Planning for A Field Trip

Before the trip

1. Establish the educational purposes of the trip

2. Write educational goals.

3. Obtain administrative permission.

4. Select a date.

5. Verify date and time with authority at the destination.

6. Record date on School calendar and notify the cafateria.

7. Make arrangements for transportation.

8. Make arrangements for the visit: time to leave, schedule, activities and special materials.

9. Make arrangements for lunch and restroom facilities.

10. Develop an alternate plan for bad weather.

11. Select sponsors and meet with them to explain the goals of the trip and their responsibilities.

12. If there is a guide make sure they know goals for the trip.

13. Make the excursion prior to the children.

14. Study background information for the visit. This will provide valuable knowledge for the visit and for instructional activities after the visit.

15. Write permission slips, include date, time leaving and returning, and costs.

16. Discuss the field trip. "What will students learn? What things in particular do we want to observe? What questions do we want to ask the guide? This preparation will help the students be more observant and guide their research during the field trip. Chances are good that some students will be taken to places they have been before. The first-grader has been to the supermarket a hundred times with their parents. Most of them have seen trains, been to the airport, been to the zoo, and all have been to a filling station. Why, then, should the school take children to such places on field trips? The answer is in your goals. And the better prepared the students are to observe and collect data the more likely they will achieve the goals, by looking for things they would not otherwise see.

The day before the trip

Set up the standards of conduct for the trip. Through discussion, the point can be made that each student is a representative of their school and that persons in other communities may make judgements about the entire school based on their actions. Rehearse behavior and role play confusing situations. Establish signal for attention.

Double check principal, bus, cafeteria, and check to see if all permission slips are in, office reports completed, and chaperones confirmed.

The trip

Review the rules, give groups color coded name tags, bracelets or wear all one color shirts. Take a supply bag containing: first aid kit, photography supplies, trash bag, etc.

Take roll before leaving the school grounds and count noses frequently. With young children it is a good idea to place them in pairs.

Enforce rules immediately and consistently.

Arrive at the destination on time and have the students ready for the guide on time. Be sure to introduce the guide to the class. Position supervisors through group: one in front, middle and back. Keep students on track to prevent accidents or injury. Before leaving check again to make sure all children are with the group.

Make sure that time is allowed for the answering of students’ questions.

Make sure all students can see, hear and are actively involved.

Assess the trip

1. Conduct follow-up activities. This should include writing a thank-you note to the firm and to the adults who accompanied the class. In the primary grades, the students dictate such a letter to the teacher who writes in on the chalkboard or chart. Individual students then copy the letter and one may be selected to be sent or, in some cases, they may all be sent.

2. Assess if the goals of the trip have been achieved.

3. Assess the conduct of the class in terms of the standards set up before the trip. Discuss whether they listened attentively, stayed in a group, observed habits of courtesy... This assessment should always include favorable reaction as well as ways in which they might improve on subsequent trips. A list might be made of these suggestions for improvement and saved for review just before the next trip in undertaken.

Utilize opportunities to draw upon data and experiences from the field trip in other subjects taught in the classroom.

Robert Sweetland's Notes ©