One of the advantages to taking a gap or travel year is all of the fun stuff you can learn in different locations. When we’re learning from home we call it homeschool but when we travel – It’s worldschool. Here are some starter topics and ideas for learning in the Pacific Northwest part of the US including Washington State and Oregon.
Science Worldschool/Homeschool Topics Ideas for Oregon and Washington State
Science
The Pacific Northwest is a fabulous area of the country to learn science. There are so many resources and ways to learn with hands on experiences.
Temperate Rainforest Hikes – Biology / Botany
Take a hike in one of the many wonderful hiking trails through the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park and other areas. Learn as you go. Bring a notebook for observations and questions. A guidebook with local plants and animals can be really helpful as well.
Learning opportunities during these hikes include talking about the rainforest, tree life cycles, wild-life, and types of trees. You can discuss composition, there is always a fallen tree somewhere and insects. We loved hiking around Olympic National Park but both Oregon and Washington State have fabulous hiking trails with different types of forests.
Try stopping by the local library or a nature center and asking for resources about the area.
Geology Earth Science
The Pacific Northwest is a fabulous area to learn about Volcanoes. The area is surrounded by volcanoes. Ten of the most threatening volcanoes in the US are located in this area. The most famous are Mt. St. Helen, Crater Lake, Mt Ranier, Mt. Hood and Mt. Baker. During clear days several of these giants can be seen against the Pacific Northwest skyline. For the best hands on experience, go visit one (or several). Spend a little time learning about volcanoes before your visit and consider making a paper mache volcano. The visitors centers are also wonderful resources to learn about other rock formations, continental plates, weather and wild-life.
Marine Biology
Whale watching is a very popular activity in the Pacific Northwest. Many boats leave from the Seattle area and watch whales just north of the San Juan Islands. Exploring tidal pools is another great learning opportunity. Finding seaweed, starfish, anemones and many other creature is common. Plus you can discuss tides and ocean currents.
Newport Aquarium
The Newport Aquarium is a fabulous stop to learn more about sea-life. There is a wide variation of activities and things to learn. The aquarium has several interactive activities and a large variety of wildlife. Adding a short walk in Newport to explore the waterfront can cram in a lot of marine biology learned in a fun way in a very short time.
Visit a Museum
Portland and Seattle have many museums that are wonderful places for kids to learn. There are so many education and fun activities to choose from that it may take several trips to see enough.
Portland Museums for Kids
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry: Interactive museum with all things science
Portland Children’s Museum: One of the best children’s museums that I have been to with numerous interactive exhibits. Per the website the museum may be suddenly and unexpectedly closing without a complete explanation. Several organizations are working together to try to save this staple of the community.
Portland also has a World Forestry Center, Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, Maritime Museum and Rail Heritage Center.
Seattle and Oregon Museums for Kids
Seattle also has it fair share of museums including Museum of History and Industry, Pacific Science Center, Kids Quest Science Museum, Museum of Fight, Seattle Selfie Museum, Asian Art Museum, Children’s Museum, Museum of Pop Culture, Burke Museum and others. There are also children’s museums in Tacoma and Olympia.
Homeshool / Worldschool Science Resources:
Videos:
History
Oregon and Washington state are good places to learn about Native American History as well as some Asain influences in the area. Many of the museums are a wealth of information and local libraries and welcome centers can be very helpful as well.
Regardless of your homeschool / worldschool style spending time in Oregon and Washington State is a wonderful way to learn so many things for a rounded education. The only thing you may not have enough of is time to do it all.
We’re a family of 5 (Physician Assistant mom, IT project manager dad and 3 kids ages 3,6,10) taking a gap year from normal life to travel. For blog posts, locations, and more information on how we did it and how you can to click here.
