Place Based Field Trips

Alemany Farms (Grades K-12)

Offering FREE field-trips for school groups Monday afternoon from 1:00-5:00

Aquarium of the Bay (Grades K-12)

Offering FREE field-trips for school groups.  A non-profit marine nature center showcasing the biodiversity of the San Francisco Bay Marine Ecosystems.

CaliforniA Academy of Sciences (Grades K-12)

Offering FREE field-trips for school groups. From a four-story rainforest and living coral reef to a 2.5-acre living roof and all-digital planetarium, Academy exhibits are both impactful and engaging. Self-guided field trips give teachers the opportunity to create their own itinerary and focus on exhibits that fit their curriculum.

Camping in the Presidio (Grades K-12)

Affordable way to bring your classes into a place-based experience in the city. Since 2007, CAP has met the need for thousands of Bay Area youth to access overnight camping in the Presidio, while providing a gateway experience to explore the Golden Gate National Parks and public lands far beyond our urban center.

Conservatory of Flowers (Grades K-12)

The Conservatory offers three unique options for your field trip.

CRissy Field MYstery Trail Walk (Grades PreK-3)

FREE field-trips for school groups. Children lead the way with clues found along the trail for a guided treasure hunt.  Can be linked with Presidio, Parks Conservancy or Crissy Field programming.  For groups of 20 or more, please call 415-561-7752 to register and to ensure that adequate supplies are available.

CRissy Field People to Parks Program (Grades K-12)

Visit the Presidio where a Park Ranger will lead your group on a selected program highlighting natural and cultural features on a unique park adventure ages 5 and up.

CRissy Field People to Parks Stewardship Program (Grades 4-12)

Visit the Presidio where a Park Ranger will lead your group on a selected program highlighting natural and cultural features on a unique park adventure ages 5 and up.

Educational Bay Cruises (Grades K-12)

To inspire our youth to make a difference and become stewards of environmental change, Hornblower Cruises & Events offers Educational Bay Cruises on the Hornblower Hybrid (the first hybrid boat in the nation!) to school groups and youth groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Environmental Science Center (Grades K-5)

FREE OVERNIGHT field-trips for for K-5th classes in SFUSD district. Single-day field trips, or overnight tent camping available for your class.  Teacher-Naturalists lead activities integrated into your choice of curriculum.  Free to register, they fill up quickly!

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (Grades K-12)

FREE field-trips for school groups.  At the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, students will use their senses to discover the bounty of California farms and local food artisans.

GOLDen Gate Audubon Eco-Education Programs (Grades 3-5)

The Eco-Education Program offers year-round environmental education to Title I (federally-funded) elementary schools in Oakland, Richmond and San Francisco.

GATEWAY MOUNTAIN CENTER (GRADES K - 12)

The Gateway Mountain Center offers environmental education and field science programs, based at Donner Summit (near Lake Tahoe) which include exploring and studying diverse eco-systems, human history, restoration, wetlands, and geology.

Hayes Valley Farm (Grades K-12)

FREE field-trips for school groups. Located in central San Francisco, this innovative use of space in the city examines local ecology, permaculture and urban farming.  Open every day for field trip programs.

Headlands Institute (Grades K-12)

Located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area north of the Golden Gate Bridge,  Headlands Institute offers day long, and overnight experiences for your group.

L.E.A.F. Program  (Grades K-12)

A two week summer place based immersion program, free to students, with a $1000 stipend for teachers.

Literacy for Environmental Justice (Grades K-12)

LEJ's hands-on learning programs at Heron's Head Park and Candlestick Pt. State Recreation Area include: Introduction to salt marsh habitats; Discovering biodiversity; Ecological stewardship; Bird identification; Native plant identification; Native plants propagation. Students explore challenging social and environmental issues while they learn they can do something to improve our world right now. Projects may last anywhere from a day to a year.

Kids in Parks (Grades 6-12)

Sequential field trips to parks throughout school year to learn about local ecology and natural history.

