Current Field Trips for
Live Oak Academy Families

None scheduled at present

Whenever possible we will also hold parent workshops and discussion on How to Put Your Child at Cause Over His Education during or after the class if the kids are involved or playing.

Early Man in Florida - a hands-on history class with an archeologist
This is so popular, it has become an annual event! After seeing a presentation and explanation of how stone-age natives lived in Florida before the arrival of the Europeans, we tried out their tools. Kids bored holes in sandstone with bamboo-type reeds; we chopped a log with shell axes; we shaped sandstone with water and rocks; and all the kids loved throwing a spear with the spear-thrower. A fun time seeing how early man survived and shaped his world!

Florida State Fair March

The trip to the Florida State Fair was a perfect day to walk about and enjoy the sights and exhibits. We saw Cracker Country, an early pioneer village with many crafts and work being done by people in character, and various animals they would have had.For a dollar a turn, many could dip candles or make a rope.Then we went on to see the animals. There were rows and rows of rabbits, geese, ducks, chickens of all sorts of breeds. Also bunnies to pet and chicks hatching. The kids had fun watching an alligator "wrestling show" and an exotic bird show. There was a great exhibit of bees, beetles and various insects found in Florida. Free tangerines and juice, plenty of food stalls, a real live panther and bear, juried art, photography, woodworking, quilts, and other crafts to enjoy. And an exhibit by eachcounty showing showing something of their sights, sounds and smells. We had loads of fun,but there was no way we could see it all!

Oops, we haven't kept this updated but we've been having a blast!

Heave Ho Mates! Aquarian Quest - December
The weather was lovely as we went out sailing for 3 hours on a Tall Ship sailing vessel. It was hands-on learning on this floating classroom with activities in history, seamanship and environmental science presented by a friendly crew.Our kids enjoyed the opportunity to raise the sails, learn about plankton and fish and the health of the bay, sing some traditional sea ditties,use a compass and map for navigation. We had a great time!

More Nature Classes in our local environment,
We had some wonderful classes for elementary grades this fall learning, and we've continued that! We attended more nature classes at both Moccasin Lake and Dunedin Nature Centersy. We covered more about the natural history of our area,snakes and critters we saw under the microscope. Learning to use the microscope was one of our favorites! We laos had an interesting class by a former archeologist about Native Indians in this area, how they lived, tools they used. This included hands-on practice in how to carve holes in stone with sand and bamboo, how to chop wood with a shell axe and how to throw a spear.
One of our mom's also set up a trip to Ancient Native Village where all tried their hand at pottery-making, digging out a log to make a canoe, and more.

History Alive! Pre-1840's Pioneers and Mountain Men, All Day Trip Friday, Feb
Singing River Rendevous, living history re-enactment and preservation of the skills from these early times. Wehad a wonderful tour and demonstrations of various life skills including blacksmithing, leatherworking, candle-making, archery, musket shooting, knife throwing and wood-carving. After the tour we wandered about the site and enjoyed the people during the afternoon, asking questions. We had lunch on site, period food that was delicious.

Marine Quest - 1 - 3:30 PM
Our annual trip to the Florida Marine Research Institute for a tour of their working labs, for 4th grade and up. We split into 3 groups and went on tours of different labs includingthe genetics lab, water quality research lab, sea turtle scientist, crab boats, whale life, shark dissection, fish count, and many more fascinating and informative demonstrations.

Finance Park- Tuesday
Economics simulation for 8th grade and up - learning to budget, save and invest. Eleven of our middle and high school students did this curriculumat home and then went for the economics simulation day and achieved a good reality on finances!

Flatwoods Adventure with Doug Scull
We learned about Florida ecology and history, and how cowboys train their horses when we toured this working Florida cracker cow ranch!

Ft. DeSoto Marine Biology with Doug Scull
Ah, the beach! Beautiful sand, warmth and water before teh cold season arrived. Families dug, netted and identified beach creatures.

Nature Classes -November
We had some wonderful classes at Moccasin Lake this fall learning about the animals at the park and the different classes of animals: reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, mammals; and how they live. Not only did we learn a lot but we all enjoyed getting out into the peace and beauty of the park every other week!

Enterprise Village - October
New and experienced students particpated for a lot of fun agin this year! Our students ran the Enterprise Times Newspaper and worked in Time Warner. See our Student page for a report by one boy of his experience.

Heritage Village Living History Day - May
Our students and moms looked smashing as pioneers in old time dress. We did activites of old pioneer Florida: churned butter, squeezed lemons for lemonade, worked on braided rugs, used the wash tub and old metal iron, and BECAME the history exhibit for one morning at Heritage Village. We also had time to see other exhibitors and enjoy looking around the village. This is an annual activity for Live Oak Academy, an opportunity for hands-on history of Florida.

Finance Park, April,
This year for the first time, an economics simulation was offered for 8th graders and up called Finance Park. Four of our students studied this program, learning about salaries, taxes of various kinds, net monthly income, budgeting and paying bills (rather than working at a business). It was a hit as all enjoyed their experience and learned a lot that is useful for their futures!

Marine Quest, on March
A two hour tour. This was a fascinating look at some of the activities of Florida Marine Research Institute, a working marine biology lab on Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg with hands-on activities. We were introduced to the genetics lab where we learned about chromosomes, and how the marine institute tracks fish by their genetic patterns. We looked in the microscope to observe the difference between healthy and diseased gills, and other fish "insides". We watched as a man on a research boat showed us different kinds of crabs and told how they catch them. We learned about sea grass and its importance to the envirinment in a room which modeled the Bay bottom. Then we enjoyed the touch tank outside and the shark tanks for the end of our visit. The FL Marine Institute opens its doors to the public only once a year. We'll plan on going back next year!

Herrmann's Original Royal Lipizzan Stallions of Austria - Feb
A trip to Myakka City to see the Lippizan Stallions winter training in the afternoon. In the morning we visited Bradenton's South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium. It was a great trip! The museum toured us through their interesting Florida history and fauna displays. The guides were knowledgeable, did great with the kids. The manatee was the biggest hit! The planetarium show was the right length for our mixed age group. And the stallions were stunning - young horses being trained in the traditional Austrian style as "war horses" not trick horses. Their moves were very skillful.

Storytelling Concert of Pinellas Folk Festival
Students heard tales from India, Japan and other places with three professional story tellers. An annual event for schools offered by the Pinellas Folk Festival.

Enterprise Village
Our students ran the Radio Station and were employees at Blockbuster for Enterprise Village 2000. Some were "old hands" at this and some were first-timers - they all did a great job! Our students have particpated every year in Enterprise Village.

Civil War Living History Presentation
Students watched and spoke with re-enacters at Pinellas Pioneer Settlement who told them about various aspects of life during the CIivl War. The biggest hit of all was the soldier who shot the canon! A nice afternoon of history in the woods.

St. Petersburg Museum of History
The history museum had several fun, hands-on exhibits, including how sound effects were made in the movies filmed on Weedon Island, old-fashioned clothing to step behind and look at yourself in a mirror, and a trolley car. Very interesting were the stories and model of the first commercial airflight by Tony Jannus across Tampa Bay.

St Petersburg Musem of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts gave us a wonderful tour guide who held our rapt attention with stories behind the paintings and scultures, and some of the history of art.
In the park next to the Fine Arts Museum were some wonderful giant banyan trees that the kids climbed way up into - special place!

Come with us on our next field trip!

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