Hi...My name is Sunnie Templeton and I have been a Personal Tour Coordinator for Class Act Tours, an Educational Tour Company, for the past 20 years! I understand all too well your disappointed experience on your last class trip to Washington DC, where the students were not as prepared as you had hoped. At Class Act Tours, we provide teachers prior...See MoreHi...My name is Sunnie Templeton and I have been a Personal Tour Coordinator for Class Act Tours, an Educational Tour Company, for the past 20 years! I understand all too well your disappointed experience on your last class trip to Washington DC, where the students were not as prepared as you had hoped. At Class Act Tours, we provide teachers prior to the trip, fun and engaging assignments to ensure the students understand the many opportunities and experiences Washington DC has to offer. We also provide each student with a Personal Scavenger Hunt which lasts the duration of the trip, along with many educational scavenger hunts to be used at individual museums,etc. And yes, we also provide a "National Treasure" scavenger hunt upon request!! The students are also provided a fun pocket "work book" and inspirational diary to provoke meaningful thoughts and questions. We work hard to make our Washington DC Trips interesting, interactive and fun, while at the same time incredibly educational!! We truly feel that when a child visits Washington DC for the first time, their lives are changed forever.......We feel privileged to be part of this process with YOU! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are ready to coordinate your 2010 Spring Trip! I'll be happy to assist you with a no obgligation quote to demonstrate how reasonable our prices are. Class Act Tours maintains affordable trips so that every child who wants to attend, the cost will not put a financial burden on the parents!! Looking forward to hearing from you and any other teachers who may want to arrange an affordable and exciting Washington DC or Colonial Williamsburg Student Trip for 2010!
Sunnie Templeton Class Act Tours 678 881-0855-Atlanta Office 202 772-4292-Washington DC Office [link removed].
What I was most impressed with from Class Act Tours is the total accessibility that each group had with their tour coordinator. Being able to have 24-hour access to an attentive and responsive member of the Class Act Tours team (even on a holiday weekend!) gives 100% peace of mind to teachers and administrators on the trip.
I'd highly recommend Class Act Tours to any group who is looking to ensure the maximum value, both educationally and financially, of a trip for their students.
After traveling with the three of the large companies, our school has also found a wonderful company, (LEAD USA leaddiscoveryusa.com) that works with our standards and my teaching plan to design itineraries from scratch with hands-on activities. We (a public school) were recommended to them from a local Lutheran school that has traveled with them for a few years.
LEAD usually includes an historic character as a dinner guest and after dinner speaker. (The past two years we have had Thomas Jefferson join us in Williamsburg.)
In the past, we have reenactments scheduled as well as a Civil War Adventure Camp called Pamplin Park (we chose the full day and not the overnight). We also had an on-site archeology program in Jamestown and an Underground Railroad program in Pennsylvania.
They make arrangements with all the places to have pre-trip curriculum materials like 'trunks' and teaching plans sent to us.
And the food is great! We have never received coupons at food courts, in fact, we hardly do any fast food! My kids particularly love eating in a fine, French restaurant in Washington, DC before we go to Ford's Theatre.
The nicest part is that the tour designer or tour guide visits our school to conduct an introductory meeting for parents to describe the trip as well as a meeting for parents and students a week or so before we travel.
They also include all the fees and insurance in their price, and although it may seem expensive to the parents at first, after getting 'bids' from other companies and then adding in all their extra fees, LEAD was cheaper! (My parents were royally ripped-off by two companies that charged a lot of extra money right before we traveled.)
They are also responsive 24/7, but as we have guide with us throughout the trip, she always handles any 'situations'. (Our flight was cancelled at the last minute due to weather and air traffic problems, and our guide got us rescheduled immediately and stayed at the airport until we took off. I didn't even have to pick up a phone to call the office.)
So obviously, I recommend LEAD USA.
8/16/09, Carol wrote: > As a private school Board member for 6 years, and as someone who > has had the privilege of being part of several trips to D.C. > organized by Class Act Tours ([link removed];
Our 2009-2010 shows include: Charlotte’s Web Book by E.B.White, Adapted by Joseph Robinette The magical weavings of Charlotte the spider come to the aid of her newfound friend, Wilbur the pig, in E.B. White’s timeless story of friendship. Join Fern Arable and all the animals of Zuckerman’s farm as they all marvel at “Some Pig.” Charlotte’s brave plan to save Wilbur’s life carries them, along with Templeton the rat, all the way to the county fair. It is at the fair that we discover the fate of Wilbur and Charlotte.
