When planning a field trip, many teachers dread what will turn into a hectic, stressful day of work. With a bit of planning and toolbox of activities at the ready, any field trip can be an enjoyable activity, even for the teacher.
Planning for a Field Trip
When planning for a field trip, a teacher has to prepare a lot of behind the scenes work to make the trip happen. There is the paperwork to submit, the permission slips to be signed, and reservations to be made. Planning beyond the buses and entrance fees will help make the field trip go more smoothly.
Plan activities for students to complete while on the bus as well as during any unplanned delay. Think through the timing for everything and anticipate the traffic delays and unusual occurrences. If the class will be going on a boat ride, plan how to handle a student that gets seasick. If students are going to watch an air show, plan how to handle some students becoming afraid. Being over-prepared will help teachers handle any situation that comes up.
Easy Games to Play on a Field Trip
Teachers should have a ready supply of games to play with the students while on a field trip to help engage the students and keep them from getting out of control in a situation where there is extra down-time. One easy game to play is I Spy. The teacher can adapt this game to a variety of situations. The traditional search for colors can turn into a search for animal tracks, musical instruments, or anything relating to the field trip.
Teachers can have students play a memory game where each student says something they would bring on a trip and the next student has to list all previous items and add to the list. Telephone can be a fun game to play as well, remembering the rules that each student has to pass on whatever phrase he or she hears. This is a great game for teaching children about the danger of rumors as well.
Twenty Questions is another easy game to play with students that can be adapted to any situation. The student who is it has to come up with an answer that relates to the topic of the field trip and the other students are only allowed to ask yes or no questions to figure out the answer. If they are unable to guess the correct answer within twenty questions, the student who came up with the answer is the winner.
Students are naturally excited about field trips and teachers should capitalize on this excitement to ensure that each student stays tuned-in and obedient during the day. Through extra planning and a plethora of games and activities to handle down-time, teachers will be able to have a smooth, enjoyable field trip every time.
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