Field Trip Project: Children’s
Health Education Center
Gina and Lindsay 
Introduction to field trip:
 “Remember how we’ve been talking about the human
body and all of its different systems? Let’s talk about
what we know so far.”
 “Everyone take out a sheet of paper and write down
three things that we know about the human body’s
different systems.”
 “After discussing the knowledge we’ve gained so far, we
will be using it while on a field trip to the Children’s
Health Education Center in Milwaukee. They have a lot
of cool games and activities for you guys to play that will
help you remember the information we’ve learned about
the muscular and digestive systems even better!”
Driving Questions:
Why does the body need these two
different systems (muscular, digestive)?
How do these systems work together to
keep us healthy?
What would happen if the body did NOT
have this system? (ask about a specific
system of the body).
 Objectives:
 The students will know and
understand five different
vocabulary words that we have
discussed in class, and used in
the field trip.
 Students will connect these terms
to the field trip activities in order to
better illustrate what they mean.
 Students will be able to make
connections to their own lives and
bodies through the field trip
experience.
 Outcomes:
 Students will explore the body
system that supports and protects
them every day.
 They will learn what our skeleton,
muscles and joints do.
 Students will learn about nutrition
and exercise and how they keep
bones and muscles healthy and
strong.
 Students will volunteer to become
food and be digested in the
theater-sized digestive system.
 Students will learn about germs
with an emphasis on clean hands
and healthy eating habits.
Definition of Terms:
 1. Muscular System: The system of the body that is composed of
skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle tissue and functions in
movement of the body, maintain body temperature, aids in the
digestive system, and pumps blood and nutrients through the body.
 2. Digestive System: The system that uses the food we eat to
provide the body with nutrients and to excrete waste products by
chemical and muscular processes.
 3. Protein: A necessary nutrient that is present in all living things.
When broken down into amino acids, it builds muscle tissue for the
body.
 4. Toxins: Any poisonous substance that enters the body through
food or the environment. It is broken down and filtered by the
digestive system.
 5. Nutrition: The study of the relationship between diet, health, and
disease. Process of nourishing the body with food.
Application/Illustration of Terms:
 Muscular System: Students will participate in a field trip presentation
discussing how our skeleton, muscles, and joints work together, as
well as proper nutrition.
 Digestive System: Students will participate in an interactive activity
where they go through a life-sized model of the digestive system,
and how nutrients are carried to the rest of the body.
 Protein: Students will learn how to keep bones and muscles strong
through proper nutrition during the presentation.
 Toxins: Students will learn how to prevent toxins from entering the
body when discussing cleaning hands and topic of germs. They will
also learn how physical activity releases toxins from the body, and
the importance of exercise.
 Nutrition: Students will learn the value of proper nutrition throughout
all of the activities/presentations, and basic food categories that aid
in the growth and maintenance of the body’s systems.
Cross-Curricular Ideas:
 Literature/Writing: Science trade books about human
body, creative writing assignment about an adventure
through the body’s various systems (think Magic School
Bus theme).
 Math: Charting and graphing with students’ information;
classmate surveys about exercise, nutrition.
 Art: Design a 3-D model of the digestive, muscular
system.
Inside the Mouth, digestive system,
flexing muscles and brushing teeth!
Field Trip Management:
Cost: Minimum fee of $50 per program.
Otherwise, $1 per student. (40 students, 2
programs = $100).
Adults are free, up to 10 adults
(teachers/chaperones). More than 10
adults, pay student rate.
4-6 parent chaperones
Mode of transportation: School bus
Field Trip Permission Sheet:




Example:
Dear parent/guardian,
We will be traveling to the Children’s Health Education Center located at 1533 N. RiverCenter Drive, Milwaukee 53213. This field trip is
meant to enhance your student’s understanding of the human body, specifically the muscular and digestive systems. We have been
learning the function and maintenance of these two systems and we would like for this field trip to offer them a hands-on learning
opportunity in which they can enhance their knowledge. All activities are lead by trained professionals in the health education field, and
demonstrate a wide-knowledge base for this subject area.
This is a privilege for our students and we will be representing our school. Therefore, we will be needing some assistance from
parents/guardians who are interested in coming along to help reinforce school rules while we are on our trip. Each program is 1 hour and
15 minutes long, and we will be staying for two programs (skeletal/muscular system, digestive system). The trip will start at 9:00am and
go until 1:30pm, when we will be back at school. Please have your student pack a bag lunch to eat at the facility. The cost of the field trip
will be $2.50 per student. Please include this fee with the bottom half of this permission slip. If financial assistance is needed, please
contact the school office.

Student Name: _______________

Parent signature: ________________






Field Trip Money is included:
Yes____
No_____
If you would like to come along as a parent/guardian chaperone:
Yes____
No____

Accommodations for special needs: The Children’s Health Education Center is located on one level (1st floor), and includes wheelchair
accessible ramps leading to its presentation auditoriums.
Presentation Conclusion:
 Students will benefit from this field trip opportunity for a
number of reasons. They will participate in many handson learning experiences. They will also play interactive
educational games using technology. At the site, there
are life-size representations of systems of the body,
which are fun and motivating for the students. The staff
is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and love
working with elementary age students. All material
covered is age-appropriate. During the field trip
experience, the students will be able to connect and
apply material learned in class about the systems of the
body with real-life situations.
Assessment of Field Trip Project:
 Students will complete a “Scavenger Hunt” worksheet
with terms and concepts covered in class that they will
see at the field trip site. Students will have time to
complete it during and after the field trip. It will collected
and graded afterwards. (formal assessment).
 Returning from the field trip, students will be asked to
work in groups and reenact the digestive and muscular
systems as represented in the field trip presentations.
The students need to work together to make sure all
parts are presented in order, and their functions are
explained. (informal assessment).
Scavenger Hunt Worksheet: Example

1. I keep you strong, warm, and help you move. What am I?

3 facts I learned about the muscular system at Children’s Health Education Center:

2. I break down the food you eat and turn it into nutrients for the rest of your body to use. What am I?

3 facts I learned about the digestive system at Children’s Health Education Center:

3. I am the bad things that enter your body from the environment and certain foods you may eat. What am I?

One thing I learned about how toxins affect the body?

4. I am the nutrient that helps your body build muscle tissue. What am I?

One source of protein in my diet that helps build strong muscles is….

5. How does knowing about nutrition help us live healthy lives? (List two examples).
Other criteria:
 Literature:
 www.bluekids.org Children’s Health
Education Center Website.
 www.innerbody.com
 Muscles: Our Muscular System.
Simon, Seymour.
 Misconceptions:
 1. When we eat, our food goes straight
down into our stomachs. (Digestive
system). Children have a basic
concept of how food travels through
our bodies, but they may not
understand that food moves laterally
across the body and gets broken down
into particles throughout the body.
 2. What does “warming up” your
muscles mean? (Muscular system).
Children often hear phrases or a “play
on words” in sports activities that
explain how our muscles are used to
help us function during physical
activity, but may not understand what
the phrases mean.
 Misunderstanding that our body
breaks down our food into small
particles so that it can be used by the
other systems.