How I Became a Pirate A musical by Alyn Cardarelli and Steve Goers Have you ever thought of becoming a pirate? Jeremy Jacobs has and he gets that chance when he is recruited by Captain Braid Beard for his exceptional digging skills, necessary for proper treasure-burying, of course! Jeremy thinks the pirate life is great, until he thinks of home and realizes that pirates do not get tucked in at night and do not play a good game of soccer. This musical adventure will send you home laughing and growling "Arrrrrr, Matey!"
Dear Santa By Norm Foster It is the time of year to peek into the magical and timeless world of the North Pole, bustling workshops, cheerful elves and the jolly old leader himself, Santa Claus. Santa's efficient, yet frenzied Chief of Staff, the ditzy housekeeper with a secret crush, the high-pressure sleigh salesman and the workshop foreman who does not quite command the English language all combine to keep the place running like clock work, with he exception of a few mishaps. Soon, a request from one child's letter throws everything off course and the answer lies in rediscovering the Christmas spirit.
The Giver Book by Lois Lowry, Adapted by Eric Cole Imagine a perfect world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness, no unemployment and no happiness. What would you trade to live in that idyllic society? Lois Lowry's Newbery Medal-winning book, The Giver, examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable civilization. In this compelling drama, 12-year-old Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be and boldly decides he cannot pay the price. What's the Sideways Series? The Sideways Series showcases plays with new or lesser known titles that encourage dialogue between young people and adults. The REP works in collaboration with UCF Theatre for Young Audiences graduate program on this series. This production is recommended for ages 10 to adult.
Berenstain Bears On Stage: A Bear Country Musical Book and Lyrics by Stan and Jan Berenstain Music by Elliot Lawrence and Jamie Broza Join Papa, Mama, Brother, and Sister Bear as classic Berenstain Bears stories are presented and commented on by guitar-strumming Cowboy Joe, the world's foremost expert on the famous residents of Bear Country. Mama Bear is at her wit's end with the cubs' messy room and Papa Bear helps the cubs' understand that honesty is the best policy. Papa Bear learns of the dangers of bad influences like neighborhood bullies, and Sister Bear has the last laugh when dealing with stage fright in the school play. Take a stroll through Bear Country and you'll come out humming along the tune of life's gentle lessons.
Ramona Quimby By Len Jenkin From the novels of Beverly Cleary Before there was Junie B. Jones, there was Ramona Quimby! The Exasperating but lovable third-grader, sometimes known as Ramona the pest, is facing many issues that touch the lives of real families today. Ramona and her teacher do not see eye to eye, her Dad has lost his job, and her older sister Beezus gets on her nerves-Ramona's life seems a mess! But with the help of her patient family and friends, Ramona meets these challenges head on. Laugh and cheer as this classical heroine of children's literature jumps from the pages of Beverly Cleary's books to the stage.
Make your reservation before August 31st and receive $7 Tickets. This offer is exclusively for Charlotte's Web.
For every 10 tickets purchased, GET ONE FREE!
Tickets to daytime matinee performances are $9 for all children, teachers, and chaperones. If your school books four or more different shows at the same time, we offer a discounted rate of $8 per ticket.
How to make a reservation: Step 1: Choose a date and time you wish to attend. Remember to choose an alternate date in case your first choice is sold out. Step 2: Calculate the TOTAL number of seats you need for the performance (including all students, teachers, and chaperones). Step 3: Contact the Field Trip Manager, at [email removed]].
does anyone have any ideas for in-school field trips? I have "admissions" money from my budget but my Head Start kids are not allowed on buses anymore.
In the past we have used Mother Goose and Nelson Gill (carribean pre-school musician)
Cori JacksNeptune's Classroom, Inc. brings exciting science programs to your classroom. The programs are primarily elementary based, but they also provide great hands-on programs for Head Start groups and Pre-K Centers. Check out the website- [link removed]
How about an astronomy program with hands-on ac...See MoreOn 8/15/09, PattiV wrote: > does anyone have any ideas for in-school field trips? I > have "admissions" money from my budget but my Head Start > kids are not allowed on buses anymore. > > In the past we have used Mother Goose and Nelson Gill > (carribean pre-school musician)
How about an astronomy program with hands-on activities that fulfill many STEM requirements? Take a look at this web site: http://www.lookuptothestars.com/
There is a Title 1 school in Southern California that fundraises enough money for a 6 day tour in DC and sometimes NYC. I can't put the name of the school or his name here, but please get in touch with socaliforniamagistra at yahoo.com
The Tennessee Aquarium offers complimentary admission from September through March for students participating in the National School Lunch Program. All school groups visiting the Aquarium or IMAX are able to participate in a free educational program as well! Check out our link :) [link removed]
18 1-hour workshops to choose from; mmeet several SCOS science objectives
Learn more from conservation education experts about Wildlife Habitat, Soils and their connection to deer, quail, turkey and snakes; make a turkey call; build a first aid kit; bring home a portable composting kit.
