Review Your Curriculum Needs Park education programs can help you address the curriculum standards and content that you are required to teach and on which your students will be tested. To figure out which program best matches your curriculum needs, review the program descriptions to discover the state curriculum standards linked to a particular park program.

Contact the Park Once you have selected a program, follow the directions from the web site to contact the park to reserve your program. Each park has its own system for reserving education programs. At some parks, schools can reserve programs starting in springtime for the next school year; other parks accept reservations in the Fall. Check the web site for reservation information. Some park programs fill up very quickly so it is important to make your reservation as soon as possible and have an alternative choice ready.

Plan Pre-visit Activities Most parks offer pre-visit curriculum materials to help prepare your students for their visit to the park. These materials provide content for the teacher and students, activities to excite students about the upcoming visit, and logistical information. They are available electronically or by mail. If the park does not provide pre-visit materials, use the suggestions on the following page to prepare students.

• Share the park brochure and map to orient students to the site.
• Discuss with students the types of activities they will participate in during their field trip.
• Review the procedures so students are aware of what they can do at the park.
• Review vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to students to increase learning on site.
• Share some photographs or graphics on topics related to the park resources.

Most parks require a certain number of chaperons accompany the group. The ratio of chaperons to students varies from park to park. Effective chaperons are a key part of a successful field trip. Many sites provide guidelines for chaperons. Below is a list of duties to share with your chaperons prior to the trip.

• Stay with group all the time and actively assist them in the activities.
• Monitor the group at lunch, during restroom time, and while visiting the gift shop.
• Address student behavior if necessary.
• Have fun by participating with students in the activities.

Follow-up Activities Most parks also provide follow-up activities to extend learning back in the classroom. The activities relate to your curriculum objectives and to students' lives. They give students an opportunity to demonstrate what they learned on the field trip and provide a way to incorporate this knowledge into their class work.