Puerto Rico 2011

The 8th grade Spanish trip is an important culminating experience for students at The Philadelphia School. In March, our students will be spending five days in Puerto Rico, where they will not only put their Spanish skills to use but will also see first-hand the cultural and environmental sites they have learned about in the classroom. They will attend classes with 7th through 12th grade students at an independent middle and high school on the campus of the University of Puerto Rico. Our 8th graders will be challenged to use their Spanish language skills as they connect with people their own age in an authentic learning experience and stretch themselves as both learners and global citizens.

Here's a brief itinerary.

Day 1 San Juan. Guided visit to El Castillo del Morro, San Juan Museum, Convento de Santo Tomás, Iglésia San Jose, Catedral de San Juan, and Pablo Casals Museum

Day 2 El Yunque Caribbean National Forest. El Yunque is the only tropical forest within the U.S. National Forest Service and is a fantastic place to experience all the animal and plant riches that a rainforest has to offer.

Day 3 School Visit. Students will spend a day visiting and attending classes with seventh through twelfth grade students from an independent middle and high school on the campus of the University of Puerto Rico.

Day 4. Ponce Full-Day Excursion. Colonial architecture, colorful balconies, horse-drawn carriages, and marble-lined sidewalks give picturesque Ponce its unbeatable charm. Students will visit the Centro Ceremonial Indigena de Tibes, one of the most important archeological discoveries made in the Antilles.

Day 5. 7 Seas Ecological Center. The water in Bioluminescent Bay bay contains millions of single-celled bioluminescent dinoflagellates which are half-plant half-organisms that emit a flash of blue light when agitated by night swimmers!