This assignment involved identifying one historic site, museum, legislature or appropriate institution that I would like to take my Intermediate History or Civics students to visit. I needed to plan the field trip using the institution's website. 

I decided to create a field trip plan to the Canadian War Museum.  Students would participate in the Museum's For Crown and Country: Canada and the First World War education program lead by an animator.  I chose this museum because it is a site that always fascinated me as a child.  My cousin worked as a textile conservationist (uniforms, flags, etc.) when the museum was still located on Sussex Drive.  I remember being taken on "insider" tours of the museum, their warehouse, and her massive workshop.  She is now working as collections manager for the Art and Memorial collection, and I am still able to take those "insider" tours of the new museum.  Now as a teacher, I am intrigued by the variety of education programs that the museum offers that match the Ontario curriculum.

Reflection

While the course instructor Yvan Brochu described my field trip report as "thorough, meeting all of the requirements", I feel that there is room for improvement.  To begin, I will examine what I did "right".  I chose a great location that offers hands-on education program that will engage the students.  These education program are linked to the Ontario curriculum.  The program I selected, For Crown and Country: Canada and the First World War, allows the students to handle and analyze primary resources.  They will also have to use critical thinking skills to complete the end task of creating a museum exhibit.  This field trip plan includes pre-trip activities (previewing the Museum's World War I website and brainstorming possible museum exhibit themes), on-site activities (the actual education program led by the animator), and follow-up or post trip activities(debriefing and a homework writing assigmnent).  Fielding listed field trips under the category of "interesting and sometimes effective strategies".  I think the above items that I did well will help push this field trip toweard a "significant learning experience". 

Now for the areas for improvement. My field trip plan did not make any use of my own "local expert".  I think I should have extended the length of time we spent at the museum so that I could include a "behind the scenes" visit with my cousin.  It would give the students the chance to interact with someone working in a history related field  and develop a better understanding of what her job entails.  Students would be able to ask questions and draw their own conclusions about working as a conservationist and collections manager (additional jobs that could be added to the career concept web we studied).