Nations Classroom Blog

The Arlington National Cemetery will be expanding acreage in order to provide more 60,000 more burial plot for U.S. service members.  This expansion will ensure burial space for service members through 2050. Without the expansion, the cemetery is estimated to run out of burial plots in 22 years.  

The interior of the Mount Vernon Mansion will be closed for scheduled annual preservation work from January 27 to February 9, 2020. While no interior tours will be held during those two weeks, the rest of the estate and museum will remain open.  Visitors to Mount Vernon during the restoration will receive 25% off general admission prices. 

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is celebrating its 60th anniversary of its dedication in Washington, D.C.  Have you ever visited the Basilica? Read more about the largest Catholic church in North America in today’s blog post.

Today marks 133 years since the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York City in 1886.  The famous symbol of American freedom stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York.  As one of the most recognizable statues in the world, no class trip to New York City is complete without a visit to the Statue of Liberty. 

Read on to check out our 5 favorite ways to experience the Statue of Liberty with students.  

Here is an exclusive look at the six newest portraits being added to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. this November!  

“Back to School” is just around the corner - and we at NationsClassroom are teachers’ biggest fans.  And we’re not alone. The historic attractions on our tours love supporting teachers; in fact, most of the attractions offer virtual Classroom Resources designed to enhance learning without having to leave the classroom.  We’ve compiled a list of our favorite “Educator Resources” from some of NationsClassroom’s most popular historical east coast destinations.

So even if a school trip isn’t in your immediate future this year, we encourage you to take a look at these resources designed to make learning history come to life in the classroom. 

Disappointing news for all the "Hamilton" musical fans:  Despite "Hamilton" being one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history, the well-reviewed and highly-anticipated "Hamilton the Exhibition" is closing permanently in Chicago. 

In the most recent issue of Teach and Travel Magazine, Student & Youth Travel Association member tour operators selected five U.S. cities as the "Top Emerging Destinations" for student travel in 2019 - and one of our favorite NationsClassroom tour destinations made the list.  

The National Memorial Day Parade, held annually along Constitution Avenue in  Washington, D.C., will take place this Monday, May 27th at 2pm.  

Last week, we discussed how writing about travel experiences can enhance a college application essay.  This week, we will follow up that discussion with some general college application essay tips gathered from over 100 college admissions officers across the country, coupled with my personal experience over ten years of helping hundreds of seniors apply to schools ranging from local technical colleges to Ivy League schools.  

Here are a four winning writing tips I can offer: