The Fullerton Arboretum Fieldtrip

The Fullerton Arboretum is located on 26 acres of land at Cal State University Fullerton. The arboretum was created to give it's visitors the opportunity to gain knowledge about various types of plants and their diversity. It is a great place to take students to teach them about different types of environments and their regional heritage. The arboretum offers a 3rd grade environmental Education program for children and teachers. It is a plant-based science education program designed to support science education in local elementary schools in the City of Fullerton. The program is ran by volunteers, retired teachers and docents . It offers several benefits to students and teachers.

Some benefits include:

*Comprehensive lessons, activities, and materials for classroom instruction.

* Class field study trip led by nature guides focusing on activities that develop content
knowledge, vocabulary, and process skills related to the California Science Standards.

The arboretum is a great place to learn new things and relax and enjoy beautiful scenic views.

What Special Benefits Could My Students Gain Form Visting This FieldTrip Site?

Before I visited the arboretum with my 3rd class, I did some research online to find out more about the different types of plants and regions the arboretum displays. I was able to determine that I would be able to integrate several content-areas into this one Fieldtrip. After I spent some time backwards planning, I determined that I would be able to teach my students about the different regions in California. My 3rd grade students would get to learn about how each region differs from one another. They would get to explore and see the different types of plants, vegetation and climate that occur in each region and record the information in a science journal. I would also integrate social studies into the lesson by having my students locate the different regions on a map. For the students final project they would be required to write a brief report on their favorite region. The fieldtrip is beneficial to the students because they will be able to obtain more information, take pictures and make visual connections with the content being taught.

What Would I Need To Do To Adequately Prepare My Students Before The Visit?

Before taking the students on the fieldtrip the students will need to have had exposure to the different types of regions around the world. The students will be able to recognize the different biomes such as rainforest, savanna, temperate forest, grasslands, coniferous forest, tundra, desert and chaparral. The students would need to be able to compare and contrast the different regions and understand that California's regions consist mainly of desert and chaparral. I would also expose them to the different types of climate, vegetation and animals that occupy each region. I would make sure to provide different types of learning strategies to help my students acquire the new information at- hand. Visual representations, video clips, pictures and graphic organizer are great tools to help the students make a connection with what they have learned. Once the students have had enough exposure to the material, I would plan a trip to the arboretum. I would make several accommodations for my EL students and special needs students. I would prepare worksheets ahead of time that list the different regions. Each region would have a picture similar to the one the class is observing. I would also have written out brief notes with pictures to help my EL students connect the words to what they are actually seeing and learning. The students will be encouraged to take notes either by writing small phrases or drawing pictures. Lastly, I would pair my EL's with a Fluent English speaker who can help them develop their academic language as well as provide support and ensure that they are staying on task and learning the material.

What Resource Materials Are Available To Assist My Preparation, Teaching?

Some links that will be helpful in preparing my students for this fieldtrip are as follows:

1. http://fullertonarboretum.org.home.php/
This is the arboretums official website where students and teachers can find general information about the arboretum. The website has some information and descriptions on the different types of plants that are housed there. The website offers a brief history and heritage of how the arboretum got started and who keeps it running. It also has a link to discuss the educational programs it offers to local schools and students.

2. http://ahisd.net/campuses/cambridge/grade3/science.htm
This website is very beneficial for 3rd graders who want to explore and get to understand the different types of biomes the earth has. It briefly gives a description of each biome. It gives the students examples of the different types of animals that occupy that biome, what animals are endangered and where the biome is located on the globe. Overall, this website is very informative and it helps students learn complex things in an exciting way.

3. www.islandtrees.org/stokes/st_comptergr3sci.htm
This is another beneficial website for 3rd graders who are interested in learning about how plants and animals make adaptions in order to survive in their environment. It has worksheets and fun activities that show students how animals migrate over time, how nature works, how plants grow, labeling the parts of a plant and the life cycle of a plant. This is a very resourceful website that breaks down complex concepts into smaller segments. The website is designed to teach the students the information and then provide them with a fun filled activity to practice the knowledge learned.

What Safety Tips and Rules Should Be Followed?

It is important to let your students know ahead of time the rules and safety precautions that they will need to take in order to prepare for the fieldtrip.

Here are a few Rules and Safety Precautions to follow:

1. Since the trip will be outdoors students will need to wear sunscreen, hats and sunglasses to protect their skin from the sun. It is recommended that students bring a few bottles of water in order to stay hydrated . Students should bring a few healthy snacks and wear comfortable shoes and clothing.

2. Students will need to stay with the group at all times. Point out and show the students a designated meeting spot if someone gets lost.

3. Students should keep their hands, feet and objects to themselves.

4. Students will understand that they are not to feed any of the animals, touch the plants or pick any of the fruit on the trees.

5.They will need to stay on the paths and lawns and not stray off and step on the plants or woodchips.

6. Students are to leave the arboretum the way we entered it, clean and free of trash and destruction.

7. Have fun!

What Will I Do To Debrief Students After I Have Attended The Fieldtrip?

I will debrief my students by:

*Having a class discussion about the fieldtrip. What did they like about the fieldtrip? What didn't they like? If you could have the opportunity to take another fieldtrip where would you go? Why? What did they learn from this fieldtrip?

* Having them take out their science journals and share the notes they took at the arboretum with a partner. Students will be discussing what regions and plants they found most interesting.

* Completing a graphic organizer that categorizes each region they observed. Students will need to list examples of the different plants and animals that came be found in that region (This will help them prepare for their final project).

* Students will be encouraged to print out their pictures from the arboretum and use them in their final project.

Pictures of the Arboretum!

The first two pictures are part of the desert collection. The last picture is of the Ombu tree. I found this tree to be very interesting. The name Ombu means" Lighthouse". It has a huge form and stands more than 60 feet tall with the canopy just as wide.It typically grows in grassland. The trees sap is poisonous and the trunk is fireproof. It is said that it is the only tree to rise above the grassland plateau. The Ombu was often used for shelter.