Teachers and Students
Atchafalaya Basin: Five Lessons for 8th-Grade Social Studies
Field Trip List ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Acadian Memorial Subject: History
P.O. Box 379
St. Martinville, LA 70582
Located at: 121 S. New Market St.
St. Martinville, LA 70582
General Telephone Number: (337) 394-2258
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 394-2233 Tourist Information Center or (337) 394-2258
FAX Number: (337) 394-2260
Website Address: www.acadianmemorial.org
Email Address: info@acadianmemorial.org
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Open daily, 10:00am – 4:00pm, seven days a week, except for holidays. Acadian Memorial: $2.00 per person age 12 and up, $1.00 age 6-11, and 5 years and under, free. $2.00 per person to visit Heritage Cultural Center
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 10:00am – 3:00pm; $2.00 Students, Free for Chaperones; $2.00 per person to visit Heritage Cultural Center; Teachers free up to 4
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 20:1
Time Needed to Make Reservations: One week
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 35
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 90 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Yes, wheelchair available
Grade Level Appropriate: 3rd – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic area on-site; Full service and fast food restaurants are in the area.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available by calling (337) 394-2233
Tell Us About It!
At the Acadian Memorial visitors discover who the Acadians were and why they came to Louisiana. Experience the magnificent mural at Acadian Memorial, a monument to the 3,000 men, women, and children who found refuge in Louisiana in the 18th century. This museum retells the dramatic journey of the Acadians who were exiled from eastern Canada by British forces. What was life like for these French speaking refugees in colonial America? How did they find their way to Louisiana? Teachers or field trip leaders prepared to spark students’ imaginations will find this site to be an excellent setting to tell this historic tale illustrated with art, sculpture, and gardens. This site is located in Evangeline Oak Park in St. Martinville. Student activities are available in French and English and include hands-on opportunities.
What Can We See and Do There?
At the Acadian Memorial located in the heart of Cajun Country visitors learn about some of the historical events and traditions of Acadian heritage. Permanent exhibits include History of Acadia (1604-1763), Arrival and Establishment of Acadians in Louisiana (1764-1810), Acadian to Cajun (1810-2000), and Evangeline. Exhibits include interactive displays and ethnographic art-prints. Students enjoy stopping to view Bayou Teche from the Eternal Flame Garden. The Eternal Flame burns in memory of all exiled Acadians. Students go to Memorial Hall to view The Arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana, a 12-foot mural by Robert Dafford enhanced with an audio-visual interactive program which narrates the story of the historic exile. Students may make a stop at the Wall of Names that lists the names of the 3,000 Acadians who found refuge in Louisiana. The self-guided tour winds down in the multimedia center where students are engaged in a hands-on activity about the story of a particular Acadian who came to Louisiana in the 1700s.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, take exit 109 and travel south on LA 31 for 15 miles to St. Martinville. From U.S. Hwy. 90, exit at Cade/St. Martinville, and travel north on LA 96 for 8 miles to St. Martinville.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Call to confirm rainy day plans.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: G-1A-E1-2; G-1B-E2; G-1C-E2-4; G-1D-E2; H-1A-1E1-2; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C-E1, 3-4; H-1D-E1; ELA-6-E1; ELA-7-E1-4
5th - 8th grades: G-1A-M1; G-1B-M2, 4; G-1C-M2-4; G-1D-M1-2; H-1A-M1-5; H-1D-M1-2, 4, 6; ELA-6-M1; ELA-7-M1-4
9th – 12th grades: G-1B-H1-4; H-1C-H2; H-1A-H1-2, 4, 6; H-1B-H1; ELA-6-H1; ELA-7-H1-4
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Visit the Acadian Memorial website and click on Attention Educators and What to Expect. Call, fax, email or write the Acadian Memorial and ask for the pre-visit materials. The materials provide language arts activities using historical pictures and history facts. Practice your French and get ready for an Acadian field trip!
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Call, fax, email or write the site to ask for the post-visit materials. They recommend a role-playing activity and provide a lesson plan. Teachers can find more classroom ideas on the museum’s website.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, American history, world history, geography, genealogy, art, Acadian cultural heritage, French and English language arts
Acadian Village Subject: History
200 Greenleaf Drive
Lafayette, LA 70506
General Telephone Number: (337) 981-2364 or (800) 962-9133
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 981-2364
FAX Number: (337) 988-4554
Website Address: www.acadianvillage.org
Email Address: sales@acadianvillage.org
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 10:00am- 4:00pm; $7.00 Adults, $6.00 Seniors, $4.00 Children 6 – 14 years old, $5.00 Adult group rate
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 10:30am – 3:00pm; $5.00 Adult Chaperones, $3.00 Students tour of village, Free for Teachers; $4.00 Students participating in “Bridging the Gap” program
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: None
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: No limit
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 90 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Paved walk ways
Grade Level Appropriate: 4th – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic area is on-site; Fast food available in nearby shopping mall.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Ten acres are dotted with examples of Acadian architecture at this folk life museum in Lafayette. Six furnished 19th century homes are connected by pathways to a replica chapel, blacksmith shop, and general store. It is a quaint scene for visitors interested in learning about Acadian culture in south Louisiana. In the Mississippi Valley Museum, which is also on-site, there is a diorama of LaSalle’s landing and displays with original pirogues. Acadian history is further explained in the Acadian Village Art Gallery where a collection of 17 paintings, entitled The Acadian Saga by artist George Rodrique, are on display. Visitors will also enjoy the beautiful woodlands and gardens surrounding the Village buildings.
What Can We See and Do There?
Students are greeted by Acadian Village staff at the beginning of their visit with a brief lecture about the exhibits. Teachers can choose a self-guided tour or a staff-led tour called, “Bridging the Gap.” Teachers receive a self-guided tour sheet to take students on their journey through the Village. The staff-led program discusses the roles played by the Acadian and Native American cultures in Louisiana’s history and how each ethnic group integrated and continued their unique traditions. Topics addressed on the walking tour include Acadian architectural style, language, foodways, textiles, agriculture, and hunting. At Acadian Village, handicapped individuals are trained and employed on the grounds in garden maintenance and store operations. As a project of the Lafayette Association for Retarded Citizens, this folk life museum serves not only as an educational and cultural center for local history, but also as a facility for training and employing handicapped citizens.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, take Ambassador Caffery Road exit. Travel on Ambassador Caffery Road, turn right on Ridge Road, turn left on West Broussard, turn left on New Hope and turn left on Greenleaf. Follow signs.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Reschedule field trips in cases of severe rain.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K- 4th grades: G-1A-E1-2; G-1B-E1-4; G-1D-E1-2; H-1A-E1-2; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C-E1-4; H-1D-E1,3
5th – 8th grades: G-1A-M1; G-1B-M1-4; G-1C-M4; M-1D-M2-3; H-1A-M1-3, 5; H-1B-M9; H-1D-M1-6
9th – 12th grades: G-1B-H1-2, 4; G-1C-H2; G-1D-H3-4; H-1A-H1-4, 6; H-1B-H1; H-1C-H9
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
It takes a village, people working together, to make a successful community. Younger students can plan their own village in class. Ask kids to include housing, schools, a doctor’s office, and other important services for their village. Older students can study pictures of Acadian houses and try to draw one that includes distinguishing French characteristics. Read Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Check out the website for a virtual tour.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Play the game, “I Am Going on a Journey” back in class. Each student must recite this opening phrase and end by stating what he or she would bring to the new settlement in south Louisiana. Hand out spoons and washboards to students and let students practice counting rhythms. Then turn up the Cajun music as students keep time.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, American history, Acadian settlement, Native American history, architecture, folkways, language, crafts
Alexandre Mouton House Subject Area: History
1122 Lafayette St.
Lafayette, LA 70501
General Telephone Number: (337) 234-2208
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 234-2208
FAX Number (337) 234-2208
Website Address: www.LafayetteTravel.com
Email Address: LafayetteMuseum@aol.com
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 4:30pm; Sunday, 1:00pm – 4:00pm; $3.00 Adults, $2.00 Seniors, $1.00 Students
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 4:30pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 12:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 50
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: One hour
Handicapped Accessible: First floor of museum only
Grade Level Appropriate: 4th – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic area and fast food restaurants are nearby.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Located in the heart of Lafayette, Alexandre Mouton House is dedicated to preserving and teaching the history and culture of south Louisiana. This house museum opened its doors to the public in 1954 as the original Lafayette Museum. Today, this three-story town house recalls 200 years of regional history through exhibits and tours. The museum includes permanent exhibits about the Civil War, period furniture, the city’s nuns and convent community, and Mardi Gras. The story of the historic house unfolds with Louisiana’s colonial period in the 18th century to World War II in the 20th century. The architecture is an eclectic mix of fashions and includes a dog trot passageway to an early outdoor kitchen exhibit, the “Sunday House,” and a smokehouse.
What Can We See and Do There?
