Our 4th grade year has become known as "the field trip year", with over 10 trips carefully aligned with learning units across the year. This article describes the first trip of the year, which in many ways sets the stage for students' effective use of field trips as engaging extensions and applications of classroom learning. The Pike's…

Positioned in the context of experiential learning, this paper reports findings of a virtual reality field trip (VRFT) in conjunction with an in-person field trip involving preservice teachers in an elementary science methods course to a local natural history museum. Findings included that virtual reality (VR) is best used after a field trip to…

A field trip to the local zoo is often a staple in many elementary school curricula. Many zoos offer free entry to local teachers and their students. Teachers take students on field trips to enrich the curriculum, make connections to what students are learning in school, and provide students with meaningful learning experiences (Kisiel 2007).…

In this article, the author describes how a cemetery in East London provides a haven for wildlife and a gem for children to explore. Children from Woolmore School in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets are visiting the cemetery on a class outing as part of a wider whole-school experience. Throughout the whole visit children are encouraged to ask…

An open field--with its wildflowers, grasses, and vole tunnels--became an instant classroom. Students' senses were awakened there, and upon entering a nearby forest, they immediately detected a difference: less light and cooler air. "Why are there no grasses in the forest? Why aren't there ferns in the field?" These and other questions emerged as…

Describes a 3-day program sponsored by the Orange County Marine Institute that provides biological, cultural, and historical learning experiences. Discusses the setting and activities of the five ecosystems explored by the students. The Chaparral to Ocean Science Camp includes chaparral, riparian, woodland, intertidal, and pelagic environments.…

Believing that confinement of students within the same four walls does not lead to the best learning, a sixth-grade teacher took his students 20 miles into the country to work on their science lessons, where they used all of their senses in a unique hands-on farm environment. (Author/KC)

Activities in the ecology of New England's tidepools are provided in this field trip guide for elementary school teachers. Resources, curriculum materials, and services are identified that are available through the New England Aquarium's Department of Education. This packet contains: (1) pre-trip activities (offering a vocabulary list,…

The purpose of this community study unit is to introduce third grade students to the concept of the food web and to guide them in an investigation of the interrelationships among living things within a community. In the first section, students examine their own diets, and then extend this examination to the diets of some familiar animals.…

Explanations of a marine mammal rescue program and information on seals and sea lions are presented in this curriculum package for intermediate grade teachers. Activities are highlighted which focus on the natural history of harbor seals. This unit contains: (1) pre-trip activities (including fact sheets and worksheets on the different types of…

Points out the safety considerations involved in organizing science field trips. Outlines potential problems and suggested ways of alleviating them through good practice. Provides a checklist which may be photocopied for use. (RT)

This unit is designed to help first grade students understand the broad concept of community. The students experience a variety of in-class and field trip activities that will expose them to communities. The students observe and compare both natural and human-designed communities. Learning activities include pantomimes, listening activities,…

This unit of study is made up of a series of activities designed to acquaint the students with changes and cycles in the world around them. The unit includes a field trip to a local beach where a number of changes can be observed first-hand. Life cycles, as well as the water cycle, are introduced in the unit through a variety of pre-trip classroom…

Field trips to museums can enrich education, though teachers and parents must guide children's explorations and help them connect their previously gained knowledge with new information from the exhibits. The article describes a study of children in museums, discussing the findings and making suggestions for enhancing museum experiences. (SM)

Suggests how simple hikes can be integrated into the elementary school curriculum. Presents nine topic areas that can serve as themes for schoolyard hikes. (ML)