Place-Based Learning

Knowledge in Action

At The Frederick Gunn School, we value experiential, place-based application of knowledge, as demonstrated by the courses offered through our IDEAS Lab, our signature Gunn Scholar Program, and our new Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy. Our goal is to give FGS students a sense of how knowledge works in action, whether they are building a robot, presenting at our annual Rooted Research Conference, or developing digital citizenship skills in our state-of-the-art, on-campus co-working space.

Following the example set by Frederick Gunn, FGS classes take advantage of local resources, such as Steep Rock preserve, Lake Waramaug and the Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy. Field trips to Hartford, New Haven, New York and Boston further enhance the curriculum and allow students to take in Broadway shows, visit museums, tour the Stock Exchange or participate in the Harvard Model United Nations.