In a learning expedition, teachers instruct reading, writing, science, math, and other subjects through a set of challenging, interconnected projects. Literacy instruction, embedded in every expedition, is also a special focus of the approach. The expedition projects involve authentic research, fieldwork, and community service and culminate in performances, presentations, and exhibitions for the school community of students, faculty, staff, parents, and local residents.

The expeditions at RBCS exemplify the process. In "Curious As A Monkey," an expedition of the two five-year-old kindergarten classes, the students learned about monkeys and other animals from trips to the Philadelphia Zoo and a visit from a traveling zoo to the school. A classroom talk from Curious George helped connect reading with animals, and George then became a journal companion, as the students wrote about the animals -- and related subjects -- that they studied. As a service component, the classes sponsored a "Readathon" throughout the school to raise the $1,000 needed to adopt a spider monkey at the zoo. The classes met this goal -- and students read 250 books beyond their regular assignments.

Such expeditions are effective ways to educate: they excite students about making discoveries through learning. RBCS is structured, both philosophically and practically, to make expeditions happen -- but it is also structured to foster character development through teamwork and cooperation and to provide a consistent culture of compassion and goodwill. The ELS model offers a specific set of design principles -- there are 10 -- and actual core practices -- there are five -- that work together to create this powerful overall environment.