Around me will hover
In grief or in glee
‘Till life’s dream be over
Sweet memories of thee
Rosa Mills, 1855
This inscription, among the oldest found on a window pane in the Alexandre Mouton House, is testimony to the lives touched by history in Lafayette, Louisiana. Other glass windows are inscribed including one which reads, “Vermillion Ville,” the city’s original name. The museum building was home to a long line of influential men including a Louisiana governor, several senators, and some Civil War heroes. Students are led by trained tour guides through the museum starting in the “Sunday House,” a unique one-room abode used by the Mouton family once a week when they traveled into town for church from the plantation. Teachers are encouraged to take a free preview-tour of the museum. Museum personnel are available to assist teachers in planning their class field trips and in selecting specific exhibits to be highlighted on the students’ tour.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, take Exit 101 on Hwy. 182 South which will become University Ave. Travel approximately three miles and turn left on Lafayette St. The museum is located one-half block down on the left.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
The museum tour is an indoor experience, and the building is heated and air conditioned.
What Can We Visit Nearby?
St. John’s Cathedral; University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: H-1A-E1-2; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C, E1-4
5th – 8th grades: H-1A-M1-3, 5; H-1B-M2, 3, 6
9th – 12th grades: H-1A-H2, 4; H-1B-H1, 2, 5, 7
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
A Teacher Resource Guide and Student Activity Packet are available to teachers just for the asking. The black-and-white booklet is packed with 25 pages of information and in-class worksheets that can be easily photocopied for students.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Hold onto that resource guide for classroom assignments to follow up the museum visit. Puzzles and quick coloring projects inside will jog kids’ memories and prompt class discussion.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, Lafayette regional history, Mardi Gras, Cajun culture, architecture
Alligator Bayou Subject Area: Science/Nature 35019 Alligator Bayou Road History
Prairieville, LA 70769
General Telephone Number: (225) 642-8297
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 642-8297
FAX Number: (225) 642-9448
Website Address: www.alligatorbayou.com
Email Address: info@alligatorbayou.com
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 8:00am – 5:00pm; $25.00 Adults, $15.00 Children
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 9:00am – 5:00pm; $15.00- $20.00 Adult Chaperones, $12.00 - $15.00 Students
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Minimum one month
Advance Deposit Requested: $25.00 - $50.00 to be credited to admission on field trip date. Refunds are available up to one week prior to tour date.
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 250
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K- 12th
Lunch Facilities: Covered pavilion for picnics is on-site.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Water, water everywhere! Alligator Bayou is a vibrant natural oasis offering a genuine Louisiana experience to visitors. The major attraction to Alligator Bayou is its demonstration of the fragile and beautiful ecosystems and the role this environment has played generating Louisiana culture. The swamp landscape is exotic and the plants and animals are plentiful. Alligator Bayou winds into the 13,000 acre Spanish Lake Basin and wetland habitat of bayous, swamps, and lakes. This site features an eco-tour through a pristine wilderness of alligator swamps and a stunning lake of giant cypress trees. The Alligator exhibit features up-close viewing opportunities of alligators in a natural setting and the Alligator Snapping Turtle exhibit is an aquatic display featuring fish, frogs, snakes and 125-pound turtles.
What Can We See and Do There?
“Pass a good time” on a real Louisiana adventure aboard an educational cruise through Alligator Bayou. Visitors board the 49-passenger Alligator Queen for a 60-to-90 minute narrated tour, spying herons, egrets, birds of prey, turtles, alligators, frogs, and other abundant wildlife. Small live specimens and examples of plants are on board this floating classroom for students to handle and examine. The comfortable canopied boat has a trained naturalist on board who talks about wetlands ecology. Teachers may request an additional presentation on land led by trained guides who take students on nature walks or introduce audiences to birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Classes may also visit the Alligator eco-exhibit with advance planning. If students are not completely in a Louisiana state of mind, with advance planning, the Cajun music and dance lessons will keep kids on their toes!
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, take Exit 166 at Highland Road. Travel east on Highland Road (La. 42) and turn right on Old Perkins Road. Turn right again at La. 928. Turn right on Alligator Bayou Road, immediately after crossing over I-10. Travel one mile on the gravel road to the site’s entrance on the left.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1, 6; LS-E-A1, 3; LS-E-B1-2; LS-E-A1-3, 5; H-1C-E1, 4
5th – 8th grades: LS-M-C1-4; SE-M-A1, 3, 4H-1D-M1, 6
9th – 12th grades: LS-H-D1, 4; SE-H-B1, 4; SE-H-C1, 2, 4; SE-H-D1, 2, 5, 6
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
In case of rain, students can participate in workshops in the covered pavilion and ride the Alligator Queen which is canopied and has roll-down sides. Blankets are provided in cold weather.
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Teachers may call for copies of ecologically-based lesson plans. Topics may include environmental impact, water levels, and ecology of the swamp.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Teachers may request Alligator Bayou to send a naturalist to present a program back in the classroom at school.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana ecology, culture, history, plants and animals
Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum Subject Area: Industry,
P.O. Box 3678 Science/Nature
Houma, LA 70361
Located at: 7910 Park Ave.
Houma, LA 70361
General Telephone Number: (985) 580-7200
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (985) 580-7200 or (985) 873-6890
FAX Number: (985) 873-6795
Website Address: www.tpcg.org
Email Address: mblack@tpcg.org
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Friday, 10:00am – 5:00pm; Saturday, noon – 4:00pm; $3.00 Adults, $2.50 Seniors, $2.00 Children 2-12 years old; $2.00 Adult groups of 15 or more
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Monday-Saturday, 10:00am– 5:00pm; $1.00 per person (Group rate for 15 or more students and one teacher); $2.50 Additional adult chaperones
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 15:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 75
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 90 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: PreK – 8th
Lunch Facilities: An indoor eating area for brown bag lunches is available on-site with advance planning. An outdoor picnic area and full service restaurants are nearby.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Living off the water in Houma, Louisiana is a long-standing tradition. The Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum looks at the area’s dependence on the seafood and water transportation industries and the natural wonders of southeastern Louisiana’s wetlands. The attractive permanent exhibit highlights the economic, social, and natural history of Terrebonne Parish through an array of interactive displays. Located in historic downtown Houma, the new museum resides in a transformed canning factory building along Bayou Terrebonne. The museum features a well-planned, activity-based, permanent exhibit that shows connections of commercial and recreational fishing and harvesting from the area’s waterways. A changing exhibit gallery features area artists and programs. An outdoor covered wharf extends the museum experience with the bayou.
What Can We See and Do There?
Louisiana is the nation’s sportsman’s paradise and the cradle of the south’s fishing industry. The Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum’s self-guided exhibits are devoted to commercial and recreational fishing, as well as to the oyster, shrimp, and trapping industries. The permanent exhibits are family-oriented and kid-friendly.
Visitors can drive a shrimp boat out into the Gulf, try their hand at using oyster-tongs, and listen to stories told by people who have dedicated their lives to harvesting and distributing “our submerged bounty.” Through videos and a simulated forecast, students learn about hurricanes and the weather’s impact upon the region. The collection and distribution of oil and gas are important modern industries featured at the museum with an interactive oil rig display. Visitors can choose to watch an orientation video, in English or French.
How Do We Get There?
From New Orleans: Travel west on U.S. 90 to first Houma exit (La. 182). Take a left on La. 182. Stay on La.182 until it intersects with La. 24. Take a right turn on La. 24 and go two blocks. The museum is on the left.
From Lafayette: Take US 90 East to second Houma exit (La. 24 South). Turn right on La. 24 to downtown Houma. Turn left on Barrow Street and cross Bayou Terrebonne. Left at traffic light and the museum is two blocks on the left.
From Baton Rouge and Thibodaux: Travel south on Hwy.1 through Thibodaux. Turn right on La. 24 into downtown Houma. Turn left on Barrow St. and cross Bayou Terrebonne. Turn left at the traffic light. The museum is two blocks down on the left.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1; SI-E-B1; LS-E-A1-3; LS-E-B1-2; LS-E-C1-3; ESS-E-A2, 4; SE-E-A1-3, 5; G-1C-E5; G-1D-E3-4; E-1A-E5; E-1B-E5; H-1C-E1, 4
5th-8th grades: SI-M-A1; SI-M-B1; LS-M-A3; LS-M-C1-4; ESS-M-A8, 11, 12; SE-M-A1-7; E-A1-M9; H-1D-M1, 4-6
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
The Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum is an indoor facility with climate control.
