Field Trip to the Birmingham Civil Rights

Institute
Trip Objective: The objective of this field trip is for students to be able to visualize
what happened during the Civil Rights Movement and understand what it would
have been like to be living during that time. This goes along with our Civil Rights
Movement Unit.

A Fantastic Field Trip!

Dear 6th Grade Parents,
We are going on a field trip! To wrap up our unit on the Civil Rights Movement, we will
be going to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Our field trip is on Friday, November 20th.
We will be departing from school at 9:30 a.m. and returning to the school at 1:00 p.m. The Civil
Rights Institute is a multi-media experience that takes visitors on a journey through the Civil
Rights Movement in the 50s and 60s through the struggles today. We are looking forward to the
students learning from this unique experience! This field trip will cost $10.00 per student.
Reminders:
We will leave the school at 9:30 a.m. and return at 1:00 p.m.
Bring a bagged lunch with your childs name on it.
Your child may not bring any electronics with them on this field trip.
You child may bring money with them if they want to shop at the gift shop, however
money is not necessary. Students should not bring more than $20.
Signed permission slips with payment are due by November 6th.
Students need to wear their red class t-shirts on the day of the field trip.
If you have any questions you can contact Miss Hancock at [email protected].

Chaperones:
We will need 3 chaperones for this field trip. If you wish to come as a chaperone, please
check the box indicating so on the attached permission slip. All names given will go into a hat
and be drawn to determine who will come. I will contact all chaperones by Monday, November
9th.
Thank you!
Miss Hancock

Please cut off this section of the form and return it to school along with the payment of $10.00 in
a sealed envelope on or before November 9th.
My child, ______________________________ has my permission to attend the field trip to The
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute on November 20th, 2015.
Please list any allergies your child has or other information we should know: ________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Emergency Contact Number: ____________________________
Check yes or no: I would like to be considered to be a chaperone on this trip

Yes

No

Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________________ Date: ________________

Field Trip Schedule

7:30 a.m. Breakfast in the classroom.
8:15 a.m. Students will complete usual morning work.
8:40 a.m. The teacher will explain how the students are to act during the field trip and the
scavenger hunt that the students will participate in.
9:00 a.m. Get students ready for the trip. Chaperones will arrive at this time. The teacher will
go over the schedule for the day, giving the chaperones each a copy. She will also give each of
the chaperones a digital camera for the students to use while at the Institute. Then the students
will all have a bathroom break and will get together in their groups with their chaperone before
heading to the bus.
9:20 a.m. The class will leave the classroom and head out to the school bus. Students will not
bring anything with them on the buses except any money they brought for the gift shop.
9:25 a.m. Load the bus and count the students.
9:30 a.m. Leave the school and drive to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The drive
should take approximately 21 minutes, but could take longer.
10:00 a.m. Arrive at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and unload the bus. The bus will
then be able to park behind the building off Fifteenth Street North for free. Upon arrival at the
Institute, the tour will begin.
11:45 a.m. 12:00 p.m. The students will be wrapping up with their tours and scavenger hunt.
Everyone will meet in the lobby by the gift shop when finished. Each chaperone will have
enough granola bars for each student to eat one as a snack during this time. Students who
brought money and wish to purchase something may do so at this time.
12:15 p.m. Students and chaperones will load the bus and roll will be taken.
12:20 p.m. The bus will leave the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
12:50 p.m. Students will return to the school.
1:00 p.m. Students will return to their classroom to eat their bagged lunches and share their
scavenger hunt pictures. Chaperones will be able to either leave at this time or stay to listen to
the students share what they learned on the trip.

Preparing the Class

The teacher will go over a number of things with the class before going on the field trip in order
to prepare them and so that they know the expectations of them while on the trip.
Special Rules
Students must stay with their chaperone at all times.
When taking pictures for the scavenger hunt, no flash may be used. The setting on the
camera will already be set with no flash, but students may not change that setting.
There will be no running at any time.
We must be respectful of the other guests at the Institute.
You may talk, but do so in a quiet, respectful voice.
Guidelines to make the most of the trip
Ask workers you see at the Institute question you have to make the most of the trip. (The
class will come up with questions they have before going so that they are prepared with
questions).
Read the plaques and explanations by each exhibit. These will help you see the bigger
picture of the Civil Rights Movement.
As you go through the Institute, imagine that you lived during this time. Put yourself in
their shoes.
Teaching Content
The class will have been learning about the Civil Rights Movement throughout a unit.
This unit will help the students understand how the injustices people faced during this
time motivated them to demand equality. They will have learned about:
o Events that led up to the Civil Rights Movement
o Political Injustices
o Injustices in Opportunities
o Social Injustices
o Children during the Civil Rights Movement
Leading up to this field trip, the students will also learn about the Birmingham Civil
Rights Institute. They will learn:
o The Institutes Mission, Vision, and Values.
o The history of the Institute.
o Honors and awards the Institute has received.

