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Field trips enable teachers to expand children's learning beyond the walls of the classroom into the vast community outside. They provide children with experiences that cannot be duplicated in the school but are nonetheless an integral part of school instruction. Perhaps a field trip can best be described as a living laboratory in which learning is acquired through active hands-on experience with the rich resources of the local community.

*Research has shown that field trips are important for many reasons:

•  they increase student knowledge and understanding of a subject,
•  they add realism to the topic of study
•  they provide an opportunity to develop and enhance a student's socialization and citizenship skills

• Field trips should be preceded by good planning.
• Careful attention should be given to trip selection, previsit preparation, the trip itself, appropriate follow up, and evaluation.
• Such efforts should ensure that students will have a successful educational experience.
• When considering a field trip, teachers are advised to first consult with their administrator regarding existing school board policies and follow those recommended procedures.

• Identify the instructional objective to be met.
• Select a tentative location for the trip.
• Seek initial administrative approval for the trip.
• Contact the appropriate individual at the field trip site to arrange the actual date and obtain appropriate pre-information for the trip.
• If possible, visit the site to familiarize yourself with the major features of the field trip.
• Contact the bus company to arrange for transportation on the selected date.

• Confirm the final date of the trip with the school principal.
• Confirm the trip date with the bus company and verify the bus route.
• Send a cover letter to the parent/guardian, describing the field trip. Such a letter usually includes some or all of the following:
•         Educational purpose of the trip.
•         Trip itinerary.
•         Bus arrangements.
•         Supervisory arrangement.
•         Date of the trip.
•         Student cost.
•         Eating arrangements.
•         Whether the child will need prescribed medication administered.
• Send the appropriate consent form to the parent/guardian. IF using buses, use the form provided by your district.
• If a child will need medication during the trip, send an "Authorization to Administer Prescribed Medication," to the parent/guardian to be completed and returned.
• Collect the money for the trip and deposit it in the appropriate account. If required, send the advanced fee to the bus company.
• Obtain volunteers for supervision and provide training as appropriate. Provide alternative arrangements for pupils who will not be going on the trip.
• Inform the cafeteria staff if students will be away during the lunch hour.
• Inform other teachers about the trip if their schedules will be affected.

*Trip Preparation-Academic Details

• Discuss with the class the purpose of the field trip and how it relates to the current unit of study.
• Prepare a trip booklet with assignment activities for students to complete before, during, and/or after the trip.
• Conduct appropriate pre-visit activities to prepare students for the trip. This may include a visit by a representative from the field trip site.
• You may wish to view and discuss an Electronic School Bus Field Trip Video or the destination's web site.
• Have the students develop a set of standards of conduct for the trip.

    1. Have the use of a clipboard, hardback notebook, or other hard surface (perhaps cardboard) for note-taking, sketching, etc. Paper or pages in a writer's notebook provide ideal places for children to record ideas and vocabulary which they may use for writing.

    2. Carry art materials for any sketching which requires color, such as oil pastels, charcoal, or crayons.

    3. Take along some thin paper (like newsprint) for doing rubbings on gravestones, building signs, and interesting textures, such as brick or wood.

    4. Carry Zip-Lock bags for making collections. Pre-label them with the names of students or groups.

    5. Strong net bags (such as those available at Giant Foods), or other durable totes, provide excellent carriers for notebooks, clipboards, art supplies, etc. Three or four per class would be ideal. They are the perfect size for student assistants to carry.

    6. If students are permitted to bring cameras, encourage them to plan how they will be used to record information and ideas needed later for writing or to illustrate their writings in a book, pamphlet, essay, etc.

    7. Arrange to take the school camcorder or Digital camera on the field trip. Have a student trained to use it to record interesting sights and interviews. This visual record could provide the foundation for a documentary or narrative script.