The Marine Mammal Center (Grades K-12)

FREE field-trips for school groups.  Programs include real marine mammal specimens and hands-on activities that stimulate inquiry and inspire ocean stewardship.

Marine Science Institute (Grades Pre-K - college)

MSI connects students of all ages with the marine ecosystems of their neighborhoods around the San Francisco Bay area.

The Presido Trust Kids in the Park  (Grades K-4)

KIDS on Trails is a self guided, staff-introduced program designed for children ages 5-10 years (grades K-4) and accompanying adults to encourage learning and recreation outdoors in the park. There are KIDS on Trails booklets for the Ecology Trail (near the Main Post) and the Anza Trail (near Mountain Lake). Each offers kid-friendly activities, site-based experiences, tips for adults, and a trail map.

Randall Museum (Grades Pre-K-12)

Wonderfully affordable field-trips for school groups. Located in Corona Heights, The Randall Museum offers day visit programs emphasizing science, the natural environment, and San Francisco history.  A 365 degree view of the region offers a fantastic place to study natural history and social ecology of the region.

Recology SF School Tours (Grades 3-8)

FREE field-trips for school groups, including free bussing.  watch this video on YouTube made by Scott Handhew in the Spring of 2007 for a feel of what you and your classes will experience on the tour.

Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary (Grades Pre-K-6)

11 acres of explorable coastland, coastal scrub and upland ecosystems allows students personalized understanding of the vast ecological systems in the region.  Field programs cover everything from the pacific flyway migration patterns, to the delicate microscopic inhabitants of the adjacent  500 acres of preserved bay sanctuary.

SF Environment (Grades 2-12)

FREE field-trips for school groups available. The education department offers a wide range of field trips to local sites like the Transfer Station and Pier 96 Recycling Center; Garden for the Environment; Scroungers Center for Reusable Art Parts (SCRAP); Alemany Farm, Heron's Head Park.

Slide Ranch (Grades Pre K-12)

Offers 1, 2 and 3 day-long overnight programs on a functioning organic farm.  Located off of U.S. 1 in Marin County.

SFPUC: Wastewater Treatment Plant (Grades 5-12)

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) invites you to take a tour of one of our Wastewater Treatment Plant to find out how we get dirty water clean again!

SF Botanical Garden Society (Grades K-5)

Two lotteries held per year, one in early September, the other in December to assign walk dates in September-January and February-June.

SF Zoo (Grades K-12)

Classes can have a guided tour to visit bears, gorillas, giraffes, and penguins, or learn about savannas, rainforests, and more.

Tree Frog Treks (Grades K-12)

Our field trips are led by energetic and knowledgeable naturalists. Overnight field trips are available to students in 4th through 12th grade.

WILD Care- Marin County Field Trips (Grades K-6)

Day field trips provided to four places in Marin County, transportation the responsibility of the school.

WILD Care- Wildlife Veterinary Center Tour (Grades PreK-8)

Day trips to wildlife veterinary hospital and rehabilitation center.

YMCA Point Bonita (Grades K-12th)

Experiential learning programs that illuminate scientific and ecological concepts that empower students to become environmental and community stewards throughout their lives!

 

 

Field Trip Tips:  Words of Advice from Veteran Teacher and Parents

Field Trip Planning Guide and Timeline

By Anna Gin

 

Two to Three Months Before the Start of the School Year

  1. Look at your curriculum and identify standards you want to address during a field trip.
  2. Make sure you look for field trips sites that will provide meaningful activities for students to make connections to your teaching.
  3. Identify dates during the year that you can take students on field trips. Keep in mind STAR testing dates, parent conference weeks, holidays, and special school events.
  4. Select sites that will address the standards you have chosen.
  5. Identify organizations that will provide free or reduced fee field trips.
  6. Obtain contact information for organizations you are interested in taking your students on a field trip.
  7. Try to find trips that are close by so that you can take public transportation or else you will need to find funding to pay for school or private buses.
  8. Apply for the field trips you want to attend.  Many field trips are given away on a first come, first serve basis or are due before the school year starts at the beginning of August.
  9. Apply for grants that will help you with funding trips that are not free or for those that need transportation funding.  Good organizations to consider for funding are:

a.  Target Field Trip Grants

b.  Donorschoose

c.  I Love Schools, Inc.

