School History Trip To Louisiana
Immerse your history students in the traditions passed down through generations with a school trip to the Pelican State, Louisiana.
Highlights
Go behind the scenes of Mardi Gras at Mardi Gras World
Destrehan Plantation – one of the oldest plantations
Tour of the French Quarter
Jazzy New Orleans
Glyn SchoolThe trip that we went on was fantastic and very well organised.
Suggested itinerary
What's included
*IMAX not included in typical price – contact us for more details
Recommended excursions
Get your bearings with a 3 hour guided walking city tour which explores the historic French Quarter, St Louis #1 cemetery nicknamed City of the Dead, City Park and the lakefront area as well as the oak-lined elegant St Charles Avenue.
The lively grid of streets that make up the French Quarter is the city’s most touristy area, yet also its heart. It’s a sultry melting pot of French, Spanish, Italian, Caribbean, African and Southern styles that magically blends decadence and elegance. Take a stroll among the gloriously faded buildings, musicians, magicians, psychics and tap dancers.
Trace the legacy of the Pelican State at the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans. Exhibiting thousands of artefacts and works of art, students will learn about the historic events that have shaped this state and the diverse culture found within its communities.
On this tour, students learn more about the tragic disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. Visit the Ninth Ward, one of the neighbourhoods devastated by the flooding, and see an actual levee that ‘breached’. Visit the monument to Hurricane Katrina, the Make it Right houses sponsored by Brad Pitt and the Musicians Village created by Harry Connick, Jr.
Learn the basics of Louisiana cooking at an entertaining class held at the Louisiana General Store in a converted molasses warehouse in the French Quarter. Students are shown how to create delicious creole dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya, corn and crab bisque, crawfish étouffée and bread pudding. The class also reveals some of the folklore of New Orleans.
Carnival in New Orleans is celebrated with great enthusiasm and preparations start months ahead of time. Visit the art studios of the people who create the floats, sculptures and props for the carnival in this tour, taking you backstage the Blaine Kern Studios. Students see the artists at work designing, carving, painting and building next year’s parade.
Take a tour of some of the plantation homes around New Orleans to hear stories about the famous local families that built and owned them and the people that walked through their halls. Students can get a feel for the antebellum (pre-Civil War) South as they look out over rows of oak trees to the Mississippi river from the porch of a plantation home.
At the Jazz National Historical Park students can enjoy exhibits, walking tours and live performances of old-style Jazz. Learn about the birth of Jazz in New Orleans and trace some of the music’s big players including Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong.
For the chance get up close and personal with an alligator and cruise lazily along the mysterious, moss-draped bayous, take one of the many swamp and wildlife tours offered by boat captains in the watery regions around New Orleans. Observe exotic flora and fauna from deadly snakes – from a safe distance – to long-legged waterfowl, swamp deer and racoons.
Typical accommodation
Why groups like it:
Facilities:
Why we like it for student groups:
Facilities
Learning outcomes
Subject focus
Students can:
- Follow the story of the early European settlements in the 18th century and journey through slavery to create a melting pot of cultures
- Investigate the role and legacy of plantations in the shaping of the economic situation in the Deep South
- Identify the struggles and adaptations experienced by African-Americans during the rise and fall of slavery
- Explore how the region’s history, music, food and culture
- Consider the geography of the region, its vulnerability to hurricane and flooding and the impact of Hurricane Katrina
- Learn more about the United States contribution to the Allied success at the National World War 2 Museum
Student outcomes
Students will have had an opportunity to:
- Learn about the historic events that have shaped Louisiana and the diverse culture found within its communities
- Consider a range of issues around citizenship and history
- Gain an understanding of Louisiana’s Afro-American history
- Consider the significance of events, people and developments in their historical context and in the present day
- Understand how humans adapt to their natural environment and how they can protect themselves against natural hazards.
- Increase knowledge of modern history and the role of the USA in WWII