Field Trip Teacher Tips From the fans at The Organized Classroom Blog s Facebook Fan Page Compiled by Charity Preston Organized Classroom The OC Blog on Facebook
Organized Classroom asked What are your best field trip tips?
I love trips that are hands on. We have a local high school that has its own garden. They provide trips on gardens, making pizza from dirt, the kids made a worm bin. They have been great trips! -Pamela B. Wear matching shirts. Take pictures of each child as they get on the bus in case they get separated from the group. -Deb J. Good, reliable chaperones! -Melissa R. Our nature center does a Habitat Detectives program designed for K and 1 that is excellent. Hands on, outdoors, lots of time for questions and exploring. Plus we get to eat our lunches outside! -Donna M. If you have little ones pair them up and they them hold hands with their buddy the whole time! -Brian H.
After 29 years, my best advice is to over plan! Have at least one car go along. Have a small emergency kit in a plastic gallon zip lock bagit has been handed to a sick kid before. A roll of paper towels, a charged cell phone, extra cash. Most of our trips are at least an hour one way. -Michele H. Pre-plan with the kids so they know what to expect, give those reliable chaperones some pre-trip information too! -Kathy G. A scavenger hunt! Students must find the answer to different questions on the field trip. For older kids, we allow them to take pictures and video with their phones to make presentations. -Shannon A, If the trip will require students to be divided into groups, go ahead and write their names in coordinating colors representing their group. This saves time and you trying to figure out good pairings on the spot. -Constance C.
They have shirts that have their name on them that are used throughout the year when there is a sub that they wear. I keep all emergency contact information with me. I give each chaperone a note with lunch and end times on it and my cell #. At lunch I check in with everyone. Typically groups have 2 kids in them. -Emily K. For safety, don't use name tags. Strangers can call them by name. We have put contact info. On a label inside their shirt where it is not visible. -Michele H. We only do the school name and phone number on name tags not a child's name. -Bonnie Y. Tip: Make sure you let parents know not to drink alcoholic beverages while in the presence if your students. (Yup! It happened to my colleague last year.) -Hilda E.
When using name tags I put a sticker or colored dot that matches the name tag of their chaperone. So if a child can't remember their chaperone's name, they match up with the sticker. Always provide chaperones with guidelines, itinerary, and your expectations. I also give them tips on how to engage the students in conversation to make reflection powerful. I also make a "bus packet" for students to work on whole traveling. The farther the distance, the more activities. I make the activities relevant to the focus of the trip. They work on it while sitting by their seat buddy. I tie pencils to their clip boards so they don't get lost and provide chaperones with a bag of extra pencils that are sharpened. I give each chaperone a mini "boo boo bag" filled with band aids and antiseptic cream just in case. During the bus ride I pass around a mini notebook and collect all parent chaperones' cell numbers, just in case it's not what I have on record with me. I give my parents my cell number and never put a group with me so I can handle any difficult situations and visit with all groups. -Rachel W.
I like to pack my backpack full of "everything you might possibly need even if you think you won't need it"...hand wipes, anti-bac gel, paper towels, a couple plastic grocery bags, sunscreen (if outdoors), extra snacks in case kids forget lunches/snacks, a little cash, band aids, rubber gloves...you name it, I probably have it! -Jill B. Being organized and all the kids wear same shirts!! -Ashley M. We wear school uniforms so being able to find each other is easy. Having trustworthy chaperones is key!!! -Denise B. Teacher doesn't take a group so if there is an issue you can deal with it or a troubled child can come to you easily. -Kristi R. Go with another teacher if possible so you have someone to bounce ideas off of in case of an emergency. -Rebecca E.
