Where Will Science Take Your Students in 2026?
Immersive Science Adventures That Inspire Student Discovery
Picture this: your students step into the cool shade of a Costa Rican rainforest, listening for the hum of bees. Or they kneel in the Tuscan sun, brushing away soil to reveal artifacts that haven鈥檛 been touched for centuries. Maybe they鈥檙e in Kenya, helping restore grasslands where zebras graze and elephants roam. Or perhaps they鈥檙e closer to home鈥攊n Maine鈥攎easuring the impacts of climate change right here in the United States.
This isn鈥檛 science fiction鈥攖hese school group expeditions blend hands-on research, cultural discovery, and experiences that can spark a lifetime of curiosity.
This is just a glimpse of the kinds of places students could explore and the experiences they could have鈥攖here are many more opportunities to engage in hands-on research and discovery around the world.
COSTA RICA: A LIVING LABORATORY
Costa Rica is small in size but enormous in biodiversity鈥攈ome to around 6% of all known species on Earth. On the Osa Peninsula, students join scientists to restore rainforest corridors that connect jaguar, tapir, and monkey habitats. At La Selva Biological Station, they might study how caterpillars and plants respond to climate stress, contributing to one of the longest-running insect鈥損lant interaction studies in the tropics.
Students don鈥檛 just observe鈥攖hey measure pollinator activity, monitor seedling survival, and record wildlife calls. Every data point helps guide restoration and conservation strategies in one of the most biologically intense places on the planet.
Did You Know?
The Osa Peninsula contains over half of Costa Rica鈥檚 biodiversity in an area smaller than some U.S. states.
Some La Selva caterpillar species are being tracked in decades-long studies of climate change effects on insect-plant interactions.
I really enjoy the fact that we are participating so much in the research. 鈥 I feel like the research we鈥檙e doing here and the data we鈥檙e collecting is the same as what the scientists are collecting, and it鈥檚 neat to feel like you鈥檙e part of something bigger.
KENYA: RESTORING THE WILD
The Greater Maasai Mara is famous for its sweeping savannas and the annual wildebeest migration. But parts of this landscape鈥攐ver 3,100 acres of grasslands, wetlands, and former farmland鈥攁re being reclaimed for nature through restoration at the Enarau Wildlife Conservancy.
Here, students help set camera traps to spot zebra and antelope returning to the land, record bird diversity, and measure how quickly native plants establish. Their work provides baseline biodiversity data that shapes one of East Africa鈥檚 most ambitious rewilding efforts.
Did You Know?
3,100 acres of former farmland in the Maasai Mara are being restored to wildlife habitat.
Camera traps set by students capture nocturnal wildlife that would otherwise be invisible to humans.
Students in Chicago are very street smart; they are very independent 鈥 But then you put them in an outdoor environment, and they鈥檙e completely lost! 鈥 So it鈥檚 just these little things that really sparked my interest in getting students outside more because there鈥檚 so much wonder in the outdoors.
ITALY: DIGGING INTO THE PAST
In Tuscany, history isn鈥檛 confined to museums鈥攊t鈥檚 buried beneath the soil. At Populonia, overlooking the Mediterranean coast, students join archaeologists to uncover the lives of Etruscans, Romans, and Medieval communities who once thrived here.
The site reveals over 800 years of trade, industry, and daily life, from iron smelting to Roman villas. Students might carefully unearth pottery shards, map ancient walls, or clean mosaics鈥攁ll while contributing to research that reinterprets the region鈥檚 role in Mediterranean history.
Did You Know?
Populonia was a major center of iron smelting over 2,500 years ago.
Students can contribute to mapping ancient walls and cataloguing pottery, directly impacting ongoing research.
As a teacher, I cannot express how proud I was watching my kids showcase all of the skills and content they have gleaned from my classes over the years. 鈥 I was able just to sit back and watch them use those skills in real-world science applications, which to this day still gives me goosebumps.鈥
UNITED STATES: SCIENCE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD
Not every adventure requires a passport. In the U.S., 美姬社区 expeditions invite students to see familiar landscapes with new eyes.
- Maine, Acadia National Park: From tidepools to mountain peaks, students document how climate change is reshaping ecosystems. They track invasive species, monitor forest plots, and survey rocky shorelines for marine life鈥攈elping build one of the most comprehensive long-term data sets on climate impacts in New England.
- Florida, Gulf Coast: Aboard research vessels, students help scientists catch, tag, and release sharks and rays. By measuring and recording data on species like blacktip sharks and cownose rays, students contribute to critical fisheries research that informs sustainable ocean management.
- Arizona, Chiricahua Mountains: Under star-filled skies, students join ornithologists to track elusive forest owls鈥攊ncluding Flammulated Owls, known for their flame-colored feathers. By studying nesting sites and prey availability, they help reveal how climate change is shifting owl behavior and habitat in the American Southwest.
Did You Know?
Acadia National Park hosts over 300 species of birds and countless marine and forest organisms that students help monitor.
Florida students contribute to long-term studies on marine populations by tagging sharks and rays.
The Chiricahua Mountains are home to elusive owls, and student teams help track them using night surveys and nest monitoring.
Oh yeah, and I got to hold three species of wild owls!鈥
Why It Matters
Every expedition is designed around two goals: advancing critical research and transforming how students see the world. They come home with muddy boots, field notebooks full of data, and a new understanding of their place in the global community.
They also gain something less tangible but just as important: confidence. When students realize they can contribute to real science鈥攚hether by planting seedlings in Costa Rica, uncovering artifacts in Italy, or measuring ocean health in Maine鈥攖hey discover that their actions matter.
Ready to Explore?
Imagine your students exploring rainforests, grasslands, oceans, and archaeological sites, collecting data that matters and discoveries that inspire. These expeditions turn curiosity into action, helping students grow as scientists, problem-solvers, and environmental stewards. This is where learning meets adventure鈥攁nd where they learn that they can truly make a difference.
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