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Teacher Resources
School and DDN Programs offered by The Outdoor Campus (click here)
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Want
to take a field trip to the Outdoor Campus?
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Programs
The Outdoor Campus mails out three seasonal brochures; fall, winter, and spring, during
the school year. All area schools will receive a Seasonal School Programs brochure
of all the classes offered for that season. The brochure will contain a list of programs
offered and a brief description of the classes. The programs will be listed in a
grade-specific format. If you would like to have a brochure sent directly to you, please
give us a call and make that request at (605) 362-2777 or e-mail TOC@state.sd.us. You will receive the brochure
when they are published.Preparing for your trip to the The Outdoor
Campus
Preparation for your trip to The Outdoor Campus will often determine how successful
your trip will be. Give students a clear objective for their time at TOC. Talking with
your class about the trip objectives and expectations will help keep them focused, and
will enhance TOC programs or your own activities. It is natural for children to run around
and be kids when they are in the outdoors. Our job and yours, is to have them learning
while on the move.
Pre-trip Activities and Ideas
- Before the trip, inform students of the
purpose of the field trip and what is expected of them in regard to participation and
behavior.
- Have students locate on a map the location
of The Outdoor Campus and plan the best route.
- Introduce vocabulary terms to the students
that are related to the program they will be studying.
- Introduce terms like ecology, habitat,
insects, mammals, environment, and conservation.
- Have students research ideas like endangered
species, outdoor activities, and the global environment.
- Have students do research on common animals
that they would likely see at The Outdoor Campus.
- Have students make an Outdoor Journal. Use
it to record observations at TOC, the schoolyard, and their backyards.
Post-Trip Activities and Ideas:
- Many teachers find it useful to conduct
their own "debriefing" at school through discussions, or written or oral
presentations.
- Have students develop a newspaper article
about the field trip experience or about South Dakota’s natural environment and
outdoor activities.
- Have students use their journals to reflect
on what they learned.
- Have them keep observations of wildlife they
see, or dates of when different migrating birds return, dates the leaves emerge, the
weather and so on.
- Have students draw a picture of their most
vivid memory of the trip to TOC.
General information about your visit
Health form
Before attending TOC, double check to be sure
that all of your students have a treatment authorization form on file at your school. Each
student is required to have one on file. They need to be accessible, so in the rare case
of an emergency, the personnel at TOC will have permission to treat the individual
involved.
Chaperones
Please bring along an adult chaperone for each
10 students, in addition to yourself. In this website you will find information titled Role of Chaperones. Please share this with the
adults that have agreed to accompany your class to TOC.
Parent information
Inform parents of the trip to TOC. We have
included a sample letter for parents in the appendix. The letter informs them of their
student’s upcoming trip, and also includes a section on what to wear to TOC programs.
(See next section on proper clothing.)
Proper clothing
As our name implies, The Outdoor Campus is a
place where learning takes place mostly outdoors. Participants must be made aware that
dressing properly is one of the best things they can do to help insure a positive
experience. Being cold and or wet, and worrying about getting dirty distracts from the
experience. To avoid this, ALL PARTICIPANTS, students, teachers and chaperones should
dress for the occasion. Please share this information with everyone in your group.
If a student comes to a program conducted by
TOC staff and is not dressed appropriately, they will be kept inside under teacher
supervision. For all-day programs, a student not dressed appropriately will not be allowed
to participate. We would ask that teachers help make this decision before the student gets
on the bus for the trip to TOC.
Provide all participants with name tags, if
possible.
Dressing for a visit to The Outdoor Campus for Students,
Teachers, & Chaperones
- Winter Boots with no heel, insulated (i.e., snow
boots, moon boots, snowmobile boots, sorrels). At least two pair of socks, preferably one
of them wool. Snowmobile suit, insulated pants or coveralls, or long underwear with normal
weight pants. Hat that covers ears. Scarf. Mittens or insulated gloves. No exposed skin on
lower legs/ankles. Minimum two layers (i.e., turtleneck shirt and sweater) with insulated
jacket.
- Early Spring – Late Fall Dress as for winter:
these damp days can feel colder than expected and are prime times for hypothermia. Boots
are usually a must.
- Late Spring – Summer – Early Fall Clothes
appropriate for the weather. Sunscreen and insect repellent at your discretion. Footwear
with no heel, good tread, and good support. If you will be involved in outdoor cooking
activities, do not wear sandals.
- Misc. Waterproof outerwear for days that threaten
drizzle/ rain. Windbreakers for chilly, windy days. Always leave "Sunday best"
at home. Children and Teachers/Chaperones should not wear new or special clothing that
they would not wish to soil.
