Shedd Aquarium Field Trip By: Rebecca Senese and Michele Renner

Shedd Aquarium Field Trip  St. Ray’s 4 th grade will be taking a field trip to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago  After learning about adaptations, food webs and ecosystems in class we have the opportunity to explore the Wild Reef exhibit  The students will get to participate in the Reef Relationships Learning Lab and see the 4D show “Pole to Pole”  ariumchicago?blend=11&ob=5#p/u/25/U kKYYqJnNpA ariumchicago?blend=11&ob=5#p/u/25/U kKYYqJnNpA

Field Trip Request:  Submitted to the Principal several months before field trip is planned to take place, but after research to back up proposal  Destination: Chicago Shedd Aquarium  Date: November 11, 2011 Depart: 8:20AM Return: 2:15PM  Number of Students: 60 Chaperones: 12 (including teachers)  Lunch Plans: Sack Lunch in a Lunch room at destination  Cost : $18.00 per student (break down will follow)  Purpose: This field trip will supplement our current study of ecosystems and adaptations. Students will participate in the Reef Relationships Learning Lab, Pole to Pole 4D show, and Wild Reef and Oceanarium exhibits.  In Class Activities: Observation activity, which will be folloed up on after the trip with a poem activity.  Goals Met: 3.C.2a; 11.A.2b; 12.B.2a; 12.B.2b; and 17.C.1a; 17.C.1b

Cost Breakdown: Transportation: Basic Rate (for 4 hours): $183 Hourly Rate (for any additional hours) $44 Bus Cleaning Fee (if applicable) $35 $183 + ($44 x 2 hours) $271 (x 2) = $542 Aquarium: Aquarium Entry Fee: Free Oceanarium Show and Exhibits: Free Reef Relationships Learning Lab: $ 95 per 35 students Lunch: Free 4-D Pole to Pole Movie: $3.50 per person ($95 X 2) + (3.50 X 72) $442 Total= $ 984 Cost per student = $18

Agenda: 8:00AM- Students and Chaperones arrive at school 8:15 AM- Divide Groups and Load buses 8:20AM- Buses Depart 9:05AM- Arrive at Shedd Aquarium (approximately 45 minutes driving time) 9:20AM- Meet at the Aquarium Entry 10:30AM- Oceanarium Show and Exhibits 11:00AM- Reef Relationships Learning Lab 12:00PM- Lunch in the Marine Munchroom Lunchroom (sack lunch) 1:00PM- 4-D Pole to Pole Movie 1:15PM- Exit Shedd and load buses 1:25PM- Depart Shedd 2:15PM- Arrive at Cathedral of St. Raymond School (47 minutes driving time) 2:40PM- Follow Up activity introduction 3:15PM- Dismissal

Parent Letters: A letter will be sent home to parents describing the field trip and purpose. The letter will also inform parents of: -the date, time, and details regarding the trip as well as asking for parent chaperones -Permission Slip -Amount to be paid for trip and who to send the money to - Contact information -Destination information -Chaperone availability -A follow up letter will also be sent home the week of the field trip reminding parents of the trip and that the student will need a sack lunch.

Chaperones: A 1:5 Ratio of Chaperones is required. With 60 Students, this means we need 10 chaperones (not including the teachers) Chaperones will be provided with a list of student names, medical/allergy information for those students, contact information for other chaperones and teachers, maps and agendas for the field trip and a spot to meet up at (in case a group gets separated) All information will be available to Chaperones a few days prior to the trip, with information packets being disbursed the day of the trip.

Activities: Before- Distribute “My Science Notebook” Lead discussion on the meaning of adaptation Students will practice observation skills, focusing on behavioral features and habitat, using as many descriptive words as they can Teacher will lead discussion on the observations so students will know what is expected of them on the trip During- Students will choose 2 animals to observe Students will sketch and write down as many words to describe their animal as possible Follow-up- Students will use the observations written in their “My Science Notebook” to write a diamante poem: Line 1: One word (the first subject) Line 2: two words (adjectives that describe first subject) Line 3: three words (“ing” words that relate to first subject) Line 4: four words (two nouns that relate to the first subject and two nouns that relate to the second subject) Line 5: three words (“ing” words that relate to the second subject) Line 6: two words (adjectives to describe second subject) Line 7 : one word (the second subject)

Examples: Eel Slimy, Straight Waiting, ambushing eating Fish, reef, snake, river Striking, squeezing, swallowing Camouflaged, scaly Anaconda Egg Oval, white Waiting, cracking, hatching Chick, nest, cold, Antarctica Swimming, diving floating Monochrome, feathery Penguin  Students must include information about the geographic habitat of their animals  Students will share poems and display them around the classroom