We tie dye shirts at the beginning of the year and then wear them every trip. Makes it easy for the tour guides to know who is in our group. If I have enough chaperones, I assign kids to a chaperone, then when ever we transition I have kids stand by their chaperone then the chaperones give me a thumbs up. If it's just me and one chaperone, one takes the front and one brings up the back of our line. We also fundraise at school to raise money. We've done a lemonade war, sold Popsicles for 50 cents each, and sold candy grams around holidays. We're in fifth grade and go on a ton of field trips. Also, be sure to ask the places you're going for deals. Many will wave admission fees for schools with 50% or more free/reduced lunch. -Samantha F. I NEVER take my own group in case there is an emergency I need to deal with. I also buy postcards for the kids to write to their parents and they get mailed. -Michelle M.
You cannot possibly over prepare! It allows you the luxury of enjoying every exploratory moment with your kids. -Karen P. backpack with signed emergency forms/ contact numbers, first aid baggie, sharpie, package of wet wipes, small scissors. put an extra sandwich and water bottle in your lunch in case someone forgets, print mailing labels stickers with school name, school number, one teacher's name and cell number and put on each child's back. -Ging Ruth M. Reliable and responsible chaperones, plus making costs all inclusive (admissions, food, transportation). -Donna M. Make sure kids know that, if they get lost, they should STAY PUT!! Not wander half a mile away to the House of Darkness at the Bronx Zoo... -Chris
We do the tie dye shirts also. Love it because they are so bright you can pick your kids out immediately. We always get compliments on our shirts. We go with 3 other classes and each class has their own two colors. We do blue/ yellow, green/yellow, red/yellow, tangerine/yellow. Always have a backpack with contact numbers for children, schoolmate., listing of groups with chaperone cell numbers and I give them my number, first aide kit, neutral change of clothes, Kleenex, wipes, and baggies. -Barbara N. When we go as a grade level, each class makes a tie-dye shirt in a different color. So if any of us see a child out of place, even if we don't personally know the child, we know exactly which class the child belongs with based on the color of the child's shirt. -Christine Y. Enjoy them! Even with all the hard work involved with planning one, I really miss them now that my system has all but eliminated them. -Sabrina M.
Parent chaperones are a must. Many of my colleagues only take 1 or 2 chaperones. I take as many as I can. I divide my class into groups of 3 or 4 students, depending upon behavior, and assign each group to a parent. I do not take on the responsibility of a group. That frees me to maneuver and oversee all students without being tied down to just one group. I can make necessary payments, take pictures, handle situations, etc. In addition, for those years when I have a child with extreme behavior issues, I put in his/her behavior contract that he/she will only go on field trips if the parent goes as his/her personal chaperone. I figure if a child is unable to control his behavior in a controlled environment (the classroom), there is no way I'm willing to put him, myself, or at the class at risk in an open, unfamiliar environment. And yes, one year I did have such a child run away from the group and get lost. It was frightening! -Christine Y.
Pack band aids, tissue, baby wipes, an extra little bottle of water or two. Save one in case of an emergency. I had a student who had an allergy attack of some sort or he sweat sunscreen in his eyes or something and I used my whole water bottle to soak his poor puffy face. It helped! -Sheila G. Get a manila folder. Paper clip a class roster outside. As students turn in permission slip forms highlight their name and throw the form into folder. Always bring a backpack for lunches and waters. I only allow brown paper bag lunches so we don't lose any nice lunch containers. -Kristin V. Try and get more chaperones than needed so that if any cancel that day you have extras on hand. -Kristin V. Take a water bottle, bag and paper towels in case anyone gets sick on the bus! -Jessica W.
We put tags on each child, but instead of their name, it has the school name, teacher name, and teacher cell phone number. I always have a backpack with band aids, tissues, wipes, hand gel, gloves, ziplock bags, grocery bags, and anything else I think we might need. -Debra L. Everyone wear regular t shirts, clothes, Brightly colored. -Mary H. Count your students at every point when they are all together. Count them before getting on the bus. Count again before leaving the bus. Count again at the beginning of lunch and again before they break for lunch. Count again before getting on the bus and finally again when returning to your classroom. Sounds redundant, but you will always know someone hasn t wandered away from a chaperone who was looking elsewhere -Charity from Organized Classroom