Beginning of the School Year

  1. Obtain pre-trip packets from sites you plan to visit.
  2. Get approval from your administrator to attend planned field trips.
  3. Contact transportation department to find out if buses are available for your planned dates.
  4. Fill out bus requisition and fax to transportation.
  5. Continue to look for grant opportunities to fund your field trip.
  6. Stay in contact with the educational director of the sites of your planned field trips

 

One Month Before the Field Trip

  1. Complete and copy field trip permission form for students.  Field trip forms should include:

a.  Date and location of field trip

b.  Transportation

c.  Purpose of the field trip

d.  What students need to bring for the field trip

e.  Parent contact information

f.   Area for other teachers to give students permission to attend your field trip

  1. Conduct a pre-visit to the site so that you can familiarize yourself for all the major areas that students will be visiting.
  2. Develop an itinerary for the day.
  3. Send home a note or post a message on your website asking parents to volunteer to chaperone the field trip.
  4. Submit payment to field trip site and/or transportation if needed.
  5. Find coverage for classes you have that are not attending the field trip.  Ask a fellow teacher at the school site to cover your class(es).

 

Two Weeks Before the Field Trip

  1. Make arrangements with the cafeteria if any students need to order school lunch for the field trip.
  2. Confirm your transportation.
  3. Confirm the date of your field trip.
  4. Pass out the field trip forms to your students.  Tell your students to have their teachers and parents sign them.
  5. Start pre-trip activities with your students so they can see how what they do in class ties in with the field trip.

 

One Week Before the Trip

  1. Collect all forms from the students.
  2. Confirm parent chaperones.
  3. Make name tags for all students and chaperones attending the field trip.
  4. Divide students attending into smaller groups and assign at least one chaperone per group.
  5. Create a packet for chaperones that include:

a.  Itinerary

b.  List of students he/she will be chaperoning

c.  Field trip forms of each student in the group

d.  Map of field trip site.

e.  Copies of activities the students will be completing during the field trip.

f.  Your cell phone number in case an emergency occurs.

g.  List of all groups and chaperones in case anyone gets separated.

 

Two Days Before the Trip

  1. Make alternative arrangements for students not attending the field trip.
  2. Send out a list of all students attending field trip to their teachers, counselors, administrators, and attendance office.
  3. Obtain public transportation passes if taking public transit.
  4. If any students have not turned in their forms, call their homes to get verbal consent and ask the parents to remind the students to bring the form the next day.

 

Day Before the Trip

  1. Review the purpose of the trip with the students.
  2. Go over the itinerary in great detail.
  3. Explain what the students will be doing during the field trip.
  4. Show students a video or graphics of what they will see and do during the field trip.
  5. Review rules of conduct for the field trip.
  6. Show the students which group they will be in and which chaperone they will be with throughout the day.
  7. Go over any logistics and answer questions about the field trip.
  8. Check all chaperone packets to make sure all materials are in it for the field trip.

 

Morning of the Field Trip

  1. Meet in a designated classroom.
  2. Pass out name tags.
  3. Review itinerary with each chaperone as he/she arrives.
  4. Divide students into their groups so that they can meet their chaperones.
  5. Make sure to have an emergency kit.
  6. As you leave, turn in final list of students to the main office.

 

During the Field Trip

  1. Check-in at the site.
  2. Review the rules of conduct during the field trip.
  3. Remind students of the itinerary.
  4. Have fun!

 

Post Field Trip

  1. On the day after the trip, have the students complete a written reflection of the field trip. Allow students to write about any observations they had, what they liked or did not liked, what they learned, etc.
  2. Complete any post-trip activities.
  3. Complete the teacher evaluation for yourself to reflect on how you think the trip went (positives and negatives), what you would or wouldn't change about the trip, and whether or not you would take another group of students on the trip again.