Special Needs
All of our trails are ADA accessible. However,
many of our activities may take place off of the trails. Please let us know of any special
needs your group may have. We will do our best to fully accommodate all of your
participants.
Please notify us of any other special needs
(i.e., medical conditions, allergies, behavioral concerns, communication barriers, etc.)
Expectations of participants
Any continued disruptive behavior that affects
the quality of the experience for the other kids is unacceptable, as is any activity that
is destructive to the grounds. Although these cases are rare, should they occur, they will
be reported to the student’s teacher.
Inclement weather
TOC programs will go on rain or shine. If
programs are scheduled for outside, indoor activities will be substituted. All-day
programs with large numbers of participants will be canceled in the event of severe
weather. Every attempt at rescheduling these programs will be made.
For winter programs we will substitute indoor
activities for the lower grades when the wind chill is below –10o. For the
older grades the activities will be adapted to the conditions until the wind chill reaches
–25o.
Independent field trips are up to the teacher.
If the weather does not allow you to be outside, do not count on room being available
indoors at TOC for your group. TOC programs have priority for this space.
Medical Emergencies
All TOC professional staff have up-to-date certification in
standard first aid and CPR for children and adults. In the event that TOC staff determines
immediate medical assistance is required, an ambulance will be called to the scene.
If medical attention is required on a non-emergency basis,
TOC staff will:
- Recommend that the teacher follow normal school procedures
regarding ill / injured students.
- Ask a teacher or accompanying adult to take the individual
to get medical treatment. TOC cannot provide transportation in a state vehicle to anyone
not employed by the State of South Dakota.
Lunch
Students will need to bring their own lunch. Due to the
high volume of visitors, we do not provide indoor eating spaces for groups. The Sertoma
Science Playground and picnic shelter is across the parking lot and provides a good
setting for a meal. It may be a good idea to call the City Parks and Recreation Department
to reserve space in the picnic shelter for your group. The phone number is 367-7060.
During the winter months, when the weather is not conducive to picnics, you will have to
make arrangements for off campus lunches.
Role of
Chaperones
Thank you for volunteering to be a chaperone for the field trip to The Outdoor
Campus! Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare to chaperone your group’s
field trip!
TOC staff and volunteers will always offer encouragement to children
participating in a program. Group leaders and chaperones can add their enthusiasm and
support to children, too, especially during the outdoor portions of the program where
students may be working individually or in pairs.
- Participate in Activities!
We expect that all chaperones will participate in the activities with the youth.
Depending on the program, that may include fishing, nature study, nature games, or hikes.
Please limit any conversation among adults in the back of the group, as it provides a
distraction and is a cue for children that their complete attention is not required.
- Remember – You are a Role Model!
Your reactions are also important. At TOC, we want to develop positive attitudes
towards the outdoors and all living creatures (including spiders, insects, snakes, etc.).
It is essential that chaperones portray positive reactions to these animals, or at the
very least do not exhibit a negative response.
We ask that chaperones disperse themselves throughout the group, and let the TOC
staff member know of any unsafe behavior. Group leaders and chaperones are responsible for
supervision of group behavior and group safety before and after a program. TOC staff will
manage the group during the program. In rare instances where TOC staff determine that a
child’s behavior is having an unresolvable negative impact on the experience for the
rest of the group, they may request that the leader/chaperone supervise the child in an
area separate from the rest of the group for a portion of the program.
Chaperones are asked to resist the temptation to "coach" the kids by
whispering an answer in a child’s ear. (Yes, it’s common!) Many of the
Naturalist’s questions are meant to challenge the children, and an immediate answer
is not expected nor sought. Thanks!
- If you are driving, please obey the posted speed limit of 15 mph after entering
the park.
Our trails border the road, and many children use them. School groups have been
pulled over and cited by the police for violating the park speed limit!
Wear old clothes and sneakers/boots. You may need a raincoat
So,
you’d like to do your own field trip?
(We call these Scheduled Visits)
We would love to have you and your classes spend time here
at TOC, even if we are not directly involved with your activities. Here’s what you
need to do for a scheduled visit:
Make arrangements
You must call ahead and find out if there are scheduled
programs being run that day. If so, you may not be able to use certain portions of the
Campus. This is to avoid overlapping of groups. The scheduled programs will have
preference for areas of the Campus needed for their activities. If there is no conflict,
you are free to use any parts of the campus you wish.
Equipment
We have had many requests to use The Outdoor Campus’
equipment. It is our policy not to let groups use TOC’s equipment.
Site use guidelines
- Collection of natural materials is allowed
only under the direct supervision or with prior approval of TOC staff.
- Unless involved in a guided hike with TOC staff, please
limit hiking and exploration of the Campus to existing marked trails. This is important
because The Outdoor Campus is habitat for a number of plant and animal species that should
not be disrupted and because of possible safety hazards that exist in off-trail areas.
