Field Tripping

Last week, we went on our annual trip to Environmental Adventure Day at Southeastway Park.  The children used nets to catch tadpoles, dragonfly larva, and a crawdad.  They planted a tulip tree in the park, got within a few feet of a hawk and several types of owls, used binoculars to watch birds, and tried shooting an arrow from a bow.  The parks department goes all out on this day and I love the science the children get to experience.  If you know me, you know science was not my favorite class in school, so I work really hard on it so my students will learn to love science.

Monday, one of my students asked about my favorite field trip.  That was easy.  Many years ago, one of my parents invited us to the railroad yard in Beech Grove to watch the circus unload.  A carny guy latched onto us and explained how the animal cages were designed to protect the animals as the traveled.  He told us who lived in which train cars.  Pretty soon, a local television celebrity, Cowboy Bob, came and asked us to stay.  He was pretty excited that we were there.  They filmed us and we were on his next show.  This got an appreciative reaction from my current class.

In one of my first years of teaching, Pastor Bickel asked me to have my class do the service at the nursing home for him.  I loaded all ten of my first and second graders into our 1968 Pontiac Bonneville and off we went.  We recited Bible verses and sang songs we had memorized and came back.  I don't remember if the parents even knew.  In those days, it didn't matter.

There was an in-house trip that I remember.  The Kroger pharmacist had student pharmacists from Purdue come into my class to talk to the students about safety issues concerning medicines.  I remember one in particular.  He walked in, showed his scrapbook of football pictures, and then showed the class his Rose Bowl ring.  I was impressed, I'm not sure about the kids.

Another one that stands out for me was just two days after John's funeral.  We went to Survive Alive! which is an outstanding fire safety class for the children.  I have gone so often, the firefighters greet me with hugs and, "Hi, Sandy!" when we walk in.  That particular year, they asked me if I would like to try on the firefighter's gear.  Are you kidding?  You can see the picture of me wearing the gear in the October 17, 2015 entry. 

I remember one field trip from my own first grade, too.  The teacher read us a poem about a jack-in-the-pulpit plant.  I said that we had them in my yard, so we walked the block to my house to see it.  My mom was pretty surprised to see us.  We could not do that today. 

Why take field trips?  Here's your answer, they create great memories and learning experiences for students and their teachers.  You can't measure that with a standardized test!  So there!