Field Trip on a Bus

Tape recording a field trip is a great way to help kids review and remember their experience.

Objectives

Children 4-5 years will be able to appropriately sequences and relates experiences Lang. IIB
draw pictures meaningful to himself and trace letters FM III
Children 2 ½ -3 years will be able to recognize and name gross sounds in environment Lang. IA
and children younger than 2 ½ will be able to imitate some words Lang. IA

 
 
 

Materials

Tape recorder, cardboard box cut to simulate a television set with wooden rollers on top and bottom, several sheets of paper as wide and high as the screen, felt pens or crayons, wide tape.

Procedures

1. This is a 3-day activity. On the day before the field trip, set up chairs and make-believe a bus ride. Choose a driver and call "All aboard!" As the children enter the bus, they drop their "money" in the driver's coin box and take a seat. Discuss the different sounds heard on a bus: whoosh of the brakes as the bus stops; clanking of the opening doors; footsteps on the metal steps; clinking of the money; people talking, and babies crying; tooting of the horn; bang of the closing door; ringing of the get-off bell; and another big whoosh as the bus takes off (Sing "Wheels on the Bus").

2. On the day of the trip, use a tape recorder to record the actual sounds discussed on the preceding day and the new sounds that were not anticipated. Tape interviews with the children. Ask the children to tell about the things they're seeing and hearing. Encourage them to give as many details as possible.

3. On the day following the trip, play the tape and have the children identify the sounds of the environment and the voices of the other children. Stop the tape and let them imitate the sounds. Write a short description of the various "scenes" at the bottom of separate sheets of paper, e.g., "Waiting for the bus," "Riding on the Bus," "Looking at buildings", etc. In groups or working alone, have the children illustrate each scene with felt pens and crayons. Brainstorm with the children for a story title and print this title on a separate piece of paper. Print “The End” on another paper. Vertically tape the completed scenes to each other or to a long roll of paper.

4. Wind the story sheets around the TV roller and show your story! It’s fun to have the children take turns narrating the pictures. Let the children try to remember what happened next before moving the paper to the next scene.

Variations

1.  Take a Polaroid camera along:  make a class book with Pictures, drawings, and story line.   Or print photos (from a phone) that you've taken during the trip -- the children can sequence the photos and dictate commentary that an adult writes down.

2. Instead of having the children draw, the adult may illustrate the events on large paper as they are replayed and discussed.

3.  See MUSIC -- "Wheels on the Bus," a good song that connects to this Lesson Plan and may be used along with other activities.