ALIKE AND DIFFERENT
Teacher of lesson: Megan Matthys
Lesson Topic/Subject: Field trip to PACE
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Estimated Time: 90 minutes 

FIELD TRIP TO PACE

OBJECTIVES:

MATERIALS:

PROCEDURE:

Introduction/Anticipatory Set

  1. During calendar time explain to the students that they are so lucky today because they get to go on a field trip to PACE, which is place that helps people with disabilities learn new ways to make their lives easier. They are going to get to see and talk to people who have the kinds of disabilities they have been learning so much about for the past three weeks.
  2. Remind the students how very important it is to be polite and kind to all people, even if they look different or talk different than themselves. Also tell the students that since they are going to be guests, they need to be on their best behavior, and they need to be very good listeners. Ask the students if they can think of some things they can do in order to be good listeners while they are there.

Sequence of Instruction

  1. At about 9:15, have all of the students get ready to leave and line up.
  2. Once all of the students are in line, assign four students to each driver, and make sure each student has a partner. Explain to the students that they have to stay with their partner for the whole time.
  3. Make sure you give each driver a copy of directions on how to get to PACE, and get on your way!
  4. When you arrive, have the students stay in the cars while you first go in to make sure they are ready for you. Then line the students up and take the students with to the where the tour guides specify.
  5. Now the students will have the chance to listen attentively to different people with disabilities, and they will get to see different types of equipment that help people who have disabilities with their daily lives. They will see things such as special computers, Braille writers, walking canes, special wheel chairs, hearing aides, a sign language interpreter, as well as equipment used to help people with disabilities strengthen their muscles.

Closure

  1. After the students have had the chance to listen to everyone and look at everything, make sure there is some time for them to ask questions in order to further their understanding. Since the students have had a chance to study what they will be viewing for three weeks, they will probably have some good questions.
  2. When it is time to leave, first have the students thank their hosts for the wonderful experience, and then send the students out with the parents one group at a time. Explain first to the students, that when they get back to school it will be almost lunch time so they should go ahead and get all of their things ready for lunch and meet on the carpet.

EVIDENCE OF STUDENTS MEETING OBJECTIVES:

  1. Students will listen attentively and politely to the people with disabilities who have come to talk to them. They will show that they listened and learned from these people by discussing the field trip later in class.
  2. Students will view equipment used by people with disabilities to help make their daily lives easier such as Braille writers, special computers, walking canes, hearing aides, special wheel chairs, a sign language interpreter, etc.
  3. After being attentive listeners, the students will try to further their understanding by asking appropriate questions which will help them learn even more about people with disabilities.

ADAPTATIONS/RETEACHING IDEAS:

  1. After the field trip is over, get a feel for what the students learned by holding a discussion with them. If you feel that the students missed some key points, retell the students what you wanted them to learn.
  2. If one student is having a particularly difficult time behaving and listening, make that student your partner during the field trip.

EXTENSIONS:

  1. Hold a discussion afterwards about what the students thought was most interesting about the field trip.
  2. Have the students each create one page of a class book which will help others learn about the things they discovered on their field trip.

REFLECTIONS:

  1. Did the field trip run smoothly?
  2. Was there adequate planning?
  3. Were three parents enough, would two have been enough?
  4. How did the students react to the field trip?
  5. Was the material the students were introduced to interesting and meaningful?
  6. What would I do differently in the future?

FIELD TRIP, APRIL 18

Dear parents,

The kindergarten students in room10 will be going on a field trip on Friday, April 18. We will be going to a counseling center for people with disabilities called PACE (Persons Accepting Challenging Environments). At this center we will have the opportunity to meet and interact with people who have different disabilities, and we will also be able to view equipment that people with disabilities can use to help make their lives easier. After that, we will be visiting Beckwith, the building where University of Illinois students with disabilities live. The students will be given a tour of the building and some of the apartments which were all designed especially for handicapped people. We will also have the chance to meet some of the students who live there and to ask them questions to learn more about what it might be like to be disabled. In order to end our morning nicely, we will then have a picnic lunch at a park which was designed especially for children with disabilities. Please send your child to school on April 18 with a sack lunch so they will be able to enjoy the picnic.

-------------------------------------- tear and return----------------------------------

My child _____________________ has my permission to take part in a Kindergarten room 10 field trip on Friday, April 18. The class will be going to PACE, Beckwith, and the park.

Signature_____________________________

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