Teachers and Park Partners will work together to plan your SEED field trip! Park Partners may have past examples of rotations, as each Park has different logistics for SEED Field Trips. Below is an EXAMPLE of a SEED Field Trip Schedule. 

10am- Arrive at Park

10:15-11- Rotation 1

• Group 1: Metro Park Staff Member Led Hike

• Group 2: Teacher Led Activity

• Group 3: Teacher Led Activity 

11:15-12- Rotation 2

• Group 1: Teacher Led Activity 

• Group 2: Metro Park Staff Member Led Hike

• Group 3: Teacher Led Activity 

12-1- Lunch (Metro Parks does not provide lunch)

1-1:45- Rotation 3

• Group 1: Teacher Led Activity 

• Group 2: Teacher Led Activity 

• Group 3: Metro Park Staff Member Led Hike

Some Schools/Parks prefer to finish the field trip before lunch! Use this schedule above as an example and work with your Park Partner to decide what works best for you! 

All SEED participants are responsible for ordering and paying their own transportation.

Note: Metro Parks will pay a supplement for CCS and GM SEED Field Trip Transportation.  

When Requesting Transportation for SEED Field Trip, use the following information:

Park Address and Specific Park Location:

This information will be relayed via your Park Partner

(Note: This specific information should be shared with Administrators/ Parents etc. should they need to respond to an emergency.)

Bus Times:

You will need to negotiate Field Trip times with your Park Partner AND your Transportation Department

CCS - You will need to note the times specifically on the request and then follow up to make sure your bus can stay the designated time.

Bus Stays On Site:

You will need to determine if you wish to have your bus stay on site for emergency (weather) backup. Some Field Trip parks do not have shelter available to large number of students. You will want to discuss emergency logistics with your Park Partner when scheduling/planning your SEED Field Trip. Many districts will charge extra for this and it must be noted on Field Trip Transportation Request.

Other Specialized Transportation Requests:

Lift Bus, harnesses or oxygen tank approved transportation needs to be ordered specifically. 

Be sure to order a "Lift Bus" if you have a participant that uses a wheelchair. Talk with your administrators and/or Transportation Department for this and any other concerns. 

**Please let your Park Partner know in advance if you will have Field Trip participant(s) that use a wheelchair.

CCS SEED REGISTERED SCHOOLS

When filling out bus request:

• • Make sure to put "SEED" as the PO #

  • All buses requested must be used to capacity (only 1 bus per every 60 students and 2 teachers). 

    • If you have more than 60 students registered for SEED, you may request an additional bus using the Metro Parks SEED PO

    • If 2 or more buses are ordered under Metro Parks SEED PO and you arrive with less than 61 students (no matter how you divide your classes), you will be charged for the second bus. 

    • If you order 2 busses because you have 61 students (or more) registered, and students do not attend the Field Trip leaving you with 60 or fewer students, you must DISMISS the second bus. You may need to contact the Transportation Department. You will be charged for a second bus if you are not at capacity for the first bus (60 students and 2 adults). 

    • If you believe you will need more than two buses (120 students and 4 adults) , or your school will need an additional Lift bus etc., contact your Park Partner before ordering CCS Transportation. They will need to share that information with Metro Parks SEED Managers.

Prior To the Field Trip: Please check with your school Administrator for your school district’s procedures, paperwork or items you will need to attend to/bring for your SEED Field Trip.

You may want to ask about your school's policies for: medicines needed during lunch hours, allergies (Epi pens), emergency contact numbers, volunteer vetting procedures, transportation, out of school building discipline procedures etc.

1 Metro Parks staff member will be there to assist where needed and lead the Hike rotation of the field trip! It is the responsibility of the contact teacher and park partner top plan other Teacher Led activities. These include/but are not limited to:

• Ecosystems Jobs Game 

• CSI (Critter Scene Investigation) Activity

• Field Trip Journal (Includes a Scavenger hunt, weather observation and reflection page)

• Playground Time 

• Every Tree For Itself Game (Project Learning Tree)

  • SEED Version Game Directions 

• Scavenger Hunt

• Sum of the Parts-Project Wet (In-Class activity or can be modified for a field trip rotation)

• Any other activities that Teachers and Park Partners want! :) 

Teachers: Teachers/School Staff should be in direct supervision of students at ALL times. The naturalist will lead content instruction, however, student supervision is the teachers responsibility.

Teachers must also come prepared to lead Teacher Led activity rotations. These rotations should be communicated with your Park Partner and contact teacher then communicated to participating school staff. SOME Metro Park supplies for activities can be borrowed for the duration of the field trip. Reach out to your park partner to set this up prior. 

Students: Students should already be in/know their groups for the day's rotations. Advise students to dress for the weather! No flip flops. Discuss the importance of wearing clothes that are comfortable but may also get dirty/wet. 

Student safety is our highest priority and Metro Parks will always follow the lead of the school's administration if their decision is to cancel a SEED Field Trip. Please review the information below

Teacher Responsibility: Teachers/leaders must follow all safety protocols and district guidelines

Weather Updates: Keep contact with your Park Partner and set up a weather plan prior to the field trip. SEED trips will ONLY be cancelled due to Severe Weather. Trip will still occur when raining. 

Immediate Shelter: At the first sign of thunder, lightning, or threat, students must move to shelter.

NOTE: not all parks have indoor facilities if needed to take shelter 

SEED transportation stays on-site for emergencies
Students remain sheltered for 30 minutes after the last thunder/lightning; timer resets with each occurrence.

Supervision: Teachers supervise students in shelter. Metro Parks staff remain on-site or in contact.

Trip Decisions: Weather-related decisions (wait/cancel) made by teachers, SEED staff, and/or admins.

No makeup or in-school SEED trip if the group proceeds to the park. 

Transportation Cancelation: If Metro Parks is paying for your transportation, then Metro Parks will contact the transportation department. If your school is arranging and paying for transportation, then it is the school administrator's responsibility to cancel/reschedule transportation.