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Visit the museum’s web site, www.tpcg.org for a virtual preview. The museum will mail teachers a copy of the “Exhibit Concept and Teacher’s Guide” and the “Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum Student Workbook.” Call or send an email request to apicou@tpcg.org.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
The 34-page Student Workbook has a variety of great worksheets and lesson plans to do back in class. Think about having a class shrimp boil, and be sure to let the students peel the shrimp themselves.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana industries, economics, natural resources, animal and plant life, geology
Barataria Preserve Environmental Education Center Subject Area: Science/Nature
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park
6588 Barataria Blvd.
Marrero, LA 70072
General Telephone Number: (504) 589-2330, ext 10
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (504) 589-2330, ext. 14
FAX Number: (504) 689-3864
Website Address: www.nps.gov/jela/BaratariaPreserve.htm
Email: JELAEducationCenter@nps.gov JELAEducationCenter@nps.gov
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Only the Visitor Center is open to the general public. Daily, 9:00am – 5:00pm; Free (Donations accepted)
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Education Center is open by reservation only. Monday – Thursday, 10:00am – 2:00pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: PreK and K, 5:1; 1st grade and higher, 10:1
Advance Time Needed To Make Reservations: Three weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 300
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Screened atrium and 10 outdoor picnic tables are available for picnickers. Fast food is available within eight miles.
Gift Shop: A bookstore is on-site at the environmental center, and an educational sales shop is located at the visitor center.
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
The Barataria Preserve, managed by the National Park Service as part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, is a natural area of approximately 20,000 acres featuring trails through bottomland hardwood forests, bald cypress swamp, bayous and marsh. The Barataria Preserve is home to alligators, egrets, deer, and other native delta species. The Barataria Preserve Environmental Education Center is available by reservation to schools and special interest groups. The Center offers a screened-in amphitheater, a wet-lab, a multi-purpose climate-controlled classroom, restrooms and boardwalk trails through the forest and swamp. The Center’s programs offer a hands-on approach to studying the environment. The Preserve also has facilities for the general public at the Visitor Center including films, exhibits, a bookstore, restrooms, self-guided trails, and free ranger-guided programs.
What Can We See and Do There?
Swashbucklers behold the precious environmental resources in southeastern Louisiana at the Barataria Preserve! Teachers can choose from over a dozen indoor/outdoor programs for their students. These two-hour programs, each prepared and presented by educators on-site, integrate discovery fun with research skill development. Elementary grade students spin fun with food web activities, and middle school students get wet looking for perpetrators in the program called “Vanishing Wetlands.” Younger kids use their senses to identify nature, and high school students use their know-how to determine applications for natural resources. The education trails are designed to give students easy access to the variety of plant and animal habitats in the park. Boardwalks wind through hardwood and palmetto forests and past a bald cypress swamp to Bayou des Familles, a complex ecosystem to explore.
How Do We Get There?
From Bus. Hwy. 90/West Bank Expressway, Exit 4B to Barataria Blvd./Hwy. 45. Travel south eight miles on Barataria Blvd. Follow signs to Education Center, Visitor Center, and Picnic Areas.
What Can We Visit Nearby?
Tulane University Museum of Natural History, St. James Cultural Heritage Museum
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1, 6; SI-E-B4-6;LS-E-A1, 3; LS-E-B1-2; LS-E-C1-3; ESS-E-A6; SE-E-A1, 3-5; H-1C-E, 4
5th – 8th grades: SI-M-A1-4, 6; SI-M-B1-2; LS-M-A3; LS-M-C3-4; ESS-M-A4-5, 8; SE-M-A1, 3-4, 10; H-1D-M1, 6
9th – 12th grades: SI-H-A1-2, 4, 6; LS-H-D3-4; ESS-H-C3; SE-H-B1-2, 4-5; SE-H-C1-2; SE-H-D2-3, 5-6
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Be prepared and dress appropriately because this nature site has many outdoor activities. In really extreme weather, students work inside the education center building which is climate-controlled. Picnickers stay dry in the screened atrium.
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
When teachers make their field trip reservations, on-site educators will send a 20-page teacher’s guide complete with lesson plans and classroom activities designed specifically for the program selected. Take a look at the National Park Service website or www.gorp.com for pictures and information about getting ready for your field trip.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Check out the traveling trunk, “Livin’ Down River,” about the culture of the Mississippi River Delta region for grades 3 – 6. Teachers can pick up the trunk at any Jean Lafitte National Park Visitor Center or have it shipped to their school.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana ecology, botany, geology, history
BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center Subject: Science/Nature
10503 North Oak Hills Parkway
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
General Telephone Number: (225) 757-8905
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 757-8905
FAX Number: (225) 757-9390
Website Address: www.brec.org
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, noon – 5:00pm; $2.00 Adults, $1.00 Children
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Friday, 9:15am – 11:15am and 11:30am – 1:30pm; $2.00 per person
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 120
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: To building only
Grade Level Appropriate: PreK – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Vending machines are on-site and picnic areas are off-site nearby. Fast food can be found on Bluebonnet Blvd.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Going to the Swamp? It is a good field trip idea for teachers covering Louisiana topics and life science lessons. The BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center offers a truly unique opportunity for visitors to walk through trails in a natural swamp area. BREC is Baton Rouge’s Department of Parks and Recreation. All year round there are small animals, insects, and fish that move about the waterways, treetops, and grounds as visitors walk the easy trails and boardwalks. The scenery is characteristic of this part of the country and visitors can sense the quiet beauty of this natural habitat. The Exhibit Building houses touch tables, a working bee hive, live animals exhibits, wildlife carving exhibits, and a duck decoy collection. The building is climate controlled to accommodate year-round visitation.
What Can We See and Do There?
“Oh! I saw it!” squealed a preschooler who spied a brown rabbit scamper through the brush. “Man! Did you see that?” cried a teen who watched a snake wriggle through the shallow waters below the boardwalk. Trained naturalists give walking tours through the swamp, helping students see the many life forms, both plants and animals. Within a two-hour visit, students view an orientation video, take a guided walking-tour and participate in an interactive talk about native animals in the Exhibit Building and at the wildlife pond. Instructions for self-guided tours are also available. Special topics about the swamp environment and the impact of people developing the lands nearby can be requested.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, exit Bluebonnet Blvd. travel south. Turn right on North Oak Hills Pkwy.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Rainy day back-up programming is available, but it is recommended that classes reschedule field trips in cases of inclement weather.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1; LS-E-A1-3; LS-E-B1-3; LS-E-C1-2; SE-E-A5; G-1-E1
5th-8th grades: LS-M-A4; LS-M-C3; LS-M-D1; SE-M-A5, 7, 9, 10
9th-12th grades: LS-H-C4; LS-H-D4; LS-H-E1, 3; SE-H-A3, 8; SE-H-C
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Have students make a list of all of the things they know about wetlands (i.e. types of plants and animals associated with wetlands). Discuss the definition of a wetland and introduce the different types (marsh, swamp, and bog). Learn about what makes each type of wetland unique and what they all have in common. Check out books by C. C. Lockwood or Julia Simms to find pictures of the different types of wetlands located in Louisiana. Have your students share what they think they’ll see during their visit to Bluebonnet Swamp.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Take a hike around the school or a nearby neighborhood looking for an area that makes good wildlife habitat. Does the area contain a lot of trash/litter? Could it use more plants or trees? Discuss what could be done to improve the quality of that habitat and get permission to make it happen. OR, find out what it would take to create an area valuable to wildlife (bird feeding area, pond, bat house, etc.) and have the students participate in building it. Have older children use the area to teach younger students about the value of wildlife habitat in urban/developed areas. Consult nature staff for additional ideas for your wildlife area or for more assessment opportunities.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Nature, habitats, green spaces, Louisiana cultural & natural history, animal behavior, adaptations, life cycles, food chains, plant/animal classification, pollution, observational skills, recycling, regional/global wetland issues, watersheds
BREC- LSU-BRAS Highland Road Park Observatory Subject: Science/Nature
13800 Highland Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
General Telephone Number: (225) 768-9948
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 768-9948
FAX Number: (225) 766-3539
Website Address: www.bro.lsu.edu/hrpo/
Email Address: tgoodman@phunds.phys.lsu.edu
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday - Thursday, 11:00am – 3:00pm, Friday, 3:00pm – 10:00pm, Saturday, 10:00am – 10:00pm; Free
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Thursday, 9:30am – 12:00pm or by other arrangement; $1.25 - $4.00 per student depending on program plans; Free for Chaperones
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 40
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 90 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Partially
Grade Level Appropriate: 1st – 12th
Lunch Facilities: A covered picnic area and soda machines are on-site.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Look to the stars at the BREC- LSU-BRAS Highland Road Park Observatory. This educational facility is dedicated to astronomy. The Baton Rouge Department of Recreation has joined forces with Louisiana State University and the Baton Rouge Astronomy Society to provide this incredible resource. The Observatory is an authentic research station built in 1997. Visitors tour the observatory’s dome area which houses a 20-inch reflecting Ritchey-Chretien telescope. The first floor of the facility houses small displays and an open meeting area. Every Friday evening, scientists operate the dome telescope for public stargazing while the Baton Rouge Astronomical Society fosters stargazing through portable telescopes. Friday evening visitors can expect to see space jewels such as the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, Jupiter and Saturn, and much more.
What Can We See and Do There?
