6th Graders Head to the Beach for Week Without Walls

Each year, YISS middle school students participate in the Week Without Walls program, which is designed to have students engage in more hands-on experiential learning. Students and teachers leave campus for three days to participate in outdoor activities aimed to promote character and leadership development, as well as service-learning.

This year’s 6th grade Week Without Walls trip to Daecheon Beach took place from September 18-20. One of the benefits of this location is that there is plenty of space for students to run and play, collaborate in group activities, and participate in hands-on learning. At Daecheon Beach, nature truly becomes our classroom! From recreating Mesopotamian cities in a sandcastle-building competition, to analyzing crabs and other shellfish in the tidepools, to engaging in a live-action trading and economics game, students were as enthusiastic about their learning as ever-- just underneath clear, blue skies and to the tune of the waves of the Yellow Sea lapping the beach. During their free-time, students spent time near the Daecheon Beach retreat center exploring the beach, competing in a ping-pong tournament, and playing on the athletic courts and fields. 

There were two major themes that were weaved throughout the activities during Week Without Walls: stewardship and storytelling. Students learned about the stewardship of resources and reflected on how they can be good stewards of their resources both on the trip and back home in Seoul. In the area of storytelling, students were challenged to swap stories around the bonfire, write skits to be acted out in front of their peers, and reflect during their journal time. Students were urged to use their voices and creativity to express themselves by sharing their stories with others. As usual, this Week Without Walls trip passed much too quickly, beautiful memories were made and friendships were created and strengthened on this trip! For more photos from the trip, view the photo album.