Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal, visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu as part of their tour of China last month. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Educators are well aware that travel is one of the most meaningful experiential learning opportunities available for both themselves and for their students. And summer vacation is a great time for travel! Last month, my husband Hal and I were able to spend nearly three weeks in China, and we enjoyed many unique experiences there that would serve very well as springboards for classroom lessons. One of them was a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu.

This research center is a sanctuary for giant pandas, red pandas, and other endangered wild animals found only in China. The center also serves as the world’s pre-eminent institution for giant panda conservation, scientific research, breeding, popular science education, and cultural tourism.

The first thing we did upon our arrival was to take in a panoramic view of the entire research base. The facility was built on a summit that offers breathtaking views. Trees cover the slopes as crystal clean rivers wind down the hills.

We arrived early, and spent the next two hours wandering from one enclosure to the next, observing many of the approximately 100 giant pandas who live there enjoy their breakfast, chewing bamboo with their strong teeth while holding the stalks with their two front paws. Some of them were climbing trees to find to look for young, tender leaves. They looked very clumsy up there, but we were told that they are actually quite adept at climbing, and even if they fell a short distance they could survive it well. Our local guide shared many a surprising fact about these adorable endangered bears, and we learned a great deal about the species during our visit there. We learned to much about giant pandas that day!

I’m sure there are many teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels who would be eager to share information about giant pandas with their students. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for an American classroom teacher to escort a group of students to Chengdu, China. But teachers who are developing classroom curriculum for their students could examine this website for the Chengdu Research Base for information to help.

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal Marzell, travelled to Xian, China, in 2026 to visit the archeological site of the Terracotta Army, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Many educators agree that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available. When my husband, Hal, and I were fortunate enough to visit China last month, and there we learned what a magnificent country it is. During our tour, we were scheduled to visit Xian, and the archeological site of the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. Our local guide, Miki, explained that three pits had been discovered, and all were currently under excavation. This work has been ongoing since 1974, when the terracotta warriors were accidentally discovered by local farmers in the process of digging a new well. The archeological dig was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

The archeological dig includes a collection of nearly 8,000 life-sized human soldiers buried in the tomb of the conqueror Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. The statues—each one individualized—were created in 210–209 BCE to protect the emperor in his afterlife. In addition to the human figures, terracotta horses and chariots were also created, and the entire collection reflects the military power of the Qin Dynasty.

Once we entered the structure surrounding Pit #3, we saw that a viewing platform had been built above and around the excavation. A viewing platform had been constructed so visitors could get a better view of the ancient warriors, standing majestically at attention. In addition, we saw several clay chariots and the horses used to draw them, all of them life-sized and created with minute detail. The tableau assembled below us truly resembled an actual army encampment.

These figures were largely intact, even though many of the sculptures had been badly damaged by tomb-raiders following the death of Qin Shi Huang. In a rage they raided the former emperor’s tomb to scavenge for weapons—bronze swords, axes, spearheads—wielded by the terracotta army, smashing the clay soldiers as they went. Like a gigantic and intricate jigsaw puzzle, the fragments have been carefully pieced back together. Today, a team of archeologists continues to painstakingly excavate, label, re-assemble, and photograph each unearthed figure, and then return them to their original positions.

Next, we proceeded on to Pit #2. Here the dig had not progressed as far as at Pit #3; the progress looked mostly like a series of large mounds. But we did see an area where the archeologists currently conduct their work.

Finally, we made our way over to Pit #1, the most amazing of the three digs. Legions of terracotta warriors were lined up, standing side-by-side as if at attention during a military inspection. Miki led us along the length of the oval platform, where we saw more of the archeologists’ ongoing work. We saw several figures in varying states of reconstruction. Some of them were missing sections, indicative of an, as yet, incomplete jigsaw. But we could also see that each clay soldier wore a unique face, and some of them even displayed distinctly African facial features. How, I wondered, did African soldiers become members of this grand army, so far from their home continent? We spent a half hour or so examining the statues and the site that served for centuries as their home, and then our tour was concluded.

Lessons about the history of the Terracotta Army would likely be of interest to any teacher developing a curriculum for a World History class. In addition, Art teachers might want to ask their students to study the art of creating figurines in clay. Almost certainly, though, it would not be easy for an American classroom teacher to escort a group of students to Xian. But the government of China maintains an excellent website with information and photographs of the dig. You can access that website at Terracotta Warriors Museum.

Author Terry Lee Marzell and her husband Hal visited Royal Lazienki Park in Warsaw, {plans, where a monument has been erected to honor the brilliant composer Frederik Chopin. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Summer is prime time for teachers—and students—to incorporate travel into their vacation plans. Many people, both young and mature, know that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available. That’s why last month, my husband Hal and I planned a tour of the countries of Eastern Europe.

While my husband Hal and I were touring Warsaw in Poland, we were offered an optional excursion to attend a piano recital of selected works by celebrated composer Frederic Chopin. To be honest, neither Hal nor I are big classical music fans, but as we told each other, how could we go to the city that loves her native son so devotedly and not sample the good man’s music?

