How to Organize a Field Trip
Field trips are interactive and effective ways for kids to learn about a variety of things, whether it be art, science or local history. Field trips are also a great way to break up the day-to-day routine of learning in the classroom and can be a treat for students and teachers alike. If you want to organize a field trip, learn the important steps you need to take to make an upcoming field trip safe and educational.
Instructions
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Pick a place to go to that is age-appropriate. Museums are always a good pick for field trips, both scientific and artistic; state parks are another great pick for nature learning, as are zoos. Other ideas can be local farms, factories and historical sites; or you could give kids a few choices and let the class vote.
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Apply for funding and approval from your school, according to your school's procedures for field trips. Depending on your school, this can mean filling out a simple form or drafting a proposal. Go over the requirements for a field trip application in your school's handbook and follow the directions accordingly.
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Once your trip has been approved, contact the educational coordinator at the chosen location and make the appropriate arrangements. Many places offer packages for large groups and schools, so you may be able to book a cheaper trip. Find out what the location requires as far as providing food, attire and any age requirements.
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Write up an information sheet along with a permission slip for children to have parents sign. Include on the form anything children will need to bring, such as a lunch, close-toed shoes or school supplies. Also include any fees parents will need to pay and a short itinerary for the day.
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Write up another letter to send home requesting for parents to volunteer as chaperons. Some classrooms will have chaperons set up in a rotation; if this is the case, call the chaperons you have set up for the next field trip and make arrangements with them.
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Plan for transportation. Decide if you have enough chaperons to all take vehicles or if you will need to rent a bus or take public transportation. If you and your chaperons are the transportation, you'll need to send children home with another slip for parents to sign, giving permission for you or one of the designated chaperons to drive.
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Divide the students into groups ahead of time based on who you believe will be most well-behaved and get along best in that particular group. Don't make groups any larger than six or seven and assign a chaperon to each group. Keep the groups fairly small and manageable, so that chaperons don't become overwhelmed.
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Make sure students are clear on the rules of safety and behavior before leaving for your trip. Give them a briefing on what they will be doing for the day. Have rules set up for bathroom trips, what is acceptable behavior at the site, lunchtime and anything that may be an issue pertaining to your destination. For example, in an art museum you may want to instill the rules of no touching art pieces and quiet voices.
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Tips & Warnings
For added safety, and to help chaperons with names, you can have kids make their own name tags a few day before the trip.
To avoid confusion, you can also have kids label all of their belongings, so that there are no mix-ups.
References
- Photo Credit au zoo image by Philippe Minisini from Fotolia.com
