Elementary Social Studies Field Trips

Greetings

Welcome to the Montgomery County Public Schools Social Studies Field Trip Data Base. This resource lists over 150 field trip sites in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area that are linked to the Montgomery County Public Schools social studies curriculum for Grades K-5. You can access the field trip sites by using the table of contents on the left or by scrolling to the end of this page.

Value of Field Trips

Field trips enable teachers to expand children's learning beyond the walls of the classroom into the vast community outside. They provide children with experiences that cannot be duplicated in the school but are nonetheless an integral part of school instruction. Perhaps a field trip can best be described as a living laboratory in which learning is acquired through active hands-on experience with the rich resources of the local community.

Research has shown that field trips are important for many reasons:

• they increase student knowledge and understanding of a subject,
• they add realism to the topic of study, and
• they provide an opportunity to develop and enhance a student's socialization and citizenship skills.

Planning for Field Trips

In light of their valuable contribution to a child's education, field trips should be preceded by good planning. Careful attention should be given to trip selection, previsit preparation, the trip itself, appropriate follow up, and evaluation. Such efforts should ensure that students will have a successful educational experience. When considering a field trip, teachers are advised to first consult with their administrator regarding existing school board policies and follow those recommended procedures. For assistance in planning a field trip, view the following:

• MCPS Field Trip Checklist
• Items to Bring on the Trip
• Field Trip Tips
• Tips for Primary Grades

Note to Parents

While the primary audience for the Social Studies Field Trip Data Base is teachers, parents and students may find valuable information in the listings. Times and dates, however, may not reflect the hours of public operation. Please contact the site directly for full information about services to the public.

Feedback

The Social Studies Field Trip Data Base is constantly growing. Parents, teachers, and students with information about additional sites, or suggestions for improvements for the existing listings, should click here or contact:

• Dr. Dawn F. Thomas, coordinator, elementary social studies, [e-mail Dawn_Thomas@fc.mcps.k12.md.us] (301) 279-3356
  
• Martin Creel, instructional specialist, social studies [e-mail Marty_Creel@fc.mcps.k12.md.us] (301) 279-3357

Ways to search the database:

• By the name of the field trip site
• By the location (city, county or state) of the field trip site
• By the grade level related to the field trip site
• By the specific unit related to the field trip site
• By the type of field trip site
• By the multicultural focus of the field trip site

• By the field trip site for which activities have been written
• By the field trip site which has Electronic School Bus Field Trip Videos prepared.

There have been visitors to this site since Feb. 1, 1996.