Grade 7 Houses of Worship Field Trip: Learning and Connection Beyond the Classroom

The itinerary included visits to Temple Emanuel in Newton, the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) in Roxbury, and St. John's Episcopal Church in Newton. At each location, students were given an orientation and tour of the space, met with religious leaders, and engaged in discussions about the sacred symbols and practices within the religion.

 

"This field trip has been a core component of the seventh-grade humanities curriculum for years,” said Eitan Tye, seventh-grade Humanities faculty, who, along with fellow Middle School humanities teacher Walker Anderson, chaperoned the trip. “It helps students connect their learning to the real world.”

 

The students have been studying the Abrahamic religions and learning the history, key stories, beliefs, symbols, and values of each. The trip is designed to take them beyond just reading about those in class and give them a chance to see houses of worship and meet prayer leaders at each. 

At ISBCC, Imam Abdulqadir Farah led students through the mosque and gave the call to prayer, sharing insights into Islamic worship practices. At Temple Emanuel, Hazan Daniel Nessen, who serves as Hazan and Ritual Director, explained Jewish traditions and showed the Torah scroll, with students gathered around the Ark. At St. John’s, former Rivers Humanities faculty member Laura Brewer, who serves as junior warden at the church, guided students through the space, explaining the imagery in the stained glass windows and various Christian symbols throughout the church.

At each house of worship, worship leaders began with a formal talk before transitioning into a lively Q&A session, where Rivers students demonstrated an impressive level of engagement, depth, and curiosity. “The leaders were genuinely impressed with our students,” said Tye, noting that each leader reached out after the trip to express that they’d be available to answer any lingering questions. 

For many, the trip allowed students to immerse themselves in these places and provided a new understanding of these religions. Students noted the sense of community they felt when witnessing people praying together and valued the impact of seeing something first-hand after learning about it in the classroom. After the trip, students wrote reflections on their experiences and thought about which aspects of the trip were most meaningful to them. 

One student wrote, “The mosque was especially intriguing for me. Learning about the prayer, and the ritual of Ramadan was incredible. Through the field trip, we learned about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But I realized that they all have their special values and that there is no correct religion.” 

Another reflected, “The most meaningful part of the field trip was learning about what the Abrahamic religions value and how similar they are to each other. Having the opportunity to learn about and visit their houses of worship was an honor.” 

‘The most meaningful part of this field trip to me was at the synagogue. When the rabbi was taking the Torah out of the holy Ark. He treated it with a lot of respect despite it being a scroll. It was intriguing to me to find out how they handle it.” 

“The most meaningful part of the field trip to me was learning about the Christian branch of evangelism. It was really interesting learning about their unique values, and how each branch of Christianity stemmed from one religion, but is also each its own with its own diversity and unique perspective.” 

Aside from piqued interest in the topic, students gained knowledge and a deeper understanding and appreciation for the true value and teachings beyond religions. “It is important to focus on shared values across the Abrahamic religions,” said Tye, speaking to the value of this experience. “To see the similarities and connections across the religions and help students understand the diversities across the religions.”