- Pack it in, pack it out. Take care that any
trash is disposed of in a trash receptacle and not thrown on the ground. The
Outdoor Campus would greatly appreciate visitor assistance in picking up and
disposing of any litter seen on site, or reporting the location of larger
problem sites to TOC prior to leaving.
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Resources
available for teachers at The Outdoor Campus
State-wide
Critter Crates |
The Outdoor Campus has several critter crates available to
teachers. Crates contain artifacts and some suggested activities. The types of crates and
the policies concerning the crates are listed below. |
These crates are sponsored by SD Game,
Fish and Parks and The Outdoor Campus. |
| Crates A & B |
Contain a variety of materials pertaining to different animals.
Skulls, furs etc. Crate A
inventory - .pdf file
Crate B inventory - .pdf file |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents
returned. Crates can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| NEW! Bird Box |
Contains a feather activity kit, replicas of bird beaks and feet,
posters, books, identification guides and bird song books. |
$75 deposit per crate. returned when crate
and contents returned. Crates can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| NEW! Land
Navigation Crates (GPS) 1 and 2 |
Each of the GPS crates contains 8 Etrex Legend
Personal Navigators with operation instructions. The Forms and Inventory
Packet in each crate also contains "how to" information, activities for GPS
units, and charts showing correlations to South Dakota's curriculum content
standards. Reserve one or both crates for a two-week period. |
$75 deposit per crate. returned when crate
and contents returned. Crates can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Endangered Species Crate |
Focuses on endangered species. Consists mostly of items made from
endangered species, and confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Elk Crate |
Contains elk artifacts: pelt, antlers, tapes of sounds, books, etc.
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$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Coyote Crate |
Contains furs, scat, tracks, skulls, books, and activities. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Beaver Crate |
Contains furs, scat, tracks, materials to dress someone up as a
beaver, support materials. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Bat Crate |
Contains an echo-locator, and bat-related materials for educators. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Prairie Crate |
Multi-disciplinary education trunk with lessons, teacher guides,
pelts, skulls, scat, posters, puppets, felt story boards, rubber stamps and
ink, videos, books and a buffalo costume. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Ferret Mini-Kit |
Contains slide show on Black Footed Ferret, classroom fact sheets,
CD-Rom of slide show, and binder of activities for teachers. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Call (605)
773-2541 to reserve, or e-mail. |
| Tree
Trunk |
The Tree Trunk contains kits, activity books, audio
visual materials, field guides, fiction and non-fiction books, tree cookies,
and leaf samples that teach about trees, plants, wildflowers, and birds. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Grasslands/Sod Box |
This crate contains print materials, kits, visuals,
stuffed animals, and grass samples that can be used to teach about the
grasses and soil of the prairie. |
$75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates
can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call (605) 362-2777
to reserve a crate or e-mail. |
| Sioux Falls Area Crates |
These crates can only be used in the Sioux Falls area.
Anyone can use them. A $75 deposit is required before the crate will go out. |
| Wetlands Trunk - Contains games,
activities, puzzles, music, posters and a script for a puppet play with
puppets of a blue heron, a muskrat and a salamander. |
In-town
Critter Crate - Various animal
artifacts: mammals, pelts, tracks, etc. |
| Snowshoe Crates
-- The Outdoor Campus received a grant through the SD Department of Health
to purchase snow-shoes that could be used by youth groups. The purpose of
this grant was to encourage physical activity in our youth. Snowshoeing is
a great way to stay active in winter! Following is all the information you
need to check out snowshoes for use for your group.
2 Group Snowshoe Crates
Crate 1:
12 pairs youth/small adult snowshoes
7 pairs of adult snowshoes
1 pair of snowshoeing poles
1 snowshoeing lesson plan
32 snowshoeing handouts
1 snowshoe crate evaluation form
1 snowshoe book
Crate 2:
12 pairs youth/small adult snowshoes
7 pairs of adult snowshoes
1 pair of snowshoeing poles
1 snowshoeing lesson plan
32 snowshoeing handouts
1 snowshoe crate evaluation form
1 snowshoe book
2 Family Snowshoe Crates
Each crate contains 4 adult-size snowshoes and 6 youth-size snowshoes.
Cost: Free! A $75 deposit, in the form of a
check written to The Outdoor Campus, is required when picking up the
snowshoe crate. We will not cash this check if all snowshoes are returned
in good condition.
Shipping: We do not mail snowshoe crates. You
must arrange to pick them up and drop them off during open building
hours.
How to Reserve a Crate: Contact Kay
Gannon, Teacher Resource Center Coordinator, at 362-2777 or
email her.