Every workshop will offer a conservation challenge - an activity that can be done at home or as a classroom activity to extend learning.
We will do our best tailor workshops to meet specific needs if you call us soon.
The event is free; parking is free; goodie bags to the kids are free.
Classes will be filled on a first come basis on and after Nov 15th; your selection of workshops may be limited if we hear from you after November.
Questions? send an e-mail to Judy Gardner at [email removed]
I've found a wonderful company called, LEAD (Lead Achieve Explore Discover)out of San Diego.
I have looked into Nations Classroom, and they seemed like a genuinely nice bunch of people, but there was a major requirement that I had, that most companies, including Nations Classroom, do not offer: the 24-hour teaching guide. (Perhaps they would, if asked.)
As per my extensive research and four year in-field experience, it seems that most tour companies have an hotel coordinator in charge of two to ten groups. These coordinators would go over my itinerary at the hotel in a teacher hospitality suite or at a concierge desk near the front desk. The next morning, we had to travel and pick up our guide on a street corner for a four to six hour city tour. Unfortunately, I had this person for only a short time and just as the students got involved, it was over!
The rest of the time I was relying on my bus driver to get us to places on time. Typically, bus drivers cannot tell a group which door to enter or how to check a group into a place, especially if it is inaccessible to the bus, like the US Capitol. It was frustrating and annoying at times, especially when I had 45 students 'breathing down my neck'. Unfortunately, with two different companies, our drivers were totally clueless, and we constantly got lost, even with GPS! On one occasion, we missed our Capitol appointment, and on another, we were 45 minutes late for an embassy visit because we were driving around in circles! You can imagine how embarrassed I was!
Then there were the times that we were staying in hotels en route that did not have a hotel coordinator and I had to check in the entire group; that's OK until there are problems with the rooms (we were given rooms on three floors and they were all smoking rooms). With one company, the escort traveling with us informed me that the hotel check-in was our responsibility, and then disappeared until we boarded the bus the next morning! Or the time we showed up at a restaurant, and they had no room for us! If we had had a good guide traveling with us, he or she could have taken care of these problems, rather than have me constantly telephoning the tour offices for advice.
The reason I'm so fussy is that I was on a school trip to DC about 15 years ago with a full-service company (EFS) that no longer exists. (I heard it was bought and subsequently dismantled by Worldstrides and now Worldstrides no longer will offer 24-hour educational guides to new groups).
I remember our tour guide clearly. She was with us 24 hours, did everything for us, and knew more than our teacher! We loved her! From the moment we arrived at the gate at the airport (you could meet people at the gate in those days!) until we took off, she was there. She was with us from Williamsburg to New York and connected all the places we visited together. We didn't need any other guides (except for Williamsburg). She played games with us in the hotel and taught us historic songs and poems on the bus. She even took an unplanned detour to a Civil War memorial in Fredericksburg. She was also very funny! It's all in my journal!
I missed that service and individual attention with the four class trips I have since taken with three other companies.
It wasn't until I found LEAD, leaddiscoveryusa dot com which always provide the 24-hour teaching guide, that I became truly happy. (I suspect that the owner was a 24-hour guide, herself.)
The guide LEAD has assigned us is superb! She knows how to get around (we never stood in lines!), both stimulates and entertains my 8th graders, knows her history, and can handle situations gracefully and professionally. She is my requested guide for our next trip this spring. The best part is: I'm no longer 'stressed out' on tour.
Obviously, I advocate that every tour should have a 24-hour teaching guide dedicated to them.
We don't follow the usual student tour since I have a 'wish list' (I teach US history and Latin so classical culture reflected in DC is extremely important) and then Marie Martin adds in a lot of educational components including hands-on activities and reenactments, that no one else offers. She and her staff are teachers, so they understand.
If you are looking for a new company, consider one that can offer a full-time teaching tour guide - it makes all the difference in the quality and educational content of your trip.
