Field Study Jitters

We may end the day by starting Wall E.

We're going on a field trip for the first time--we've never visited this location as a grade-level before. Hence, there's a few jitters.

We know the trip is a well established experience for students. We have lots of chaperones. The money has been collected and permission slips signed. The busses have been reserved and rechecked. Hence we're ready, but there's always a bit of trepidation before any field study. Yet, that shouldn't stop us from trying out new learning experiences. Plus, a field trip in March really serves to break up the doldrums that March can bring.

What's important to make this trip a success are the following steps:

• Have a student list available
• Make sure the iPhone is powered up
• Make a copy of the schedule for chaperones
• Make sure that every child has a lunch
• Get started on time
• Remind students of behavioral expectations and learning goals
• Oversee the event as it happens, support the presenters and leaders
• Upon return give students a chance to run around and play
• Then if there's time and will, reflect a bit about the trip (that might be a better fit for Monday morning). If students are full of too much energy for reflection, we may end by watching another signature film together, Wall-E, which matches our trip to some degree. 

Now it's time to ready for the adventure.