Learning Expeditions: turning Madagascar into our classroom

A bigger classroom than four walls

We call them Learning Expeditions because these outings are more than field trips; they are journeys of discovery that join classroom theory with God’s living world. Our vision is simple: every child should touch, taste, smell and wonder at the very things they read about in books.

The goal of an expedition is three-fold: deepen understanding of a curriculum topic, nurture stewardship for creation and culture, and ignite a curiosity that keeps burning on the bus ride home and beyond.

How an expedition is born

Planning begins quietly in the staff room. Teachers pin curriculum charts to the wall and ask, “Where could we feel this lesson?” Biology units point us toward lemur reserves; geology sends us clambering over laterite hills; national-history modules whisper of palaces on city heights. Once a destination is chosen we book trusted buses, draft safety checklists and gather volunteer parents for a two-day-ahead briefing that covers everything from first-aid packs to the lunchtime prayer. The morning of departure starts with roll-call and a short devotion. Then the bus engine rumbles, curiosity rises, and the ordinary school day turns into story material.

A snapshot from the road

Since 2015, Students and chaperones piled into the school bus for Lemurs’ Park, 22 kilometres southwest of Antananarivo. Windows fogged with excitement as children spotted their first ring-tailed ambassadors long before the gate. On site they sketched sifakas leaping between tamarind trunks, measured banyan-tree girths with tape-measures and collected Malagasy names for medicinal plants.

We were guided by Professor Jonah Ratsimbazafy—Madagascar’s best-known lemur scientist—who knelt to the children’s eye level and said, “Today you are my fellow researchers.” He led us along winding paths, pausing whenever a sifaka leapt overhead to explain how its powerful thigh muscles act like springs and why forest corridors keep lemur families connected.

Where our footsteps have taken us (since 2015)

We schedule at least one Learning Expedition during the academic year and another during our winter camp so that, across their Ayhay journey, students gradually collect the full set of experiences.

Zà Bibikely Insectarium at Havoana Land – Butterflies shimmer inside a hillside greenhouse in Imerinkasinina while entomologists explain why insects keep forests alive.

La Ferme d’Antanandrano – Along the RN3 in Antanandrano, children churn butter, test soil pH and discover how compost smells when it is just right.

Nutrifood factory (INVISO Group) – In Ambohibao’s industrial zone pupils follow maize kernels through gleaming steel machines until they emerge as vitamin-rich breakfast cereal.

City heritage tour with ORTANA – Guided walks weave through colonial arcades, zebu-market alleys and cathedral steps, turning the capital itself into a history textbook. High on Analamanga Hill the stones of the Queen’s Palace tell stories of the Merina kingdom and a nation finding its heart.

Crocfarm - Ivato is an animal and botanical park where visitors can discover crocodiles, lemurs, chameleons, baobabs and other species endemic to Madagascar, just 3 km from Antananarivo international airport. Crocfarm is committed to raising awareness of the need to protect the flora and fauna that make up Madagascar's biodiversity.

University Tour - Ankatso

Students toured the University of Antananarivo campus—visiting science, humanities, and arts faculties—then gathered in the American Corner for a fun English quiz activity before wrapping up with a guided walk through the campus’s key landmarks.

After the bus parks

The real magic happens back at school. Journals brim with leaf rubbings and interview notes; math lessons turn picnic-waste weights into bar graphs; small groups write to the park guides with new questions. Projects often sprout here too.

Parents part in the adventure

Parents, you are more than chaperones; you are expedition mentors. When a permission slip comes home, consider ticking the “I can join” box. The night before, read a short article with your child, pack that trusty refillable bottle and pray together for open eyes and safe travel.

Learning Expeditions remind us all—students, teachers and families—that God’s world is an endless textbook and that wonder waits just beyond the school gate. Pack your hat; the bus is warming up.