
3. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Nothing beats the Thanksgiving tradition of watching the Macy’s parade each year. Nothing, that is, except marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Enjoy the crisp autumn air of New York City, take advantage of visiting the city’s many historical institutions, and say hi to Mom on TV.
4. The Magnificent Mile Parade: Every holiday season the city of Chicago, Illinois hosts the breath taking Magnificent Mile parade of lights with Santa Clause and Mickey Mouse. This Christmas themed event actually takes place in November. Not just a parade, the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue will be buzzing with festival activities, musical performances, and shopping.
5. Honolulu Festival of Parade Bands: The Honolulu festival of Parade Bands is held every spring in Honolulu, Hawaii. What marching band would not love an excuse to travel to Honolulu for this international music competition?  Students may want to participate in the other competitions taking place this weekend, like the Hawaii Choral Festival, Hawaii Band & Orchestra Festival, and the Hawaii Cheer & Dance Festival.
6. National Cherry Blossom Parade and Festival: The nation’s capital Washington, D.C. is host to one of the most exclusive parades for marching bands each year. It is held each spring rain or shine to celebrate the beauty of the cherry blossom trees in bloom along the streets. These trees were a gift from Japan. There are many other special opportunities to perform in this political center.

For more ideas on parade opportunities, contact Peak Performance Tours for a list of parade opportunities.

5 great destinations for a class trip

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Planning a class trip depends on the nature of the institution and the educational requirements. Geographical location may be a factor, as well as the budget. It is possible your school can or cannot afford to hop on a plane and book a hotel for the destination that dreams are made of. But if we put all of that aside for now, what follows is the 5 best destinations for class trips from a student perspective. These destinations are listed in no particular order.

1. Yellowstone National Park: Home to some of the country’s most majestic natural wonders, a trip to Yellowstone has educational value in many subjects, especially science, history, art, and athletics. Options for a field trip to Yellowstone include camping, hiking, horseback riding, educational class tours, wildlife viewing, and monuments.
2. New York City: New York City the most densely populated area of the United States, and a capital of commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. No matter what your field of interest is, there is probably a destination that caters to it in New York City.
3. California & Disneyland: Nothing inspires delight in the heart of a student young or old quite like a class trip to Disneyland. But Mickey Mouse is not the only attraction in the area. Often billed as the “Creative Capital of the World” Los Angeles is home to Hollywood, an array of major studios, 841 museums, and a long strand of beaches.
4. Hawaii: A class trip to Hawaii would be a breath taking experience that no one could ever forget. Hawaii is not just a resort destination of sparkling white beaches. A trip to Hawaii has a lot of historical and anthropological value as the native homeland of the unique Hawaiian culture and language. In addition Hawaii is home to a range of geological formations as well as flora and fauna that occur no other place in the world.
5. Puerto Rico: Nothing brings a group of students together like exploring a foreign destination. Although technically a territory of the United States, Puerto Rico is unique as a Caribbean island in that is home to a completely different language and culture. A class trip to Puerto Rico can help students to develop Spanish skills. But it is also the place in which key events in U.S. history took place. Plus there is a tropical beach.

These are all great destinations.  For other destinations and what they have available, check out our destination site.

Performing at Walt Disney World on your Music Tours

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Walt Disney World has a multitude of great performance option for bands, choirs, orchestras, dance ensembles, and other performance based ensembles to perform throughout their property year round.  As part of the Disney Performing Arts program (formerly Magic Music Days), ensembles have an opportunity to audition to perform in a Parade at the Magic Kingdom or at Epcot.  All other ensembles can audition to perform at the Waterside Stage in Downtown Disney, a state of the art performance stage with a guaranteed audience being situated directly in front of the World Of Disney store. 

Another exceptional performance opportunity for choirs is the Candleight Processional at Epcot. The Candlelight Processional is a special holiday event held nightly at the America Gardens Theatre in Epcot theme park as part of Holidays Around The World. Choir members will be part of a Mass Choir singing with the "Voices of Liberty", joined by a 50-piece live orchestra and a celebruty narrator.  This year's program runs daily between November 23 and December 30, 2012.  Applications are due by September 21st, so act fast.

If you don't think your ensemble is ready for a performance, bring them to Walt Disney World for one of the Disney Performing Arts Workshops.  Some of the workshop opportunities include: "You're Instrumental" - You’re Instrumental! gives students a chance to immerse themselves into the world of a professional musician. Students will sight-read and prepare a polished performance of special Disney music selections in a studio recording environment; "Disney Sings" -Disney Sings introduces your group to elements of processional vocal performance. Led by a professional Disney vocalist, students gain insight into vocal styling for performance and voiceovers. They will discover proven tips for auditions, record an excerpt from a Disney animated fi lm, and experience the excitement and expectations of a studio vocalist; and "Disney Dancin" -  Disney Dancin’ gives students the chance to experience the life of a professional Disney Dancer in a fun, upbeat and positive atmosphere. Students begin with a simulated Disney audition taught by a  professional Disney dancer. These are just a few of the workshops available to student tours and adults alike.

Walt Disney World also produces their own music festival called Festival Disney.  It is a 2 to 3 day music adjudication for bands, choirs and orchestras to perform in front of highly respected college music professor to be adjudicated on their performance through taped and written comments.  After each performance, ensembles have the opportunity to be clinced for 10 minutes on stage by a college music professor.  The Festival culminates with a Grand Awards Ceremony that takes place in Hollywood Studios Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show Arena.  Festival Disney is run most weekends in March, April and May.  This is an exceptional music tour option for your student ensembles.

