Grand Canyon Revisited

You may recall a previous post about a scouting trip for a future potential field trip to the Grand Canyon. Our team of 4th grade teachers and an incredibly supportive principal were able to make it happen!

First, a recap by the numbers:

149 - 4th grade students and parents in attendance
6 - teachers/staff
3 - days spent at the Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim)
2 - charter buses
4 - A.M. wake-up call to watch the sunrise on our final day

The field trip was a great success, but there are always lessons to learn and ways to improve. There are many things we will try to repeat for next year's trip, and there are a few things we'd change and recommend to others considering this field trip.

Successes:

• NPS Travelin' Trunk Program: We reserved a box of materials about Human History of the Grand Canyon before our trip. This piqued students' excitement, and gave them prior knowledge to access once we arrived.
• Keeping a full schedule (and opting not to include a quiet/nap time) - Any unstructured or idle time almost always guarantees mischief!
• Visiting other areas of interest on our way, including Sunset Crater (as mentioned in a previous blog post) and...

 Montezuma Castle.

• Watching sunrise on our final day - This was a controversial decision, mostly because the sun rises so early in May. We decided to make it optional, and were overwhelmed when nearly our entire group helped each other wake up, walk silently, and snuggle together to watch a glorious sunrise! 

• Reserving Ranger programs - The specific educational Ranger programs for school groups are FREE and align with state content standards. The Rangers are excellent teachers, too!
• We used colored handkerchiefs to identify each chaperone group. This was helpful for quick head-counts for both teachers and chaperones. Students could tie them anywhere that was visible, which also gave them a chance to express themselves in a fun way.
• Preparing student journals for the trip - We created activities/questions that had to be answered about our route and stops along the way. We also included the packet that was provided to accompany the Ranger programs.
• Scavenger Hunt - There is so much to see at the Grand Canyon, and it is nearly impossible to see it all in one short trip. We included all the various historical and educational sites along the South Rim (with questions and info from the NPS website) in student journals. Groups could then decide which locations were most interesting (and feasible). Some groups even got to every stop! Afterwards, students from different groups could discuss what they saw and learned with others.
• Chaperone committees - We couldn't have made the trip happen without lots of parent support. We had parents serve on committees for equipment, food, and safety to assist before, during, and after the trip.

Changes/recommendations:

• Talk with campers about quiet hours before arriving - It's important to keep our camp neighbors and Rangers happy when we are such a large and noticeable group.
• Call ahead to discuss any plans to use the free shuttle buses. The park personnel were incredibly accommodating as soon as they saw 150+ visitors crossing the street to catch a bus for sunset. They ran at least one extra bus every day we were there just for us! I'm sure they'd appreciate a little more advance notice next time.

The successes clearly outweigh the changes, and we received lots of positive feedback from students and parents alike. We saw our entire 4th grade community come a little closer together for this trip, and a lot of fun was had by all. As for the teachers/staff, we feel a lot more confident about planning next year's excursion!

Grand Canyon (Part 6)

I know what you're thinking... "Where are the first five parts?!"

In our short time (almost two years) in the southwest, I am proud to say that I have visited the Grand Canyon six times. It's not exactly in our backyard (more like half a day's drive away). However, I have had many opportunities to make the drive, so I've decided to recap my grand visits in reverse, starting with my most recent visit.

The reason for my most recent visit was more for business than pleasure. My coworkers and I set out to "scout" a potential future field trip for our students. The educational opportunities afforded at the Grand Canyon are limitless - biology, ecology, geography, geology, hydrology, sociology... just to name a few! Since it is a bit of a drive, we've decided to make it a moving field trip, including awesome stops on our way to and from the Canyon.

Looking back at the San Francisco Peaks, the stratovolcano.

First stop - Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

While I'd driven by this sign a few times, I was never able to visit the park. I highly recommend this park to anyone passing through/near Flagstaff, AZ!


Even if you're short on time, there are some fantastic short walks/hikes available that get you up close and personal with the lava flows.











It seems as if history is frozen in time, and the waysides do a great job of explaining the phenomena. If you have the time (and energy), there are also some more strenuous hikes for different vantage points.





We were happy to find easy walking trails, plenty of parking, an informative Visitor's Center, and lots of picnic tables for snack time. I can't wait bring our Geology lessons to life for our students!

On to the Grand Canyon!

The first view of the Canyon is always spectacular... no matter how many times you've seen it. I am continually amazed by how different the landscape can look based on the time of year and time of day.

Grand Canyon, South Rim, early afternoon

Every time I visit, I see something new. This time, we decided to join a Ranger-led tour. Our "Geology Walk" with Ranger Lapre was entertaining and informative... and you can't beat the backdrop!

Grandeur Point, South Rim

Although we missed sunset on this trip, we were sure to catch sunrise the next day, and it didn't disappoint.

South Rim, near Bright Angel trailhead

Before leaving, I witnessed another "first." A thin line of smoke/smog hovered above the Canyon, and I recalled hearing about the coal plant nearby and the controversy surrounding it. 

View from Mather Point at late morning

On our drive home, we had planned to visit Montezuma Castle, but our unintentional detour led us in another direction. I am reminded that "it's not an adventure until something goes wrong," or...

"...when everything goes wrong, that's when adventure starts." ~Yvon Chouinard

Here's to embracing what goes wrong and what goes right! We'll just have to save that stop for another time (and another post)!