Students groups may choose between two educational daytime programs, Star Wheel Learners and Galileo Learners. Star Wheel Learners includes a tour of the Observatory led by trained staff. Kids construct a take-home starwheel and participate in a constellation lesson highlighted by an interactive solar viewing program (weather permitting.) Students look through a telescope fitted with a solar filter. There is a minimum requirement of 20 students to book this program. Galileo Learners includes everything the other program offers plus kids receive a lesson about Galileo and make their own Galileo-styled telescope. There is a minimum requirement of 15 students to book this program. One mile of nature trails with signs to identify trees and flora surround the observatory. Science classes and activities are held at the Observatory every Saturday morning. From solar gazing to model rocket building, the observatory provides learning experiences for those interested in science.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, take the Siegen Lane Exit southbound. Turn left on Highland Road. The driveway to the Observatory is about 0.7 miles on the right on Highland Road, the next driveway on the right after the baseball fields.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
While this field trip is mostly indoors, weather conditions will dictate conditions for solar viewing. In case of inclement weather, a solar slide show and an astronomy craft will be substituted. Teachers may want to call ahead to confirm viewing conditions.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1-7; SI-E-B1-6; ESS-E-B1-6
5th-8th grades: SI-M-A1-8; SI-M-B1-7; ESS-M-C1-8
9th-12th grades: SI-M-A1-8; SI-M-B1-7; ESS-M-C1-8
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Check out the Observatory’s website. Look at the images taken from the Observatory. Students will see images of the solar system, the constellation Orion, nebula, star clusters, and views of the galaxy as seen from Baton Rouge. Consider visiting Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium or visit their website for more heavenly classroom viewing. Check out the Challenger Learning Center at the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge for more space science activities.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Display the star wheels and telescopes students made at the Observatory. Contact the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi (800) 237-1821 or visit their website www.ssc.nasa.gov for more field trip and classroom ideas.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Earth in space, solar system, stars, research skills, telescopes, space science
Children’s Museum of Acadiana Subject: Science/Nature, History, 201 East Congress St. Industry, Art
Lafayette, LA 70501
General Telephone Number: (337) 232-8500
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 232-8500
FAX Number: (337) 232-8167
Website Address: www.childrensmuseumofacadiana.com
Email Address: cmainfo@bellsouth.net
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm, $5.00 per person, Free for children under 12 months old
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm; $3.00 Chaperones, $5.00 Children
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 5:1
Advance Time to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 150
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 90 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: PreK – 4th ; Workshops for 5th and 6th grade students
Lunch Facilities: Picnic areas, fast-food and restaurants are in walking distance.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
The Children’s Museum of Acadiana’s motto is “Learning By Doing.” Children who visit the museum are delighted by a range of activities that stimulate their creativity and imagination, providing opportunities to learn through play. All the exhibits provide an opportunity to incorporate multi-sensory approaches into the school curriculum. Children learn about their environment and themselves through tactile, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic stimulation. Keeping with the museum’s location, this children’s museum has a heavy emphasis on French phrases and local lifestyles, for example, Petit Magasin features a grocery store where children take on the role of customer or store clerk and Café des Enfants is a role-playing restaurant exhibit. Students are sent to explore the colorful galleries in groups of five with an adult chaperone. Museum staff is in each gallery to help kids get into the fun-of-doing.
What Can We See and Do There?
Where to begin? Kids travel from exhibit area to role playing area, creating, deducing, deciding, planning, and experimenting. Kids are encouraged to try new things and to make connections to real life activities. Kid Care is a health information gallery and a hospital; Kids Cash simulates computerized banking where children can set up an account, deposit, and withdraw museum money. Leap in to Math offers 4th grade students fun with math concepts and The Reuseum invites children into art workshops using reusable materials. Les TV des Enfants spotlights a TV station where young visitors can broadcast news and weather reports. Art experiences are provided in Domino Designs and Dot, Doodles & Drawing. Science exhibits include: To Tell the Tooth, Light Table, and Stuffee, a large doll complete with internal organs. The Cypress Gallery includes social studies exhibits entitled “Oh, The Places You Will Know” with a curriculum guide available on-line and in the museum. Teachers and parents can plan a full morning or afternoon at this hands-on museum.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10 east or west, take Exit 103A south to Lafayette. This route becomes Evangeline Thwy. Proceed 2.2 miles right on Jefferson St., 0.3 miles left on Garfield St., right on Taylor St. Please call the museum for special directions for bus traffic.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
This field trip is indoors in a climate-controlled building.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1-7; LS-E-A5; LS-E-B4; E-1A-E1-11; E-1B-E1-5; N4-6; M1, 4, 5
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Call for a copy or for information about the museum’s publications which outline connections to school curriculum. Museum staff are also available to assist teachers with connecting classroom content to the museum’s exhibits.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
For grades above kindergarten, teachers can contact museum staff who can suggest post-visit classroom activities. Ask about their language arts lesson plan for 3rd and 4th grades.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Art, math, social studies, language arts, social development, natural and physical science, technology, health
Chitimacha Museum Subject: History
P.O. Box 661
Charenton, LA 70523
Located at: 3289 Chitimacha Trail
Charenton, LA 70523
General Telephone Number: (337) 923-4830
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 923-4830
FAX Number: (337) 923-6848
Website Address: www.chitimacha.com
Email Address: Johnpaul@Chitimacha.gov
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 4:30pm; Free
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am -4:30pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: One month
Number of Students per Visit: No limit. Groups of 25 admitted at one time.
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 45 minutes per group of 25
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: 1st – 12th
Lunch Facilities: There is a covered pavilion for picnic lunches. There is a grocery store across the street for drinks and additional food purchases.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
The Sovereign Nation of the Chitimacha’s history is presented at the Chitimacha Tribal Museum and Cultural Center in Charenton, about 45 minutes from Lafayette and 20 minutes from Franklin. In the early 1700s, the Chitimacha were among the most powerful tribes of the northern gulf coast west of Florida. This tribe attained prominence in early Louisiana history due to the long war with the French and the number of enslaved Chitimacha people held by colonial families as a result of that war period. Tribal membership was drastically reduced through centuries of war, slavery, poverty, and prejudice. Today, the tribe includes 1,000 members, all of whom are working together to hold onto their traditional values and ways of life to preserve their spirit. The museum is entirely curated by tribe members.
What Can We See and Do There?
Exhibits at the Chitimacha Tribal Museum and Cultural Center include four major topics: traditional arts, history, education, and government. Guided tours begin in the video room where students watch a 15-minute orientation video about the history and traditions of the Chitimacha Tribe. Then students are led into the museum gallery and hear personal accounts from Tribal members about the Tribe’s successful efforts to preserve their heritage despite centuries of oppressive obstacles such as their exclusion from public education. On view is the Chitimacha Constitution that was ratified in 1971 and is recognized by the United States government. Historical artifacts displayed include clothing, blowguns, a detailed hut model, pottery, arrowheads, and of course, baskets. Chitimacha baskets were extremely valuable even as early as the 17th century. These intricate baskets are still prized today. The Chitimacha are known as the best basket makers in the entire Gulf region. With advance planning, students may watch basket weaving demonstrations and view exhibits of baskets and their makers.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, take Hwy. 90 east to the Baldwin Exit. Turn left onto Hwy. 83. At the stop sign turn right on Hwy. 182. At the traffic light turn left on Chitimacha Trail. Travel about four miles to the museum.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
The museum provides an indoor experience in a climate-controlled building for up to 25. Others may use the outdoor pavilion.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: G-1A-E1-3; G-1B-E1-4; G-1C-E2-6; G-1D-E1-4; C-1A-E1-3; H-1A-E1-3; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C-E1-4; H-1D-E1-3
5th-8th grades: G-1A-M1-2; G-1B-M1-4; G-1C-M1-7; G-1D-M1-4; C-1A-M1-3, 5-8; H-1A-M1-6; H-1B-M3, 9; H-1D-M1-6
9th-12th grades: G-1B-H1-6; G-1D-H3-5; C-1A-H1-6; H-1B-H17-18
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Visit the Chitimacha Tribal website. There are many historical photographs and historical background notes worth viewing. Teachers can call for a copy of the museum brochure. Teachers may request a museum staff member to visit their classrooms to make presentations about the tribe. This must be requested two months in advance. Travel expenses and fees will apply.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Engage students in a basket weaving lesson in class. Students can also collect natural materials like grasses to weave mats or baskets. Can students mark off this region on a class map? Locate Charenton and/or the Chitimacha Reservation on a map. Locate the Bayou Teche. Learn about the Atchafalaya Basin. Learn about coastal Louisiana. Read and discuss Nations Within: The Four Sovereign Tribes of Louisiana.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, Chitimacha history, Native American culture, oral history, hand crafts, government, sovereignty
Conrad Rice Mill Subject: Industry
P.O. Box 10640
New Iberia, LA 70562
Located at: 307 Ann St.
