Taking students on a field trip is more than packing kids on a bus and driving to the destination. Field trips should be educational, fun, and provide information about the intended destination from start to finish. These suggestions will ensure a successful field trip that will leave lasting memories and fulfill educational goals.
Planning and Selecting Field Trip Destinations
Select destinations that enable kids to return to school whenever the learning day ends. This avoids conflicts with sports practices, games, and parental commitments.
Choose destinations that support classroom learning: a science class might visit a local zoo; a history class might tour a local battlefield or museum; an art class could spend time in several galleries; a religion class might spend the day with schools geared toward other faith traditions. Community ethnic festivals are also good educational destinations.
Keep costs low so that every student can participate. Build a small contingency fund into the overall price to cover the costs of disadvantaged students.
Arrange for lunch. Some sites that are used to student field trips provide box lunches, but these are generally more expensive than stopping at a local fast foods restaurant. Arrange lunch stops a week before the trip. If using a private bus company, many drivers can recommend appropriate lunch and rest stops.
Divide student groups among chaperons. Budget enough money to cover chaperon lunches. Additionally, give all chaperons site materials before the trip so that they can answer questions.
During lengthy drives in the bus, play appropriate videos or DVD’s. When I took students to Biltmore Estate, I played numerous videos about Biltmore so that students had a basic background of the site. On a day trip to the National D-Day Memorial, students watched Saving Private Ryan on the bus and were assigned to read Alex Kershaw’s The Bedford Boys (De Capo Press, 2003; also available on Kindle).
It is never appropriate to allow students to drive themselves to field trip sites. School district insurance and legal restrictions may prohibit such activities.
Learning at the Site
Local museums as well as Parks Service museums usually display artifacts from the historical time period being showcased. Develop a question and answer sheet that students can fill out. Scavenger hunts are also popular. Most National Parks Service personnel have written material that corresponds to exhibits and that are grade-level appropriate.
Although a significant battle, Guilford Courthouse is a relatively small battlefield in Greensboro, NC. As an example, have students measure the length and plot where the first line of local farmers stood to hold back crack British regiments. At Guilford Battleground, a Parks Service representative will demonstrate how to load a Revolutionary era musket and the subsequent smoke it emits upon firing. Given the length of the battle field, this gives students a better idea of what it meant not to shoot until “you see the whites of their eyes!”
While only an example, the National Parks Service maintains hundreds of similar sites. Even sites that only feature a field and monument can be the source of learning activities that actively involve students. Pre-trip activities should include background information that integrates the on-site experience with classroom learning outcomes.
Check-List for Student Field Trips
- Verify your visit with site officials at least a month before the trip
- Verify transportation arrangements
- Arrange for enough chaperons to fulfill school requirements
- Distribute student permission slips a month before departure
- Account for every signed permission slip ten days before departure
- Address all special needs and disability requirements
- Confirm lunch arrangements
- Prepare all trip handouts and student rosters for chaperons
- Prepare a folder with student emergency call numbers
Ideally, every school should appoint a field trip coordinator whose duties include helping other teachers, especially new teachers, with planning and facilitating a field trip. Good planning and organization will ensure a meaningful and responsible learning experience for all students.
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