Earlier in the day, our tour group visited Royal Lazienki Park where a monument has been erected to honor the brilliant composer. There Chopin is depicted sitting beneath a windswept weeping willow, his eyes closed and his hand extended, as if he were playing an invisible piano. The pose is said to symbolize his connection to nature.

The statue was originally erected in 1926, but when the German Army rolled in to occupy Warsaw in 1940, the monument was blown up. A local legend says that the next day a handwritten placard was found among the rubble bearing the message, “I don’t know who destroyed me, but I know why: So that I won’t play the funeral march for your leader.” Fortunately, a cast of the original statue had been made, so when WWII was over, a duplicate was constructed and erected in 1946. Today, the memorial is graced by a placid reflecting pool, impeccably manicured lawns, and a field of profusely flowering rose bushes. The scene was lovely.

And also educational. Our local tour guide led us to a park bench and pressed a button embedded in the bench. “Well, there’s something you don’t see every day,” I commented to Hal in an aside. Yolante explained that in Warsaw, there are fifteen of these Chopin Benches located at various sites that were significant to the composer’s life, each featuring a button that when pressed plays a short excerpt of his music. Each bench plays a different Chopin composition.

Yolante told us that Chopin, who’d been sickly all his life, passed away in Paris, in 1849. He was only 39 years old. He is buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Hal and I remember stumbling upon his grave there when we visited France in 2015. On a macabre note, per his deathbed request, after Chopin’s passing, his heart was removed by his doctor, preserved in alcohol, and returned to Poland in 1850, where today it is enshrined in Warsaw’s Holy Cross Church.

On the night of the concert, we made our way to Warsaw’s Fryderyk Concert Hall. This elegant space was comparatively small, with chairs for only about 100 people. We were fortunate enough to be seated in the front row.

Our pianist for the evening was a well-known Polish chamber musician, recording artist, and music educator. He’s played at festivals and concerts all over Europe, and he’s a regular guest of the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw.

The audience was filled with anticipation as the pianist entered the concert hall and took his seat at the Steinway. For about an hour he regaled us with skillful renditions of Chopin’s compositions. The composer’s work is well-known for being technically complex—very difficult to master—and for evoking strong emotional responses with his music. Neither Hal nor I are Chopin experts, but we agreed that the pianist appeared to perform the pieces with great technical skill—I had a close, clear view of the keyboard and watched with awe at the speed and dexterity with which his hands dashed across the keys. When the recital was concluded, we came away feeling it was certainly worth the effort and expense.

Certainly it may be very rare that a public school music educator in the United States would be able to escort his or her students to Warsaw to explore Chopin’s memorial and attend a concert there, but it might be possible to attend a recital in your home town. Why not see if you can provide such an excursion for the young people in your classroom?

Author Terry Lee Marzell appears in front of the Bundestag, the German Parliament Building, located in Berlin. Photo credit: Hal Marzell

Many educators agree that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available. That’s one of the reasons why last month, my husband Hal and I enjoyed our tour of several countries in Eastern Europe, including Germany.

While in Berlin, we were able to visit the Bundestag, which is the official name of the Parliament of Germany. A tour of a parliament building in a foreign country offers students unique opportunities to compare and contrast governmental processes with those of our own country. This is especially valuable for young people who are considering a future career in law or government. Furthermore, these visits are interesting to those who are interested in history.

Hal Marzell examines plenary chamber of the German Parliament building in Berlin, Germany. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Of the many parliament buildings Hal and I have toured all over the world, the Bundestag is particularly interesting. I was intrigued by the architecture, which features the blending of a modern design fitted inside a historical structure. This blend signifies both Germany’s tumultuous past and the democracy of the present day. The exterior of the building, built between 1884 and 1894, was constructed in a solid Neo-Classical style. The old-fashioned style pays homage to the building’s historical origins. The modern features, fitted inside these original walls. consist of a glass structure which provides a light and airy feel to the interior space, not to mention plenty of natural light. The interior decor of the plenary chamber accentuates this atmosphere with light, neutral colors for wall and carpet materials and cool blue upholstered furniture pieces. I also particularly appreciated the contemporary metal sculpture of Germany’s Federal Eagle erected at the front of the chamber.

Author Terry Lee Marzell examines the mirrored column that supports the glass dome which crowns the Bundestag building.in Berlin, Germany. Photo credit: Hal Marzell

The entire edifice is crowned with a gigantic glass dome that allows for sky-high panoramic views of the entire city. This dome is supported by a mirrored tornado-shaped column that once again suggests Germany’s tumultuous past. The ring around the base of the support column allows for viewing into the plenary chamber situated below. The dome allows for a clear view both outside of and inside of the structure. Thus, the dome symbolizes the present-day goal of transparency and openness in Germany’s government.

We all know it is difficult to organize a field trip for your class to visit important sites overseas, no matter how valuable such a trip would be. But your students could learn more about this unique building online by examining the online site here. Happy travels, whether in person or virtual.