Carrie MurphyOn 9/02/09, socaliforniamagistra wrote: > Thanks for the last posting and I hope that more teachers > contribute the names of the smaller companies they travel > with. The large ones are not offering quality service. > > I've found a wonderful company called, LEAD (Lead Achieve > Explore Discover)out of San Diego. > > I have...See MoreOn 9/02/09, socaliforniamagistra wrote: > Thanks for the last posting and I hope that more teachers > contribute the names of the smaller companies they travel > with. The large ones are not offering quality service. > > I've found a wonderful company called, LEAD (Lead Achieve > Explore Discover)out of San Diego. > > I have looked into Nations Classroom, and they seemed like > a genuinely nice bunch of people, but there was a major > requirement that I had, that most companies, including > Nations Classroom, do not offer: the 24-hour teaching > guide. (Perhaps they would, if asked.) > > As per my extensive research and four year in-field > experience, it seems that most tour companies have an hotel > coordinator in charge of two to ten groups. These > coordinators would go over my itinerary at the hotel in a > teacher hospitality suite or at a concierge desk near the > front desk. The next morning, we had to travel and pick up > our guide on a street corner for a four to six hour city > tour. Unfortunately, I had this person for only a short > time and just as the students got involved, it was over! > > The rest of the time I was relying on my bus driver to get > us to places on time. Typically, bus drivers cannot tell a > group which door to enter or how to check a group into a > place, especially if it is inaccessible to the bus, like > the US Capitol. It was frustrating and annoying at times, > especially when I had 45 students 'breathing down my neck'. > Unfortunately, with two different companies, our drivers > were totally clueless, and we constantly got lost, even > with GPS! On one occasion, we missed our Capitol > appointment, and on another, we were 45 minutes late for an > embassy visit because we were driving around in circles! > You can imagine how embarrassed I was! > > Then there were the times that we were staying in hotels en > route that did not have a hotel coordinator and I had to > check in the entire group; that's OK until there are > problems with the rooms (we were given rooms on three > floors and they were all smoking rooms). With one company, > the escort traveling with us informed me that the hotel > check-in was our responsibility, and then disappeared until > we boarded the bus the next morning! Or the time we showed > up at a restaurant, and they had no room for us! If we had > had a good guide traveling with us, he or she could have > taken care of these problems, rather than have me > constantly telephoning the tour offices for advice. > > The reason I'm so fussy is that I was on a school trip to > DC about 15 years ago with a full-service company (EFS) > that no longer exists. (I heard it was bought and > subsequently dismantled by Worldstrides and now > Worldstrides no longer will offer 24-hour educational > guides to new groups). > > I remember our tour guide clearly. She was with us 24 > hours, did everything for us, and knew more than our > teacher! We loved her! From the moment we arrived at the > gate at the airport (you could meet people at the gate in > those days!) until we took off, she was there. She was with > us from Williamsburg to New York and connected all the > places we visited together. We didn't need any other > guides (except for Williamsburg). She played games with us > in the hotel and taught us historic songs and poems on the > bus. She even took an unplanned detour to a Civil War > memorial in Fredericksburg. She was also very funny! It's > all in my journal! > > I missed that service and individual attention with the > four class trips I have since taken with three other > companies. > > It wasn't until I found LEAD, leaddiscoveryusa dot com > which always provide the 24-hour teaching guide, that I > became truly happy. (I suspect that the owner was a 24-hour > guide, herself.) > > The guide LEAD has assigned us is superb! She knows how to > get around (we never stood in lines!), both stimulates and > entertains my 8th graders, knows her history, and can > handle situations gracefully and professionally. She is my > requested guide for our next trip this spring. The best > part is: I'm no longer 'stressed out' on tour. > > Obviously, I advocate that every tour should have a 24-hour > teaching guide dedicated to them. > > We don't follow the usual student tour since I have a 'wish > list' (I teach US history and Latin so classical culture > reflected in DC is extremely important) and then Marie > Martin adds in a lot of educational components including > hands-on activities and reenactments, that no one else > offers. She and her staff are teachers, so they understand. > > If you are looking for a new company, consider one that can > offer a full-time teaching tour guide - it makes all the > difference in the quality and educational content of your > trip. > > I've found one in LEAD, and I'm estactic
I was just looking something else up when I came across this post. I have to say that I disagree with you when it comes to wanting a 24-hour guide. I also wanted to let you know that this will be my fourth year working with NationsClassroom and it has been a complete blessing compared to the companies I have used in the past. I have been with the big companies and the small local ones. I will never use another company again. As for 24 hour guides-I found that having a tour coordinator (not tour guide)who is in charge of the hotel check-in and is continuously working behind the scenes while we are on tour (i.e. showing up an hour before us to make sure reservations are correct at sit down meals, or going and grabbing a camera a student forgot at the museum, etc). Also, I find that guides like having their "down" time at night, away from the group. They come back rejuvenated to lead a full day of touring. I do mean a full day or touring. Our guide is with us from 8am to at least 9pm everyday. I'm sure LEAD is a great company but I have to say that I think your tour would be better improved if you didn't have a 24-hour guide but had a guide for touring and a coordinator for everything else. Let the people who are good at guiding guide and let those who are good at coordinating coordinate. FYI-another thing I love about NationsClassroom-they will tailor your tour to your specifics. That means anything goes, so yes, they would have done a 24 hour guide if you had requested it. Again, I still think you're missing out by having your guide do everything 24 hours a day.