New Iberia, LA 70562
General Telephone Number: (337) 364-7242 or (800) 551-3245
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 364-7242 or (800) 551-3245
FAX Number: (337) 365-5806
Website Address: www.conradricemill.com
Email Address: info@conradricemill.com
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Monday – Saturday, 9:00am – 5:00pm; $4.00 Adults, $3.50 Seniors, $2.25 Children 3 to 11 years old
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Monday – Saturday, 9:00am – 3:00pm; $4.00 Adults, $3.50 Seniors, $2.25 Children 3 to 11 years old; Group discount on groups 25 or more
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 40
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: One hour
Handicapped Accessible: Yes for store; Few steps in mill
Grade Level Appropriate: K – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic areas, fast food and restaurants are all in the area.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Rice first appeared in Louisiana as early as 1719. This crop grew well in the area’s subtropical climate. Rice quickly became a staple, making its way into colonial Spanish and French cuisine. Today, students may well recognize the taste of rice, but may not be familiar with the variety of processes used to prepare the grain for market. Conrad Rice Mill has been in continuous operation since 1912. The factory was built from cypress by a local rice farmer named Philip Conrad. In 1975, the Conrad family sold the mill and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mill is a rare surviving example of a factory which still uses a belt-driven power transmission system. A substantial portion of the mill’s original equipment is in use today. Still a vibrant working rice mill, Conrad Rice Mill offers a line of rice, beans, and spice products available nationwide. The Company Store, next door, is filled to the brim with Cajun foods and crafts.
What Can We See and Do There?
Guided tours of the mill begin in the Company Store, a replica of an early plantation company store from the area. Complimentary samples of one of the Mill’s rice mixes and hot Cajun coffee are always available for tasting. After a 20-minute slide presentation about the history of Cajun culture, tour guides explain how rice is grown and harvested. Then visitors walk to the Mill to view the actual production in the Mill that day. Production can range from milling rice to packaging seasonings to making rice crackers. The guided tour of the mill takes 20 minutes.
How Do We Get There?
From U.S. 90, exit at Hwy. 14. Turn right at St. Peter St. (Hwy.182 E.). Travel three blocks and turn right on Ann St. The mill is on the left.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Most of this field trip is indoors.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: LS-E-A1, 3-4, 6; LS-E-B1-3; LS-E-C1-3; SE-E-A1-5; G-1A-E1; G-1B-E2; E-1A-E1-9; H-1C-E1
5th-8th grades: LS-M-C1-4; LS-M-D1-2; SE-M-A1-10; G-1A-M1-3; G-1B-M1-2; G-1C-M1-2, 6; G-1D-M1-4; E-1A-M1-7; H-1D-M4-5
9th-12th grades: LS-H-B4; LS-H-D4; SE-H-A1-10; G-1B-H1; G-1C-H2, 5; G-1D-H1-5; E-1A-H1-2
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Teachers can call or email requests for pre-visit materials. The Mill will send a brochure called, Facts About USA Rice, and a news article about the history of Conrad Rice Mill. The Mill’s website offers views of the site and their products.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
The Mill will give teachers a set of five sample packets to use in the classroom. The set contains rough rice, rice bran, rice hulls, long grain brown rice, and medium grain white rice. After a class discussion about rice production, make a bulletin-board using these samples and use pictures made by students to tell the story of rice production.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana agriculture and history, rice production, industry, economics, Cajun culture
ExxonMobil® Subject: Industry, Science/Nature
P.O. Box 551
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Located at: 4045 Scenic Hwy.
Baton Rouge, LA 70805
General Telephone Number: (225) 977-8687
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 977-8687
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00am – 1:30pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 15:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 35
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Ninety minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Limited. Accomodations can be made upon request in advance.
Grade Level Appropriate: 5th – 12th
Lunch Facilities: None on-site, but visitors can find restaurants and fast-food in Baton Rouge. Greenwood City Park is just north of this site.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
What are things made of? Everything can be described by its chemical makeup. This industrial field trip is an ideal way to show students how chemistry, physics, and math are part of our daily lives. Everyday things like pencils, books, schools, and buses are made by people who work in companies such as ExxonMobil®. ExxonMobil® Refinery, Laboratories, Chemical Plant, Plastics Plant, and Lubricants Plant in Baton Rouge are just a small part of this company. The complex in Baton Rouge offers this field trip program to introduce students to petro-chemical products. Students view the marine-vapor recovery-system which the company installed at the loading docks on the Mississippi River. The system collects and burns vapors emitted during the loading of ships and barges. These hydrocarbon vapors may be one of several contributing factors in the formation of ground level ozone. In order to produce gasoline and other products from crude oil, it must be refined. The refining process is included on the tour. Students see the distillation towers where the process of breaking down crude oil takes place. Students get a glimpse at fractional distillation. This process, explained on the guided tour, separates the various components of crude oil.
What Can We See and Do There?
A visit to ExxonMobil® allows students to see real world science and its relevance to our daily lives. After an orientation film, students receive an activity sheet to use on the guided-tour. The sheet encourages students to look for examples of safety measures, environmental and pollution safeguards, and different ways computers are being used. At points kids try on safety goggles and hard hats. Students will meet and watch people at work. Ask students to look for the Archimedes water screw pump. This mechanical device was thought up by Archimedes, an ancient Greek mathematician and inventor. As the screw turns, water is scooped into the lower end and moves the liquid upward through coils. Students may marvel at the ancient technology in place at this state-of-the-art facility. The tour focuses on industry operations, safety activities, and end products. Visitors are asked to wear long sleeved shirts, long pants, and closed toe shoes. Additional safety precautions are outlined in the teacher packet sent before the field trip.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, travel to I-110 north and exit at Wyandotte/Mohican. Turn left on Mohican and report to the security building. From I-110 south, turn right on Weller, and right on Scenic Hwy. then turn right on Mohican and report to the security building.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Bad weather will not impede this field trip.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
5th-8th grades: SI-M-A1-8; SI-M-B1-7; PS-M-A1, 5-7, 9; PS-M-C6-8; SE-M-A3-4, 8
9th-12th grades: SI-H-A1-7; SI-H-B1-3; PS-H-A2; PS-H-B2; PS-H-C1, 3; PS-H-D1, 4-7; PS-H-G4; SE-H-B1-6; SE-H-B1-6; SE-H-C1-5; SE-H-C1-5; SE-H-D3, 5-6
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Check out the ExxonMobil® web site www.exxonmobil.com to find issues of their online magazines and news stories. Then look into the lesson plans and a host links from Power for a Sustainable Future at www.sustainableenergy.qld.edu . There you will find a great glossary and fun ideas like making a pizza box solar energy oven.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Hold onto those teacher materials you found online to work up some festivities to celebrate Earth Science Week in October. A large teacher's pack filled with lessons, posters, bookmarks, fact sheets, and NASA designed learning materials is available from www.earthscienceweek.org .
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Chemistry, physics, math, environmental science, pollution control, petro-chemical industry, oil and economics, safety
Heritage Museum and Cultural Center Subject: Art, History
P.O. Box 707
Baker, LA 70714
Located at: 1606 Main St.
Baker, LA 70714
General Telephone Number: (225) 774-1776
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 774-1776
FAX Number: (225) 775-5635
Website Address: www.BakerHeritageMuseum.org
Email Address: bakermuseum@bellsouth.net
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Monday – Friday, 10:00am – 4:00pm; Saturday and Sunday by appointment; Free
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Monday - Friday, 10:00am – 2:00pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 60
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Up to three hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K – 12th
Lunch Facilities: In-door space for brown bag lunches is available on-site, and public picnic area, fast-food, and restaurants are nearby.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
How do I fit in? Students may wonder if, in fact, they are a part of history. Of course, they are. They are first a part of their family’s history, then they are a part of their community’s history followed by their state’s history and ultimately they are a part of our nation’s history. The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in Baker is about the American experience. There, permanent exhibits interpret and preserve Baker’s history and show how this history is part of the bigger, national story. The site includes a collection of historic buildings where regional art and local history are on display. Exhibits are changed several times a year. Be sure to inquire what is on display. The collection includes furniture, decorative and folk art, and 19th century memorabilia. As part of the nation’s bicentennial celebration in 1976, Baker renovated the quaint Victorian Cottage to house this collection. Today, the museum includes 10 buildings, an actual train caboose, and a farm chores area.
What Can We See and Do There?
Docents lead guided tours that include a refreshing cup of tea or lemonade. Their stories offer information in a more nostalgic context. The tour of the collection of buildings gets students doing all sorts of 19th century chores. Kids participate in washday and haul water from the well; they may churn butter, knead bread dough, and carry the firewood. At the Village Bank, students role play cashing checks and making deposits. At the General Merchandise Store students can take in a little rest and relaxation over a game of checkers. Then it is back to work when students learn how to card and spin cotton. Self-guided tours are also available.
How Do We Get There?