Information for Chaperones

Congratulations on being chosen as a chaperone for our field trip to the Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute! Here are quick, important things to remember as you chaperone this trip:
Please come to our classroom at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 20th to prepare for the
field trip.
You will have a group of 5 students that must stay together and with you at all times. If
any students in the group needs a bathroom break while at the institute, the whole group
will need to go take a bathroom break.
The contact information for myself and all of the other chaperones as well as the bus
driver are listed on the next page. There is also contact information for the school and the
Civil Rights Institute.
Please read over the management plan attached to know what students are in your group.
You will be given a digital camera as well as enough granola bars for each student in your
group. When using the cameras in the Institute, no flashes may be used. Snacks will be
distributed after the tour as stated in the Snack/Lunch page.
Once your group has completed the tour and the students have completed their scavenger
hunt, everyone will meet back in the lobby of the Institute.
After we return to school you may leave or come back to the classroom and see the
students present the pictures they took and talk about all they learned on the trip.

Communication
Name

Cell Phone Number

Bus Driver: Ben Johnson

205-472-9453

Teacher: Abigail Hancock

205-834-2948

Chaperone: Jenny Henry

205-823-1938

Chaperone: Nathan Lamb

205-275-1843

Chaperone: Alice Michaels

205-183-9204

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Address and Phone Number:

520 Sixteenth Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203
1-866-328-9696
Trace Crossings Elementary Address and Phone Number:
5454 Learning Ln, Birmingham, AL 35244
205-439-2700

Directions
1. Head east on Learning Ln
2. Make a U-turn
3. Turn right onto Stadium Trace Pkwy
4. Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto John Hawkins Pkwy
5. Turn right to merge onto I-459 N toward Montgomery/Birmingham
Follow I-459 N and I-65 N to 11th St N in Birmingham. Take the 3rd
Ave N exit from I-65 N
6. Merge onto I-459 N
7. Use the right 2 lanes to take exit 15 to merge onto I-65 N toward
Birmingham
8. Take the 3rd Ave N exit Take 5th Ave N to 16th St N
9. Continue straight onto 11th St N
10. Turn right onto 5th Ave N
11. Turn left onto 16th St N Destination will be on the left

Management Plan
Chaperone to student ratio:
The class of 20 students will be broken up into 4 groups of 5. Each of these groups will be led by
either a chaperone or the teacher. The students will be divided according to the chart below.

Abigail Hancock Jenny Henry

Nathan Lamb

Alice Michaels

Lance Phillips
Jake Jackson

Joseph Henry
Sydney Pace

Amy Lamb
John Gribble

Hope Varner
Madison Friend

Blake Malice
Emily Note

Kym Carter
Tyler Justice

Ann Michaels
Courtney
Dassinger
Matt Tripp
Kathryn Woods

Ryan Black

Hank Thomas

Missy Newton

Luke Dean

Chaperones will be given:

Each chaperone will have a camera for the students to use in their picture scavenger hunt. Please
note that flash photography is not allowed in the Institute. The cameras will already be set to no
flash but students should not be changing this setting. The teacher will make this clear to them.
Chaperones will also all have granola bars to distribute to the students after the tour is over.
These will all be given to the chaperones in a small bag before leaving the school.
Clothing:
All students will be wearing their red class t-shirts so that they can be recognized easily.
On the bus:
Students will be told that on the bus, they must all sit in their groups with their chaperones. There
will be 2 students to every seat and chaperones may have their own seat. Students will need to
follow the rules that the bus driver lays out before beginning the trip and chaperones will enforce
these rules.
In the Institute:
While in the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the students will need to stay with their
chaperones at all times. The chaperones should keep the students on task and encourage them to
ask the workers at the Institute questions about the Civil Rights Movement and what they are
seeing. Students will need to talk in quiet, inside voices with each other. Students will be
completing a picture scavenger hunt while inside the Institute and should remain calm and
respectful as they complete this.

Lunch and Snack Plan

Snack
The teacher will provide 1 granola bar for each student and chaperone on the trip. She will
distribute these to the chaperones before leaving on the trip. Students will be able to eat these
after the tour is finished as they wait in the lobby for the rest of the class to finish. Students will
be expected to throw their trash away when they are finished, and they will be instructed to do
so.
Lunch
Since we will be returning to the school before 1:00 p.m. the students will eat their bagged
lunches in the classroom when they return to school. All students will need to bring a lunch from
home on this day as indicated in the parent permission form. Parents will also receive a number
of reminders of this leading up to the field trip. Their lunches will stay in the classroom since
they will not be eating until returning from the trip.