There must be at least 3 inches of
snow on the ground in order to check out a crate.
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| South
Dakota Natural Resource Crates from other places |
These crates are located in various
spots around the state. Contact information is supplied with each location. |
South
Dakota |
- 1 Passport to Fishing and Boating crate, perfect for an outdoor
event. Contact Chad
Tussing for check out information (605) 773-2541
- 4 warm season fishing crates, 1 ice fishing
crate. Contact Chad
Tussing for check out information (605) 773-2541
- 1 No Child Left Inside crate, loaded with basic equipment for
outdoor explorations. Contact Chad
Tussing for check out information (605) 773-2541.
- 1 elk trunk, 1 bat trunk.
Contact Laurie Root for
check out information 394-5362
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| Waubay, South Dakota |
- Wonderful Traveling Wetland Trunk
Puppets, puzzles, plant and wetland info, furs, videos, educators
guide. Contact Laura Hubers at Waubay National
Wildlife Refuge, (605) 947-4521, for further information or to reserve a two week time
slot. |
| Madison, South Dakota |
- Prairie Trunk - multi-disciplinary education trunk with lessons,
teacher guides, pelts, skulls, track molds, scat, posters, puppets, felt story boards,
rubber stamps and ink, videos, books and a buffalo costume.
- Wetland Trunk - Trunk includes several games, including
"Amphibian Trivia," survival game "Hazards in a Duck's Life", puppet
show, track match game, wetland habitat and plant puzzle with match cards, pelt ID,
skulls, scat, videos, books, BINGO, beaver costume, plus more.
Both trunks are available free of charge. Contact Jennifer Briggs at
the Madison Wetland Management District (605) 256-2974. |
| Black Hills Area |
Bison and Endangered
Species Traveling Trunks
Custer State Park has created two traveling trunks for use
by area teachers and schools. The bison trunk consists of various buffalo parts, books,
and curriculum ideas on how to teach students about plains bison. Imagine your students
holding a bladder or a stomach, or playing a game by matching various buffalo parts with
past tools from Plains Indian cultures. Maybe your students could create teepees using
soft-shell tacos and other grocery store items. Perhaps they would enjoy making their own
"winter count" using wrinkled paperbags and fingerpaint. The endangered species
trunk offers similar items and activities. Your students learn about how certain animals
are targeted around the world for black market trading. Each trunk will be made
available in the spring season of 2002. Final preparations are currently being made to
ensure the best educational service possible, as well as take into account shipping and
packaging. $75 deposit will be required. Contact: Brad
Block at (605) 255-4828.
Cougar Crate
Contains furs, skulls, and other artifacts. Also includes books,
videos, posters, etc. Supplies are also included to teach activities
included in the WILD About Mountain Lions Curriculum and Activity Guide.
This crate is only available in the Black Hills area and must be
picked up & dropped off at the Rapid City regional office during
business hours. A $75 deposit is required. Contact
Laurie Root at (605)
394-5362.
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| Other Kits
from other agencies |
Siouxland Heritage Museums in Sioux Falls Kits
South Dakota State Historical Society Kits
W.H.
Over Museum at the University of South Dakota Kits
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- Posters: The Outdoor Campus has several different
posters available for classroom use, including South Dakota Bats, Fish,
Prairies, and
"For the Birds," a poster featuring the birds of South Dakota.
- Data: If you would like real data, collected by the South Dakota Department of
Game, Fish and Parks for your graphing calculator or statistics exercises, feel free to
use these links and information:
Bus Driver’s Information
Directions to the Outdoor Campus
- From I-29: Take the 41st Street exit and proceed
east on 41st Street to Louise Avenue. Turn south (right) on Louise Avenue and proceed to
49th Street. Turn east (left) on 49th Street and proceed to Oxbow Avenue. Turn south on
Oxbow Avenue. Take the first left into Sertoma Park. The Outdoor Campus building is on the
south end of the parking lot.
- From I-229: Take the Louise Avenue exit and proceed
north on Louise Avenue to 49th Street. Turn east (right) on 49th Street and follow
directions above.
When you arrive at our front door please unload passengers and then
continue around the circle and park in the bus parking area at the east edge of the
parking lot.
If you have any questions please feel free to call The Outdoor
Campus at (605) 362 – 2777.
Teacher Check List |
| xxxxx |
Register for program or call to inform TOC that you are
planning to do your own field trip. |
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Field trip and transportation request forms from the
administration |
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Check on student health forms |
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Name tags |
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Organize chaperones |
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Inform parents |
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Call TOC (362-2777) with any special needs for
participants and to double check confirmation |
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Pre-trip activities |
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Expectations of participants |
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Dressing for TOC |
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Information to bus driver |
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Lunch arrangements if needed |
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