From I-110, take Exit 8 North on Hwy. 19 going north to Baker. The off-ramp merges with Hwy. 19 and becomes Main St.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Severe weather may impact field trip plans. Call the museum when foul weather predictions may impede the field trip.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: H-1A-E1-2; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C-E1, 3-4
5th-8th grades: H-1A-M1-3, 5; H-1B-M14-15, 17; H-1D-M1, 6
9th-12th grades: H-1A-H1-2, 6; H-1B-H6-11
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Look at the museum’s website to help plan the visit. Decide which activities are most suited to your class and request a copy of the orientation video. Bring the video to the field trip and return it at the gift shop counter.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
How do I fit in? Ask kids if they have ever been mentioned in the newspaper. Then, discuss how newspapers are primary source materials for historians and other researchers. Using local newspapers, ask students to collect information that they think will be important to future historians. Consider borrowing one of the Exhibit Boxes for a really interesting hands-on lesson back in class. This series of out-reach programs can be checked out at the end of the field trip and brought back to school for post-visit activities. The boxes are called The Ballot Box, The Money Box, The Sewing Box, The Main Box (post office), The Shoe Box, The Hat Box, and The Music Box.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, local and regional history, American history, domestic technology, decorative arts, material culture studies
Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium Subject Area:Science/Nature,
433 Jefferson St. History
Lafayette, LA 70501
General Telephone Number: (337) 291-5544
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 291-5544
FAX Number: (337) 291-5464
Website Address: www.lnhm.org
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday 9:00am – 9:30pm, Wednesday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 6:00pm, Sunday 1:00pm – 6:00pm; $5.00 adults, $2.00, seniors $3.00, children ages 6-12
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Friday, 8:30am – 1:00pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 250
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic area, full-service restaurants, and fast food are in the area.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Don’t be surprised if the Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium feels like new. The museum opened in 1969, but quickly outgrew its original building. Early in 2002, the museum moved a few blocks away to a renovated 1920s department store building on Jefferson Ave. in downtown Lafayette. The museum features a state-of-the-art planetarium with a 40-foot dome, a hands-on Discovery Area, an auditorium, classrooms, and over 10,000 square feet of exhibitions. The museum is committed to explaining and exploring the natural world, the universe, and the role people play in interacting with the world and the cosmos. The two-story building offers changing exhibits that vary from underwater to outer space, from dinosaurs to diamonds.
What Can We See and Do There?
The Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium offers educational programs, star shows, and quarterly changing exhibits. The astronomy programs are available to school groups on Tuesday – Thursday between 9:00am and 1:00pm with reservations. Guided tours are available and teachers can elect to lead their own classes through the multimedia exhibits about Louisiana cultures and natural history. The Discovery Room is a science oriented play space for students to observe, test, handle, and probe specimens from A to Z such as art, astronomy, botany, ecology, entomology, geology, ichthyology, paleontology, and zoology. The education department offers out-reach programs for classroom use. Teachers should call the museum for the schedule of up coming exhibits and to find out what out reach materials and programs are currently available.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, Exit 103 to US 167. Travel south about 2.4 miles. Turn right onto Jefferson Street. Travel four blocks to West Congress. The site is on the left.
From I-49, after passing under I-10, travel approximately 2.4 miles. Turn right onto to Jefferson St. Travel four blocks to West Congress. The site is on the left.
From Rte. 90, turn left onto Jefferson St. Travel five blocks. The site is on the left.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
This site offers an indoor field-trip experience.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: SI-E-A1-7; SI-E-B1-6; ESS-E-A1-5; ESS-E-B1-3; H-1C-E1, 4
5th-8th grades: SI-M-A1-8; SI-M-B1-6; ESS-M-A5; ESS-M-C2, 4-5; H-1D-M1, 6
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip Visit?
Call the education department to arrange for a loan of a Discovery Box or a Suitcase, (337) 291-5544. The museum will mail teachers a pre-visit packet at the same time field trip reservations are made.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Check out the planetarium’s website www.lnhm.org/planet/astronomy.html. It has great pictures and charts for students to use, including current moon phases, sky events, star maps, and expected meteor showers.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCPETS
Solar System, space science, astronomy, geology, Louisiana natural history, Louisiana Native Americans, Acadian and Creole cultural history
Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site Subject: Art, History
1200 North Main St.
St. Martinville, LA 70582
General Telephone Number: (337) 394-3754 or (888) 677-2900
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (337) 394-3754 or (888) 677-2900
FAX Number: (337) 394-3553
Website Address: www.lastateparks.com
Email Address: Longfellow@crt.state.la.us
General Public Hours and Admission: Daily, 9:00am – 4:00pm; $2.00 Adults, Free for Seniors and Visitors under 14 years old
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 9:00am – 4:00pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 200
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: One to two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Partially, the second floor of the big house is inaccessible.
Grade Level Appropriate: 2nd – 12th
Lunch Facilities: A picnic area is on-site. Fast food and full-service restaurants are within one mile of the site.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Two 19th century cultures sit side-by-side at the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site for students to compare. This large park teaches visitors about the influence of two French speaking groups who settled along the Bayou Teche that of Acadian farmers and wealthy French and Creole planters. Once part of Louisiana’s royal domain, the historic site was first used as a vacherie, a cattle ranch, and later developed as an indigo plantation. A Creole family acquired the property and generations later it became a successful sugar plantation. The plantation house, Maison Olivier, is a raised Creole cottage. It is an excellent example of regional architecture because it shows students a mixture of Creole, Caribbean, and French influences. A charming Acadian Cabin vividly illustrates the other extreme of life styles lived by Acadians and Creoles. The cabin is typical of those constructed by the first generation of Acadian settlers. It is small and rustic, a stark contrast to the graceful Maison Olivier.
What Can We See and Do There?
Debarking from their bus on the shore of Bayou Teche, students will feel something special in the air. The group gathers in the Visitor Center and tours the interactive displays about the history of the Acadian and Creole people of the area. A costumed tour guide leads students in groups of 30 through each agricultural home. They stop at the Acadian Cabin and learn about the lifestyle of these hardworking immigrants. The next stop is at Maison Olivier circa 1815, a plantation house that was made more opulent in 1840. The tour of this home tells the story of a wealthy Creole sugar plantation family. Tours can be given in English or French. Arrangements can be made for students to see demonstrations of spinning, weaving, or firing black-gun-powder weapons. Interactive programs available to school groups include a touch-table, colonial period games, churning butter, shucking corn, or spinning moss. Ask the site’s staff about viewing video presentations about sugar and cotton production, the Acadians, Atchafalaya Basin and the film Evangeline.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, exit at Breaux Bridge to Hwy. 31 to St. Martinville and travel about 15 miles. The site is on Hwy. 31 which is also Main St. in St. Martinville.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
Call the site to make special arrangements in case of inclement weather.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: G-1B-E1-4; H-1A-E1-3; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C-E1-4
5th-8th grades: G-1B-M1-4; H-1A-M1-6; H-1B-M3, 5, 9-13; H-1D-M1-6
9th-12th grades: G-1B-H1-4; H-1A-H1-6; H-1B-H1-2, 4-5
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Call, write or visit the web site to request a copy of A Guide for Educators. Look into the “Junior Ranger” program offered by the Louisiana Office of State Parks. In addition, older students can read the poem “Evangeline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Hold onto A Guide for Educators. The second half of the booklet is dedicated to classroom ideas to use when the class gets back to school. Teachers can involve kids in role playing, drawing, and quiz activities. Roll out a Louisiana map and ask kids to plot their bus ride from this site back to their school. Any bridges? See any waterways?
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, Acadian settlement, architecture, colonial Louisiana, language arts, economy of early Louisiana, French
Louisiana State Archives Subject: History, Art
P.O. Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Located at: 3851 Essen Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
General Telephone Number: (225) 922-1207; (225) 922-1208; (225) 922-0750
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 922-1000 or (225) 922-0750
FAX Number: (225) 922-0433
Website Address: www.sec.state.la.us
Email Address: ebrowne@sos.louisiana.gov
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm, Saturday, 9:00am- 5:00pm, Sunday, 1:00pm – 5:00pm; Free
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm, Saturday, 9:00am- 5:00pm, Sunday, 1:00pm – 5:00pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Rate Requested: 10:1
Advanced Time Needed to Make Reservations: Ten days
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 100
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 45 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: 5th – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Students may picnic on the grass area in front of the Archives building. Fast food and full service restaurants are nearby.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
The largest record-keeper in our state is the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge. The official repository for more than 30,000-cubic feet of records, the State Archives was originally started in 1935 and was housed at LSU. Today, the Louisiana State Archives is permanently housed in its own state-of-the-art building which opened its doors to historians, genealogists, researchers, students, and the general public in 1987. On the first floor, changing art exhibits are displayed in two formal galleries and the Archives’ permanent collection of World War I posters (with descriptive labels) are on display in the hallways at eye-level. The site displays its collection of Work Project Administration (WPA) paintings depicting people and landscapes of 1930s Louisiana, rotating these artworks throughout the year. The 100-seat auditorium, conservation lab, records center, and research library fill the entire first floor.
