Report #5
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Christina Gold
Date 1/29/10
FIPP Partner Juli Soden
Section # Los Angeles History, section 2380
Activity /Strategy Field Trip to Historical Sites
Category Designing Out-of-Classroom Learning Experiences
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction In field trips to historical sites students more directly experience the
academic content of the course. The field trips are part of an integrative
assignment used in a First Year Experience link between Los Angeles History
and English 1A. Students visit and view a film at a theatre built in the 1920s,
which is maintained in its original form. Students also visit and tour the Forest
Lawn Cemetery in Glendale. The field trips are coordinated with the reading of
Evelyn Waugh's "The Loved One", which is a novel about Hollywood,
cemeteries and death. Students write a reflection based on their field trip
experience. Students are not required to participate in the field trips, but do
receive substantial extra credit for attending and completing the reflection.
2. Set up & Supplies Students were given a choice of field trip sites and voted to
select the locations. Field trips were scheduled and organized with the sites.
A pre-visit was conducted to Forest Lawn in order to plan the tour. Students
were given detailed maps and instructions before the trips, and told about any
cost for the trip. Students were also given handouts with reflection questions.
3. Directions
1. Student's voted on the field trip locations (Old Tyme Theatre and Forest Lawn)
and on the days and times for the field trips.
2. The Instructor organized the trips and gave students hand outs with trip
information and reflection questions. The reflection questions asked students to
consider their experience at the site in light of historical trends discussed in Los
Angeles history and themes in "The Loved One" discussed in English 1A.
3. The site visit was conducted. Students provided their own transportation to the
sites and visits were conducted on the weekend.
4. After the visit, students turned in their reflections and received extra credit
points for participation.
4. Conclusion The field trips require extensive organization and extra time from
both the Instructor and the students, however, the experience is rich and worth
the time and effort.
What worked well? Students reported enjoying the trips very much. The trip to Forest
Lawn allowed students to better understand the details and themes in "The Loved One,"
while the visit to the Old Tyme Theatre allowed them to directly experience cinema in
the same way as Los Angelenos in the 1920s. The trips enriched the students'
understanding of the material and were fun, bonding experiences that enhanced the
sense of community in the class.
What would you change? Next time, I will consider giving another extra credit field trip
option to students who cannot attend the trip with the group. They could visit a site on
their schedule and write a reflection. A few students had very tight schedules and were
disappointed that they could not attend.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Absolutely. Every time I've
taken students on field trips, they have reported that the trip is edifying and enjoyable. It
does, however, require significant time and effort on my part.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. This activity addresses the history program and
course level SLO which asks students to assess primary document material. In this
case, students assessed material culture.