Your Trip to Ballard Park

Friends of Ballard Park (FBP) field trip experience includes a pre-visit to the classroom or organization’s site, the actual field trip and a follow up survey. Children fill out a pre- and post- survey to measure what they’ve learned and to give FBP feedback on their trip to Ballard Park. Following is an outline of our field trip program:

BOOK A TRIP TO BALLARD PARK

Call us at 619-3377
or email
[email protected]
for more information
regarding field trip availability.
for more information
regarding field trip availability.

Please provide the following information:
Name
Phone number
Name of School
Grade level
Group size
Date(s) and time(s)
you are interested in
Special education/ physical
needs of your group

FEES
School Year Field Trips
$5.00 per student
with a $75 minimum.
Teachers and chaperones
are free of charge.

Special price for
Newport Public
School Students:
$4 per student.

Summer Trips
$5 to $10 per student
with a $75 minimum.
Teachers and chaperones
are free of charge.

After School Field Trips
$5 per student
with a $50 minimum.
Teachers and chaperones
are free of charge.

Introduction in the Class Room
A FBP educator will introduce students to Ballard Park and get them excited about their visit. The educator will administer a pre survey to students and distribute a sheet for students informing them how they should dress and what to expect on their trip to Ballard Park.

Ballard Park Visit
You may select one of the suggested GSE-linked programs posted on our web site or work with our educator to create a lesson that best suits your needs.

While on your field trip students are expected to:

1. Stay on the trails at all times

2. Respect the park and leave items in nature as you found them

3. Follow directions and stay with the group

Some trails are rugged and steep and temperatures can vary during the program, so we recommend that field trip participants wear:

– closed-toe shoes and socks

– long pants

– appropriate layers based on weather forecast and varying areas of the park (the wooded forest area will be much cooler than the open quarry meadow)

We recommend you bring the following:

– if your class is having lunch in the park, bring a backpack to carry it in

– water

– a camera for photo opportunities

– a garbage bag to carry your trash out with you

Bathroom Facilities:
With the exception of some winter months, Friends of Ballard Park rents a port-a-potty. Please check with our educator prior to your trip as to whether a unit will be available at the park on the day of your trip.

Chaperones:
Friends of Ballard Park suggests one parent/adult per every six children so that classes may be broken up into groups for scavenger hunts and observation activities. Teachers and chaperones are responsible for discipline of the group.

Make A Day of It!
In the past, classes have participated in Friends of Ballard Park’s educational program then stayed to enjoy lunch in Ballard Park. There aren’t any picnic tables at the park so you’ll want to bring blankets or tarps for the children to sit on. Please be sure to carry all trash out of the park with you.

Photographs
From time to time Friends of Ballard Park staff photographs field trips. The photos are used in the organization’s Annual Report, on our web site and in other promotional materials. If you would not like your group photographed or there are particular participants who may not be photographed please let us know beforehand.

Ticks
Thanks to a donation by Bartlett Tree Experts, the quarry meadow is sprayed three times per year for ticks. While effective, the spraying does not eliminate ticks completely, so you may want to provide insect spray as a precautionary measure. Tick checks will be performed at the end of each field trip.

Follow Up
Friends of Ballard Park requires all participants to complete a post survey. You may also opt to have one of our educators visit your classroom after the field trip to discuss the trip, answer any questions and administer the post survey for an additional fee.