    8. Arrange to bring a tape recorder to record docents remarks. (Be sure to get permission from the docent in advance.) Have a student trained to use it to make an audio record of the trip. This information could be useful in clearing up misinformation, developing a documentary of the field trip, enabling students who missed the trip to hear the information, and serving as a resource for future student research.

    9. Permit students to bring money for purchasing postcards or other memorabilia which will reflect the field trip site. These pictures, brochures, etc. can be used as resources for writing. It may also be possible for the school can fund the purchase of support material at the gift shop.
 
 

*Conducting the Trip

On the day of the trip:

• Take roll.
• Pass out name tags for young children.
• Divide class into small groups and assign chaperones to groups.
• Take inventory of food, equipment, and other supplies.

On the bus ride back to school, encourage students to complete assignments.

Follow-Up Activities

• Discuss and evaluate student assignments in the field trip booklet.
• Conduct other appropriate follow-up activities and projects. Comparing your visit to the experience mentioned on your destination's web site or an Electronic
• School Bus Video may be a good start.
• Have the class compose and send a thank-you letter to the field trip site host.

Evaluating the Trip

• Appraise the value of the trip (with students as appropriate) in terms of:
• Educational purpose.
• Strengths.
• Weaknesses.
• Suggestions for improvement.

Share the evaluation with the students, volunteers, host from the field trip site, and school administrator.

*Other things to do:

    1. Leave time for your students to sketch artifacts, structures, scenery, etc. If they cannot complete their sketches, encourage them to label them for future completion as to color, detail, etc.

    2. Leave time for your students to work on any assigned writing tasks. If they cannot complete their writing, encourage them to record key words,ideas, and phrases for future completion.

    3. Provide students who are assigned to work various electronic equipment (tape recorder, camcorder, Digital camera) with the assistance and guidance of the chaperones.
    4. Encourage students to make lists of persons (such as docents or bus drivers) whom they might want to thank in a personal letter following the trip. If they inquired as to the person's address while on the field trip, they wouldn't need to investigate this upon their return.
 

*Each field trip needs some specific planning for everything to run smoothly. Teachers should always make sure to include the following:

1. Letter home
       This explains where the class will be going, the purpose of the trip, costs, requests for chaperones, and a tear-off permission slip to go on the trip. Also inquire as to whether a child will need medication during the trip.

2. Chaperone letter
       Thanking volunteers ahead of time works great! The teacher also can outline her/his expectations of chaperones for the trip, their responsibilities, and any extra materials the class or chaperone might need (such as a picnic blanket, cameras, etc.).

3. Scavenger hunt
       Develop a simple, fun, and guaranteed successful activity for the children to do during the bus trip. Ask adults to help out. This will reduce problems on the bus.

4. "I need . . . " paper
       The day before the trip, work with the students to write an "I need . . . " paper. This would included: a bag lunch with a small drink, weather appropriate clothing, a good night's sleep, a nutritious breakfast, and, of course, manners and a smile. Have students take home and share with parent(s).

5. Name tags
       This is a great way to squeeze in some economics! The day before the trip, establish a production line to create name tags for the students. Within an hour the class will have the best name tags available!

6. Thank you letter to chaperones
       In their groups, children can write a simple thank you for the adult chaperone(s) who went with them. They can all work on one note or each child can write his/her own. If a classmate's parent was a chaperone, that child can take the letter home. Other letters can be mailed.

7. Thank you letter to staff at field trip site
       The class can write a thank you note to the staff at the field trip site. This can be written on chart paper, recording individual or whole class messages. Illustrations may accompany this note.
 
 

Exploratorium school field trips
http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/fieldtrips.html

Going to the Exploratorium?

Field Trip Info - http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/fieldtripsinfo.html
Guided tour? Pathways - http://www.exploratorium.edu/pathways/index.html
One Student Handout -  http://www.exploratorium.edu/pathways/guided/magnets.html#BlackSand
Another Student Handout -http://www.exploratorium.edu/pathways/guided/eyeballs.html#Cow