Don Quijote or goAbbyRoad? Any experience or feedback on these 2 schools or recommend a different school? Looking for a 4 week program in Spain for juniors/seniors that have completed at least Spanish 4.
I'm starting up a hiking club with my school, for 4th-5th graders. We will have one planning mtg. and one club hike per month. We will hike closeby after school, or, on a special occasion, we will travel 45ish minutes on a Saturday to hike on the MD AT, for a little bit of a longer hike. We do not have buses/vans, so the children will be driving separately (via their parents). I'm wondering if there are any schools out there that have hiking clubs, because I'm looking for any help I can get. I have a lot of hiking experience, am CPR certified, and Wilderness First Aid Certified. I've never taked a group out though, so any help would be appreciated, any ideas for topics to cover, any ideas of guidelines to have (ex: if there is a hiker behind or in front wanting to pass, we will stop, step to the side, and let them pass). Thanks sooo much!!
Here are some personal 'ti...See MoreI conduct student tours (normally 4th-9th grade) professionally and often 'hike' through places like Arlington National Cemetery (usually a three hour experience) and national parks.
Here are the 'duhs': Dress: Proper shoes and socks - very important! Insect repellant and sunscreen. Bottle of water. Hat.
Here are some personal 'tips':
A supportive buddy system of at least three students: Students responsible for each other in a supportive way who will encourage and monitor one another as well as inform you if there is a 'situation'. If there is a 'situation', one student will run to you, and the other will stay with the affected student.
A buddy group that will always be in the back of the entire group to insure no one lags behind. When you see that group, you will know automatically that no one else is behind them.
A buddy group counting system: Have each group choose their own name and at each stop, gather the students and have a group count by names: DO NOT assign numbers to each student and have them call off numbers at each stop - that is very time consuming! Give them something to look for during the walk.
At each meeting, introduce some of the trees, plants, and animals they might encounter - especially poison ivy, oak, and sumac! They can look up some of these yopics in advance on the internet.
This is also a good time to introduce some earth science: rocks, and land formation.
Discuss weather conditions and types of clouds and formations.
Perhaps you will be in an historic area, give a brief history.
Teach them one song, but also instill in them the value of listening to the birds, insects, and the wind in the trees! Silence for part of the walk would be a wonderful exercise!
Take time to 'smell the roses'!
Enjoy!
On 9/22/09, Jenny :) wrote: > Hi everyone! I'm not sure this is the best board for my > questions, but it seemed the closest fit. > > I'm starting up a hiking club with my school, for 4th-5th > graders. We will have one planning mtg. and one club hike > per month. We will hike closeby after school, or, on a > special occasion, we will travel 45ish minutes on a > Saturday to hike on the MD AT, for a little bit of a longer > hike. We do not have buses/vans, so the children will be > driving separately (via their parents). I'm wondering if > there are any schools out there that have hiking clubs, > because I'm looking for any help I can get. I have a lot > of hiking experience, am CPR certified, and Wilderness > First Aid Certified. I've never taked a group out though, > so any help would be appreciated, any ideas for topics to > cover, any ideas of guidelines to have (ex: if there is a > hiker behind or in front wanting to pass, we will stop, > step to the side, and let them pass). Thanks sooo much!!
What I was most impressed with from Class Act Tours is the total accessibility that each group had with their tour coordinator. Being able to have 24-hour access to an ...See More