About

Amtrak Across America VI: Being There

This course is designed to enhance the teaching of geography in K-12 schools across the United States and the understanding of US Geography by undergraduate students though direct experience of environments. All persons have knowledge of their local environments. We are immersed in the culture, the physical landforms, and the lore of our own regions, but do not often apply this experience and knowledge in the classroom (or perhaps even appreciate its enrichment of our lives).  We will teach an entire course while aboard AMTRAK trains (with stops in five different physical and cultural regions of the United States). The proposed participants are K-12 teachers of social studies, geography, earth science and history alongside Virginia Tech Undergraduate students. Pre-service teachers and students from other universities are eligible to apply.

The course will begin on June 15, 2016 in Sacramento, CA. All participants will be responsible for a one-way flight from their homes to Sacramento on that day.  Travel back to the east coast will be aboard Amtrak’s Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, and Crescent.  Stops will highlight the natural and cultural splendor of the American West, Southwest and Deep South through stops at Sacramento and Los Angeles, CA, Flagstaff (with travel to the Grand Canyon) and Tucson, AZ, Alpine, TX (with travel to Big Bend National Park and a foot in the Rio Grande), and New Orleans, LA.  Most stops will be led by faculty from local universities and will involve extensive travel and interaction with local cultures and people.

SOURCE:  http://www.educationabroad.vt.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=12216