Off-Campus Learning
Engaging, experiential,
cross-disciplinary and
project-based learning
At Barrie School, we offer off-campus field trips that allow students to explore Washington DC, the Northeast, and the world, depending on whether it's a local day trip, an overnight trip to the greater DC area, or globally as part of our Extended Student Week (ESW) program.
Off-Campus Field Trips
Locally, we take advantage of our proximity to Washington DC, by engaging the greater DC area as a classroom, a learning laboratory in which students and faculty learn together. The Smithsonian museums; Brookside Gardens, a fifty-acre public display garden; the Supreme Court and Congress; and various other organizations are just a few of the places our students have frequented.
Extended Study Week (ESW)
The Extended Study Week (ESW) program is a collection of co-curricular projects that include a week of specialized instruction, providing both individual and community experiences that extend learning beyond the classroom for our Middle and Upper School students.
This immersive learning experience offers unique, cross-disciplinary experiences in the classroom as well as off-campus field trips and opportunities for overnight travel. Each year, students are offered a choice of developmentally appropriate projects tied to curriculum and grade themes. To support a cohesive program, these offerings cycle every two to three years. This approach maximizes choice and exposure to diverse activities.
Projects range from exploring the affects of human actions on the coral reef in Belize to studying the role of traditional culture in shaping modern literary identities in Ireland; exploring ethics in journalism in Washington DC to civil rights in the Deep South. These projects foster collaboration and provide venues for students to create, innovate, and problem solve.
Spring 2022 Programs
What are the engineering and coding requirements of building a robot?
How can we make a delicious, nutritious meal with limited resources?
How well do historical sites acknowledge the events of African American passages? How can historical sites better represent these events for students? How can we bring lost history to the forefront?
How can I learn to become self-sufficient and work on a team while backpacking on the Appalachian Trail?
How can we tell stories through music, theatre, and film?
How does the design of houses reflect the time and place in which they were built? What could houses of the future look like?
How does encryption work?
How can we study climate change through the complex ecosystems of the Florida Keys?
What’s the best energy option for Barrie School?
What are the consequences of being unconcerned with nature’s balance and harmony
Students are encouraged to take trips to explore Washington DC, the Northeast, and the world! Since 2013 students have traveled to 10 different countries during ESW including Canada, Belize, Costa Rica, Ireland, Oman, and Ghana.
The Belize: Marine Science project gave us a real-world perspective on the topics we studied. Instead of just learning about ecosystems, marine life, and Belizean culture in the classroom, we traveled to Belize and learned directly from the people who live there. ESW inspires us to go above and beyond.
Student
Past Programs
Due to COVID, Barrie School suspended all ESW programs in the Middle and Upper School starting in spring 2020. Below are examples of what was offered in 2020 before the program was cancelled and in previous years.

Who are the people making music locally, and what are the steps to a successful, local career in music?

How can we uncover the elements and connections of ecosystems and use the knowledge to protect them?

What is Canada's identity? What events have shaped Canada's identity? Does being Canadian have the same meaning to all Canadians?

How has clay been used in the past? How do present day artists use similar techniques?

What influences regional American cuisine?

How do we measure the health of the Chesapeake Bay? How is the history of the Bay connected to its health?

How are complex and delicate ecosystems impacted by climate change?

How do we write, play, and record a song?

How can we 'hack' the things around us?