What Can We See and Do There?
What does the Louisiana State Archives do? The State Archives is the official agency charged with preserving our state’s history and defining us as a people by overseeing the management of records. The State Archives enables people to inspect documents for themselves, and ensures access and preservation of essential evidence of the actions of our citizens, state officials, and the Louisiana experience. Visitors are welcome to tour and use the many services and resources at the State Archives. Preserved for posterity are cornerstone documents of our state including the original Constitution for West Florida Republic, the Ordinance of Secession, Huey Long’s assassination inquiry and the original Louisiana State Constitution. But the State Archives is more than famous documents. Students can go on guided tours in the galleries, the research library, the conservation lab, and the record center to look at government and family records. Students can also see how these treasures are preserved and used.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10, exit at Essen Lane and travel south. The State Archives is on the left.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
The field trip is entirely indoors.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
5th-8th grades: C-1A-M1-6; H-1A-M1-6; H-1D-M1-6; ELA-5-M1-6
9th-12th grades: C-1A-H1-2, 4; H-1A-H1-6; ELA-5-H1-6
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Visit the website for a preview tour, listen to WWI music, and look at the WWI Poster Art collection. These resources can be printed and downloaded in class. Discuss the role of archives in government, history and genealogy. Call for pre-visit materials.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Your turn! Show students how to make a family tree using the pedigree chart available at the Archives. Encourage kids to make scrapbooks. Use archival techniques like using acid-free pages, and envelopes, and other suggestions from the Archives conservation lab. Look up records and famous documents at the National Archives at www.nara.gov
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, civics, archives, records, census, state government, family history, genealogy, research skills, document conservation, art
Louisiana State Capitol Subject: History, Art
State Capitol Welcome Center
P.O. Box 94291
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Located at: 900 N. 3rd St
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Website Address: www.legis.state.la.us
General Telephone Number: (225) 342-7317
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 342-7317
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 8:00am – 4:30pm, Observation Tower closes at 4:00pm; Free
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Daily, 8:30am – 3:30pm, Observation Tower closes at 4:00pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: None
Advanced Time Needed to Make Reservations: One week
Number of Students per Visit: Unlimited; Observation Tower Up to 70
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: 90 minutes
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: 4th – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Students may use the on-site snack shop and cafeteria. Teachers can make advance plans for boxed lunches. The historic Arsenal Park, adjacent to the Capitol is available for picnics.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
On top of the world! That’s what students feel like when they visit the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. The 450-foot art deco capitol building is the tallest building in town and represents the legislative powers that govern our state. It is in contrast to Louisiana’s Old State Capitol Building, also a museum, which was built in 1849 in the Gothic style. In 1932, the state government moved into the new towering capitol building built by Governor Huey P. Long. Fronted by formal gardens, the carved limestone exterior is full of images and history. The Capitol Park Visitor Center will offer helpful information for visiting groups. The elevated entrance is reached by climbing 49-steps, one for each state in the Union from that time period. The walls and floors in Memorial Hall are lined with marble and bronze relief sculptures, murals, and handsome paintings. Guided and self guided tours begin here. Students may visit the legislative chambers and ride the elevator up 27-floors to visit the observation tower.
What Can We See and Do There?
Teachers can visit on short notice or plan a more in-depth experience for students at the Louisiana State Capitol. They can opt for a guided tour or choose to self-guide their classes. It is possible to contact the offices of your senator or representative and arrange for the legislator to meet and greet your students. Sometimes, if schedules allow, students may visit the Governor’s office. Students take time to learn about the outstanding art deco artwork and architecture throughout the first floor. In Memorial Hall, they see the bronze map of Louisiana surrounded by the names of 64 parishes. Then students may visit the marked spot where U.S. Senator Huey P. Long was assassinated in the executive corridor. The Senate Chambers are to the west, and the House Chambers are to the east. Students hear about the law-making process during a presentation in the legislative chambers
How Do We Get There?
From I-10 to I-110 north, take Exit 1-E/Capitol Access and follow signs to the State Capitol.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
This field trip can go on in cases of inclement weather. The observation deck may be closed due to hard rain, storms, or high winds.
What can we visit nearby?
Guided tours of the New Governor’s Mansion (225) 342-5855; Old Arsenal Powder Magazine (free to groups) (225) 342-0401
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: C-1A-E1-7; C-1B-E1-2; C-1D-E4-5; H-1A-E1-3; H-1C-E1-4
5th-8th grades: C-1A-M1-10; C-1B-M5-6; C-1D-M2-5; H-1A-M1-6; H-1D-M1-4, 6
9th-12th grades: C-1A-H1-2, 4-5; C-1B-H4-6; C-1D-H1-4; H-1A-H1-6
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Teachers can call their senator or representative to request copies of the Louisiana State Capitol activity book and coloring books. Teachers may also ask for a video about the State Capitol by contacting the Public Information House of Representatives at (225) 343-9795.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Help students learn about their parish legislators and write letters on behalf of an issue concerning your class, or simply send a thank you note for the field trip to the capitol.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana government, civics, Louisiana history, architecture
Louisiana Art and Science Museum Subject: Art, Science/Nature
P.O. Box 3373
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3373
Located at: 100 S. River Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
General Telephone Number: (225) 344-9478
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 344-5272 ext. 142
FAX Number: (225) 344-9477
Email Address: Louisiana Art and Science Museum LASM@lasm.org
Challenger Learning Center CLC@lasm.org
Educational Programs and Classes jbanks@lasm.org
Website Address: www.lasm.org
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Friday, 10:00am – 4:00pm; Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, 1:00pm – 5:00pm;
General Admission: Free the first Sunday of each month
Museum: $6 (Adults); $5 Children (2-12) and Seniors (65+)
Planetarium: $8 (Adults); $7 Children (2-12) and Seniors (65+)
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Friday, 10:00am – 4:00pm;
$5.00 students participating in classes or planetarium shows. Call for other program pricing.
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Minimum of two weeks but advanced reservations are recommended.
Advance deposit for planetarium shows $50.00 per scheduled museum class
Number of Students per visit for classes: up to 30; for planetarium shows: up to 120
Suggested Length of Time for Visits: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic space and fast food are in the area. There is no lunch facility in the museum.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking is not available, although a drop-off area is designated in front of the museum.
Tell Us About It!
The Louisiana Art and Science Museum (LASM) features changing fine art exhibitions, an Egyptian tomb exhibit, a creative playroom, an interactive science gallery, the Challenger Learning Center (CLC), and a planetarium with a large-format film theater. The Irene W. Pennington Planetarium and the ExxonMobil Space Theater feature a 60-foot dome theater for presenting planetarium programs, large-format films, and high resolution projections with 5,000-square feet of space science exhibits. The Bert S. Turner Family Atrium and Ivan Meštrović Gallery displays the museum’s collection of work by internationally recognized sculptor, Ivan Meštrović. The Egyptian Gallery contains mummies, funerary objects, and ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian artifacts. LASM’s interactive exhibits offer hands-on learning. In Discovery Depot, young visitors can create art projects and play with educational toys. The interactive exhibits in Science Station offer visitors a fun way to explore science concepts. In the Challenger Learning Center (CLC), students use math, science and technology skills to conduct a simulated space mission. CLC programs require advance planning and reservations.
What Can We See and Do There?
LASM offers guided tours of changing art exhibitions featuring national and international artists. Tours and student programs are also offered in the Ancient Egypt Gallery, which features two authentic human mummies set in a recreated Ptolemaic-era tomb, circa 300 B.C. Adjacent are exhibits of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts. Students enjoy viewing the all-sky projection of images from the Hubble Space telescope in the Universe Gallery and thrill at the larger-than-life films of space travel and ocean exploration. Visiting groups can attend classes in art, science, ancient history classes. Check out the museum’s web site for a complete listing of classes for field trip visitors. Seven age-appropriate studio art classes cover topics such as patterns, balance, and perspective. In the Challenger Learning Center (CLC) teachers can choose from three student simulation programs: Rendezvous with Comet Halley, grades 5 – 8; Return to the Moon grades 7 – 9; and Encounter Earth grades 8 – 12. For more information about CLC programs call (225) 344-5272 ext.4.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10 to I-110, exit at Convention St. and travel to River Road. The main entrance to LASM is on River Road. From I-10 east to I-110, exit at Government St., turn left onto Government St. and continue to River Road.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
This site provides an indoor, climate controlled field trip experience.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: PS-E-A1, 3; PS-E-B1-2; PS-E-C7; ESS-E-B1-3, 5-6; H-1A-E1-2; H-1B-E1-2; H-1D-E2
5th-8th grades: PS-M-B2; PS-M-C1, 3; ESS-M-A1; ESS-M-C1-5, 8; H-1A-M1-3, 5; H-1C-M3-5
9th-12th grades: PS-H-E1; ESS-H-A1; ESS-H-C1; ESS-H-D2-4, 6-7; H-1A-H1-2, 6
What Can We Do In Class Before and After Our Field Trip?
