Curriculum & Culture

Grades 9 and 10 - Mexico 
This cultural and linguistic immersion trip takes students through Mexico City’s past and present. Stops include a tour of the Plaza de la Constitución or Zócalo, and surrounding area, seeing modern skyscrapers, colonial era churches, and the remaining ruins of the pre-columbian civilization of Tenochtitlán; the mysterious ruins of the pyramids of Teotihuacán; a trip to Puebla, where students enjoy learning about the art of talavera and, perhaps most of all, a walk down la Calle de los Dulces; and Oaxaca, where they unite with their host families.

Grades 9 and 10 - Germany 
This cultural and linguistic immersion trip itinerary includes students spending three days in Berlin and two days in Salzburg, before settling in for five days in the west of Austria with their Austrian host families. Students are fully immersed in the German speaking world and culture by attending school and participating in activities with their Austrian friends. ISB hosts the Austrian students during the following fall. 

Grade 11 - Iceland
Students in Grade 11 can travel to Iceland for a week in April for a trip focusing on biology, ecology, and geology. Their travels will take them to Viking World, Blue Lagoon, Lava Tunnel, Hellisheiði Power Station, Icelandic Lava Show, LAVA Centre, Hveragerði Geothermal Exhibition, Perlan Observation Deck, and more. 

Grades 9-12 - San Antonio, Texas (Total Solar Eclipse)
The “Total Solar Eclipse” trip to San Antonio was an opportunity for our students passionate about the sciences, and astrophysics in particular, to view the last total solar eclipse in the United States until 2045. Students also participated in a parachute lab and wind tunnel flight.

Grades 9-12 - St. Louis, Missouri (Student Diversity Leadership Conference)
The Student Diversity Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Missouri offered an inclusive and safe space for Upper School student leaders to come together and discuss issues related to awareness, being an ally to marginalized groups, and multicultural community building.

Teambuilding
To begin each school year, students travel by grade off-campus to participate in teambuilding activities. Recent trips include Chewonki Outdoor Classroom, Cardigan Mountain State Park, The Berkshires , Boundless Adventures Ropes Course, and Essex Retreat Center. 

Grade 8 - Washington, D.C. 
Students in Grade 8 have the opportunity to select a historical immersion trip to Washington D.C., where history will be brought to life through visits to iconic monuments and milestones and through their participation in workshops in the Nation's Capital.

Grade 7 - Québec City
In Grade 7, students travel to Québec City and put their French skills to the test while creating lifelong memories on a trip to La Belle Province. This French immersion trip includes visits to the Plains of Abraham, Parliament, Grande Allée, Quartier Petit Champlain, Place Royale, and Château Frontenac. Students will participate in a French-Canadian legends' theater workshop and experience firsthand the wonder of the Cirque du Soleil during their very own performance workshop at l'École de Cirque de Québec.

Grade 6 - Appalachian Mountain Club 
Students in Grade 6 travel to the White Mountains of New Hampshire through a science-based program with the Appalachian Mountain Club. Through the power of outdoor experiences, A Mountain Classroom increases students’ ecological understanding, inspires their personal growth and develops community.

Grade 5 - Washington, D.C.
It’s off to the Nation's Capital for students in Grade 5 for a week-long curriculum-based trip. During their time in DC, students will visit monuments in connection with their French history and social studies curriculum, such as Mount Vernon Estates and Gardens, the National Museum of African American History, the Holocaust Museum, the Museum of the American Indian, and the Capitol. They will also walk around the Jefferson Memorial, MLK Memorial, the 911 Memorial, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and the WWII Memorial. 

Grade 5 - Nature’s Classroom
Nature’s Classroom is a residential outdoor education program that focuses on science and engineering, social and emotional learning, and teambuilding.

Grade 4 - The Eco School, Saco, ME
Students in Grade 4 travel to the Eco School in Saco, ME for a four-day field trip where they approach the science of ecology through wide-eyed, hands-on exploration of the ecosystems. They also learn about sustainable farming and living.

Grade 3 - Nature’s Classroom, Yarmouth Port, MA
For their first overnight field trip, Grade 3 visits Cape Cod for three days. There, they explore a wide variety of ecosystems including forests, ponds, fields, and even an old cranberry bog.