For more information about these programs or other Walt Disney World performance opportunities, please join our Webinar on September 11, 2013 at 4:00 pm EST.  Register here.

Take the hassle out planning a student tour

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Planning educational tours can be a headache. Any educator, who has been in charge of planning how to get a group of students from place-to-place over an extended period of time, knows how stressful a task it can be. Educational travel can be an amazing learning experience, and providing students with the opportunity to experience another way of life or see another part of the world makes the hassle worth it. However, planning a trip does not have to feel so difficult.

There are excellent educational tours available throughout the United States that can be customized to your student educational objectives and budgets.  Destinations like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Boston are a great destinations to teach students about the Revolutionary War, and the beginning of this countries freedoms.  Atlanta, Gettysburg and Manassas have a wealth of attractions dedicated to the Civil War.  There a great many destinations throughout North America that teach all the subjects taught in school, including: Science, Math, History, Art, Languages and Music. Available for a wide-range of ages, and can get your students out of the classroom, and into the world, without causing you to lose your hair.

Tours often cater to what is available in a particular city, and can provide your students with a “real-world” understanding of a life in the arts, or introduce them to a way of life with which they are not already familiar. Tap the resources of a tour operator for your next class trip or educational tour; it can make for an educational, fun, relaxing trip, for everyone.

Exploring the World of Music Performance Tours with Disney

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Over the course of its nearly 100 years, Disney has grown from an animation and film studio, into one of the most successful multimedia empires in the world. The company now manages resorts around the world, a wildly successful radio arm with its own roster of young artists, major film and television productions, and massive stage reboots of many of its most popular musical films and cartoons, such as “Mary Poppins” and “The Lion King”. For students interested in music, theater, or dance, educational tours to Disney World or Disneyland, are the ultimate in music performance tours.

Disney Youth Arts has a multiple of programs for bands, choir, orchestras and dance ensembles, they include:

• Festival Disney - An adjudicated music festival

• Disney Honors - A workshop oriented performance program

• Disney Performing Arts  - Perform at Disney World or Disneyland

• Disney Performing Arts Workshops - Clinic with their teaching staff

• Disney's Candlelight Processional - A Christmas related choral performance

A Disney youth arts tour can be geared towards musicians, dancers, or actors, and is the perfect introduction to, and exploration of, the hard work and dedication required to be a professional artist. There is no better way to learn than by doing. Performance tours allow students to push themselves to grow as performers, and gain a clearer sense of self. At the end of the day, helping your students become better people all-around is the goal of any good instructor, and educational travel is a fantastic way to further that goal.

Peak will be providing a webinar, "Everything you ever needed to to know about performing at Disney World" on September 11, 2012 at 4:00 pm EST. Register Today!

Senior Trip Memories to Last a Lifetime

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Senior class trips create once in a lifetime memories. Students remember the friendships and the new experiences gained from going to new places, meeting new people and doing new things.

But a lot more goes into planning a senior trip than just picking a destination and booking some rooms. Peak Performance can ensure all client goals are met, creating a smooth, worry free process by first assessing the school’s needs, including desired activities and budget parameters. Then we engage our research team to find suppliers that best fit the school’s goals.

We’ll supply a list of options that fit the desired parameters and when an agreement is reached, Peak Performance can secure all details. We also back up all bookings with detailed documentation so there is no question regarding numbers when arranging, meals, booking travel or purchasing activity tickets.

Some great locations might include: Orlando, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, Lake George, Cruises, Amusement Parks and many more destinations. 

Let Peak Performance plan your senior trip and create memories to last a lifetime.

Learning From the Real World on Educational Tours

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Many middle schools across the nation have a rite of passage at the end of the year for their students who are bound for high school. It is the end-of-the-year class trip. One of the most popular class trips is to Washington, DC. After a year of learning about current events and significant historical events, students are then able to extend their classroom learning surrounded by history and given information presented to them on a more visual level.

Many DC tours include trips to Mt. Vernon, the home of General George Washington, Arlington National Cemetery, The Capitol Building, and many of the war memorials. Being able to visit such museums as the Museum of Natural History or the Smithsonian also brings science and history together in an interactive learning environment.

These class trips invoke a certain entertainment for students and help foster a love of learning. It is fine to read about history and science, but to experience it first hand is to be awed and inspired.

The learning part of a class trip is wonderful, but the social experience cannot be overlooked either. Being a part of an educational travel program with their school allows children to discover their own sense of independence and growth, along with a valuable learning experience.

Gaining a broader Perspective on Student Travel

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Once upon a time travel was considered an important part of a formal education. Today, travel has become somewhat rare among U.S. citizens, with passport ownership statistics as low as 25 percent of the population.

Youth are resilient and resourceful. They make great travelers. While exploring they experience and debate social controls, and learn more about different politics and histories. They’re seeing unfamiliar cultures, acquiring a true, well-rounded education.

Since 1994, Peak Performance Tours has been planning everything from music tours to student travel adventures. These experiences have led students all over North America and to international destinations.

Peak Performance Tours specializes in music tours, educational tours, class trips and senior trips. Our tours include hotel accommodations, meals, transportation, a tour manager, dedicated security, entertainment, tours, workshops and more. A customized, well-planned tour makes for a smooth trip that meets budget demands.

Contact Peak Performance Tours at 800-220-0165 to begin planning your next student trip.