Recently, I was inspired to try a new type of assignment: the self-guided field trip report. Last semester, as I was teaching a new course, Astrophysics, I found myself uninterested in administering a traditional final exam. Feeling that astrophysics was out in the world, I decided that students could go out and find it if only given the opportunity. The assignment went well and brought new learning and joy to both teacher and students. In this article, I describe the lesson and share some results.

1.
D. E.
Howarth
, “
On the merits of ‘unusual field trips
,’”
Phys. Teach.
37
,
460
462
(
1999
).
2.
Readers can access the Appendix at TPT Online at https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0143084, under the Supplemental tab.
3.
A. J.
Friedman
, “
In defense of science museums
,”
Phys. Teach.
29
,
422
(
1991
).

Supplementary Material

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