Safety Plan
First Aid
The teacher will have a first aid kit with her. In case of a minor injury that can be mended with a first aid
kit, the chaperone with the student will call the teacher who will come assist the student.

Emergency
In case of an emergency that requires more than a first aid kit, the chaperone will call 911 and
then the teacher. If an emergency occurs and the teacher must leave her group of students, they
will be split into the other groups.
Getting Lost
Students will be instructed before leaving the school that if they get lost from their group and do
not see anyone else from the school, they are to find the closest Institute worker. If an Institute
worker is not in sight, they should report back to the lobby where the receptionist will be able to
contact the teacher. This will be the designated meeting location.
Medication
If any students are in need of medication while on the field trip, they will be placed in the
teachers group. The teacher will have their medication and will give it to the student when the
time is right. She will have been instructed what to do and how to help the child from the school
nurse.

Assessment of Learning
By traveling to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, students will be able to visualize what the
Civil Rights Movement was like and how their lives would be different if they had lived during
this time. In order to ensure that the students get the most out of this field trip, there will be
activities to assess their learning before going on the trip, during the trip, and after the trip. These
activities will help both the teacher and students see all that they have learned.

Activities before the trip

The Civil Rights Movement Summative Assessment
o Before going on this field trip, the students will take the unit summative
assessment on the Civil Rights Movement. The teacher will be able to see how
much the students learned throughout the unit. This trip will give the students an
opportunity to see all that they learned in real life.
Researching the Civil Rights Institute
o As a way to prepare for the trip, the students will explore the Birmingham Civil
Rights Institute website. They will look into their mission, vision, and values, as
well as how the Institute began.
o During this time, each student will also create a notecard with 3 questions to ask a
worker at the Institute. The teacher will explain that the people who work there
want to answer questions. The teacher will collect these notecards and then give
them to the chaperones of each child so that they can have their questions to ask
while on the field trip.
Activities during the trip
Picture Scavenger Hunt
o The students will complete the attached picture scavenger hunt while they are
exploring the Institute. Each group will work together and will be provided a
digital camera to take pictures of different aspects of injustices during the Civil
Rights Movement. These aspects will align with the big ideas from the unit, so
this will enforce what the students have been learning and will help them
visualize what they have been learning.
Activities after the trip
Presenting Scavenger Hunts
o Upon returning to the classroom after the field trip, each group will take turns
sharing the pictures they took while on the field trip. As the students eat their
lunches the teacher will download the pictures from each of their cameras onto
her laptop. Once they finish eating, the teacher will take turns letting each group
present and share their images and how they displayed each of the different
aspects of the injustices faced during the Civil Rights Movement. All students will
need to take turns presenting their pictures.

 Journal
o Each student will respond to a journal prompt (attached) that helps them reflect on
their experience on the field trip. This will serve as an assessment to see what the
students learned as well as what they thought of the overall experience of the field
trip.

Picture Scavenger Hunt

The Civil Rights Movement is something we have been studying for a
long time. You all understand a variety of injustices that occurred during
that time and continue into today. As you explore the Civil Rights
Institute today in your groups, take pictures that illustrate the following
themes of the Civil Rights Movement. Take at least 4 pictures for each
one and be prepared to explain how that image demonstrates that
particular theme of injustice to the class after the field trip. As you take
these pictures, cross off the number 1 for the first one, 2 for the second,
and so on. This will help you keep up with how many pictures you have
for each section. Remember that no flashes are allowed when taking
pictures. Be creative!

Political Injustice

1 2 3 4
Social Injustice

1 2 3 4
Injustice in Opportunities

1 2 3 4
Injustice for Children

1 2 3 4

Journal Response
After visiting the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, reflect on your experience. In your
reflection include the following:
An example you saw of: Political Injustice, Social Injustice, Injustice in Opportunities,
and Injustice for Children.
How did you feel when you saw the injustices people faced during this time?
What stood out to you the most that you saw?
How did you like the field trip overall?
What is one thing you would change about the field trip?

Many Thanks!
Dear 6th Grade Parents,
Thank you so much for allowing your students to come on the field trip! We had an
awesome time and the students learned so much. It was great to see their faces
light up as they saw the injustices we have been discussing in class right in front of
them. This is an experience that these students will never forget and I am so
thankful you gave your students this experience. I have posted the pictures from
the scavenger hunt that the students did while on the trip, as well as pictures I took
of the students on our classroom website. Here is the link again just in case:
http://hancockhappenings.weebly.com. Thank you again for your help, be sure to
ask your students about their experience!
Thanks!
Miss Hancock