Field Trips

I was reading the NAMC blog on facebook today about practical life activities for children in my age group.  I was thinking that at the beginning of the year the KIDS could help me plan field trips.  They can keep track of who brings notes in and the money.  That would be very practical.  I think they can also help me plan the arrangements by phone.  There are three points to practical life activities in 9-12:

• Care of self – planning what will be needed (snacks, money, clothing, equipment, transportation…)
• Care of the environment – taking care in and of our surroundings (“look but don’t touch” at museums; recycling and throwing out our litter; using ‘inside’ voices in public areas; learning the “pack in/pack out” rule)
• Grace and Courtesy – handling ourselves in social situations (making reservations, using manners, writing thank you notes)

http://montessoritraining.blogspot.com/2009/06/summer-vacation-montessori-practical.html

I've never given the children the power to chose field trips before but I might be able to work on this idea this year.  I also plan on letting them Plan the flow of the subjects for the year for Cultural.  I'm going to give them the subjects we will be studying and the weeks it will take and they will plan which subject will go where and when.  Experimental planning!

Some Practical life ideas taken from the blog above:
Here are a few more ideas for upper elementary Montessori Practical Life outdoor activities:
Hauling things: dirt for a garden, sand for a playground, rocks for a pathway
Making paths and walkways along the school grounds
Creating and executing a plan to reduce, reuse and recycle at school
Raking leaves
Shoveling snow
Building and mending fences
Mowing grass
Planting and caring for a garden
Washing cars
Walking dogs
Routine car maintenance: checking oil, filling windshield fluid, changing a tire
Carpentry
Painting
Building playgrounds

Well I am doing a garden and they will be planning it.  I also will be starting composting and they will plan that too.  Wouldn't it be really cool to join up the high school and have the older kids teach mine how to make frames, and those could be for their work on the walls!  Hmmmm