Strategies for Successful NAGT Field Trips

Planning Stage

• When designing your field trip, try to choose a location that will have wide interest and provide something intellectually insightful for all levels.
• Advertise early (months), late (weeks leading up to actual date), and often (both in paper and electronically)
• Provide an opportunity for professional growth hours for local school teachers (Due to No Child Left Behind Act, many states now require yearly professional growth for all teachers). Other NAGT groups have had success with providing certificates of attendance or creating a continuing education credit course in conjuction with the trip. Check with your state department of education (or the local school teachers) to determine what qualifies for professional growth credit in your state or region.
• Establish an itinerary that includes appropriate attire, anticipated rest stops (even details on what type of bathroom accommodations), volume of water appropriate for the trip, food needs, and any other considerations (backpack? rock hammer? collecting bag? camara? etc...).
• Provide information about what might be the "goodies" from the trip: sample collection opportunities, cool picture opportunities, etc...
• Written directions and visual maps of the meeting location.
• If people are coming from a distance, provide information about where to stay. If possible, arrange for a special deal with a local hotel/motel. If that's not possible, at least provide hyperlinks or phone numbers, approximate prices, and distances from field location or meeting location to local hotels.

Who to Invite

• Send word out to your NAGT section.
• If appropriate, invite neighboring NAGT sections.
• Contact your local NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) representative and (if possible) your local ESTA representative (Earth Science Teachers Association) in order to get the word out to local school teachers.

Other Considerations/Logistics

• If possible, provide transportation.
• Keep the cost as low as possible to make it as accessible to as many as possible.