Pre- and post-visit materials are available online. LASM educators suggest checking out the LASM web site. Teachers and students enrolled in a CLC program will receive pre-visit materials by mail. Teachers participate in an in-service training program. CLC programs also include post-visit materials. Teachers are welcome to use the Educators Resource center at the museum.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Art history, art criticism, art production, aesthetic perception, scientific inquiry, life science, physical science, space science, earth science
Louisiana State Museum/Baton Rouge Subject: History
660 N. 4th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
General Telephone Number: (225) 219-0717
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 219-0717
FAX Number: (225) 219-0729
Website Address: www.lsm.crt.state.la.us
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday noon – 5:00pm; $6.00 Adults, $5.00 Seniors & Students 13 years and older, Children Free
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 5:00pm, Sunday noon – 5:00pm; Students Free, additional chaperones $6.00
Student to Chaperone Ratio Suggested: 10:1
Advance Time Suggested to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Unlimited
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K- 12th
Lunch Facilities: Students may picnic on the State Capitol grounds. Full service restaurants are in walking distance.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking not available on site
Tell Us About It!
Enter the Louisiana State Museum at Baton Rouge by stepping into the mouth of the Mississippi River designed right on the floor of this massive state-of-the art history museum. The new museum’s unconventional approach to interpreting history is what gravitates students to the interactive and creative exhibits on the history, economy, culture, and diversity of Louisiana. With 35,000 square feet of gallery space, the museum can boast that it is the largest museum on in the history of Louisiana. Size and scale affords museum visitors first hand looks at oversized artifacts including, a 48-foot shrimp boat, an authentic Civil War submarine, a steamboat pilot house, a full scale harvester and Christmas bon fire structure, cannons, an oil pump jack and so on, all to tell the significant impact Louisiana’s people, culture, decisions and economy has had on America’s history and culture.
What Can We See and Do There?
The Louisiana State Museum at Baton Rouge has two main exhibition floors. Visitors begin their journey into the state’s history and culture in the first floor exhibits The Mighty Mississippi River, Natural Abundance, Poverty Point, and Sportsmen Paradise. Exhibits explore how industry, lifeways, foodways, the arts, and the land has been shaped and honed by the dominating presence of the unpredictable Mississippi River. Plantation history and urban and rural slavery are interpreted. Visitors learn and manipulate exhibits about how the Delta water ways have helped to sustain and shape the state’s economy. Then Louisiana’s political and military histories are integrated into national historical contexts to illustrate how, for example the war of 1812, the Civil War, and both World Wars impacted warfare technology and national and international policy. On the second floor of the museum, visitors are immersed in the rich sounds, sights and textures of Louisiana’s cultural heritage. Students are asked to consider what makes living in Louisiana unique in the exhibit Louisiana Roots. Mardi Gras from around the state, regional festivals, cuisines, and music traditions, and civil rights are explored through audio, video, computerized imagining, artifact displays, and kinetic exhibits. Diversity is part of many exhibits, which highlight Native American history and the major ethnic groups settled around the state.
How Do We Get There?
From I-110 traveling north, take Exit 155B toward the Business District/ Metro Airport. Veer left onto North St. Turn right onto N. 4th St.
From I-110 traveling south, take N 9th St. exit 1G, toward the Business District. Travel 0.1 miles onto N. 9th St. Turn right onto North St. Turn right onto N. 4th St.
Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?
The museum is climate controlled.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: G-1A-E2; G-1C-E1-6; G-1D-E1; C-1D-E4; E-1A-E1-4; E-1B-E5; H-1A-E1-3; H-1B-E,2; H-1C-E1-4
5th-8th grades: G-1C-M2,4,6; G-1D-M1; C-1B-M2,6; E-1A-M1; E-1B-M7; H-1A-M2,3; H-1B-M5,7,9,12,13; H-1C-M18
9th-12th grades: G-1D-H3; G-1A-H1; G-1C-H4,6; C-1B-H6; H-1B-H15, 17; H-1B-H1; H-1B-H1,5,6; H-1C-H15; H-1A-H2,3
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
The museum provides downloadable curriculum guides for teachers at the web site www.crt.la.us. The museum staff recommends teachers pre-select the topics they wish to cover at the museum being it takes many hours to see the entire museum. Choose one to three exhibits prior to embarking on your self-guided tour.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Check out www.louisiana.gov/kids.asp for classroom materials. Click on Learning in Louisiana: Just for Students.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, culture, economy, heritage
Louisiana’s Old State Capitol Subject: History
100 North Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
General Telephone Number: (225) 342-0500 or (800) 488-2968
Telephone Number to Schedule School Field Trips: (225) 342-0500
FAX Number: (225) 342-0316
Website Address: www.sos.louisiana.gov
Email Address: osc@sos.louisiana.gov
General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Sunday, 1:00pm – 4:00pm; $4.00 Adults, $3.00 Seniors and Veterans, $2.00 Students
School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Sunday 1:00pm – 4:00pm; March – May extended hours Monday – Friday 9:00am – 4:pm; Free
Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 7:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two days
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 100
Suggested Length of Time for Visits: One hour
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: 1st – 12th
Lunch Facilities: There is a picnic area on-site and fast food and full service restaurants are in walking distance.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available
Tell Us About It!
Prominently towering in downtown Baton Rouge and facing River Road stands Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, Center for Political and Governmental History. Brilliant white and castle-like, this restored 1850 state-house museum preserves Louisiana’s vibrant political history and the democratic process through exhibitions, educational out-reach, and programs. This museum is as grand on the inside as it is on the outside. Gothic towers, stained glass windows, and massive front doors greet visitors. Marble floors and majestic wood details support the Grand Rotunda which is graced by a spiral staircase. Exhibits on the first floor are about politicians and significant political events. The Senate and House Chambers are on the second floor and function as an auditorium and special events area. Additional exhibits are on the second floor including an interactive installation about how a bill becomes a law.
What Can We See and Do There?
Louisiana’s Old State Capitol offers self-guided tours to scheduled groups. Exhibits include Governor’s Reception Room with pictures of all the governors from the colonial period to present day. Students can see and hear famous politicians delivering speeches. The animated Huey P. Long exhibit highlights the controversy surrounding his assassination. The Louisiana Purchase examines the history behind the monumental acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France. The new Statehouses of Louisiana exhibit features the many places which served as Louisiana’s State Capitol. In this exhibit, visitors can video tape their own stories about the State Capitol. The We the People exhibit highlights the importance of voting and being personally involved in campaigns, elections, and the day-to-day activities of the legislative process. All school groups view a multimedia presentation. Teachers for older students may want to schedule the On Air program for their visit. This program provides students with a television studio to make a videotape of a political campaign commercial, an editorial on a current event, or a short speech. In-class preparation is required and students produce the tape while at Louisiana’s Old State Capitol. Teachers take the tape back to class to review and can use in class. Ask museum staff about the National Student/Parent Mock Elections held each year at this museum.
How Do We Get There?
From I-10 traveling north, enter the Business District on I-110. Exit from the left lane to Convention St. Continue for nine blocks and turn left on River Rd. Go one block and turn left on North Blvd. The Old State Capitol is on the right and bus parking is on the street in front of the North Blvd. entrance.
Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards
K-4th grades: C-1A-E1-2, 4-6; C-1D-E1-5; H-1A-E1-3; H-1C-E1-4; ELA-4-E1-2, 4-7; ELA-7-E1-4
5th-8th grades: C-1A-M1-6; C-1D-M2-5; H-1A-M1-6; H-1D-M1-6; ELA-4-M1-6; ELA-7-M1-4
9th-12th grades: C-1A-H1-2, 4; C-1D-H2-4; H-1A-H1-6; ELA-4-H1-7; ELA-7-H1-4
What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?
Teachers can request pre-visit materials that include a copy of the exhibit brochure, a list of current exhibits, and lesson plans for some of those exhibits. The museum suggests that teachers engage students in a public speaking unit. Demonstrate how to outline a speech and have students collect debate ideas from current newspapers. Explain to students how these issues are dealt with through the political process. Ask students to prepare and deliver a speech on a topic important to them. Students present their speeches at the Louisiana’s Old State Capitol. Look at this museum’s website for a preview of the field trip.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits
Teachers may request a copy of a VHS tape with lesson plan about the Louisiana Purchase and lesson plans about the Huey Long exhibit. Check out the museum’s website for lesson plans. Discuss the impact of the students’ presentations on the views of their peers back in class. Then take a poll and vote on the issues raised. Close with a class discussion about the political process and the power of voting. Visit the current State Capitol and check out the active Senate and House Chambers there.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONCEPTS
Louisiana history, civics, politics, public speaking, primary source research, language arts, speech
