Field Trip
Overview: After watching an introductory video about fossil fuels and air pollution, students explore solutions to the environmental costs of the gasoline-powered automobile by comparing fuels in the physically active Build the Car of Tomorrow Maze, choosing actions to make a clean city during a co-operative building exhibit, and racing Alternative Fuel Vehicles. The program utilizes state-of-the-art technology including computers, an interactive scale model demonstrating available alternative fuels, hydrogen fuel cells, an electrolyzer, and a plasma screen display. Students e-mail the California Governor to advocate clean energy and receive a reply. See “exhibits” under “EcoCenter Tours” for more details on the tour. We have EcoReports available in Spanish. Please let us know ahead of time if you need these or if you have any other special need students.
Class Size: The EcoCenter can accommodate one or more classes with number of students ranging from a minimum of 25 to a maximum of 40 students per field trip. If you have needs that are outside of this range, please contact the EcoCenter at 619-243-0410 to discuss your situation. Please divide students into two equal groups before arriving at the EcoCenter.
Schedule of Tours: The EcoCenter offers two tours per weekday. The first tour of the day will board our CNG bus approximately 15 minutes after their school starts. The tour is a little over TWO HOURS, PLUS travel time. Teachers must arrange the full amount of time, including travel, in order to ensure a complete field trip experience for the class. The second tour of the day is generally picked up between 11:00am and 12:00pm. Our interactive calendar will provide your specific pick-up time, as well as the estimated travel times and drop-off time.
Required Chaperones: For each fifteen (15) students on your trip you will be required to provide at a minimum one (1) adult supervisor. Please round-up so that, for example, a class of 25 students would be accompanied by three adults. Both teachers and parents will be asked to assist docents during the tour. Chaperones will be asked to take students to the bathroom, and other duties for which the docent can not be responsbile during the tour.
CNG School Bus: San Diego Environmental Foundation provides school bus transportation for classes from most of San Diego County. Classes eligible for this separate program will ride to and from the EcoCenter for Alternative Fuel Education in a clean burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) School Bus, which is provided primarily through a grant from San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.
This CNG bus will accommodate class sizes and chaperones. Transportation for students requiring wheelchairs will need to be arranged separately through your district transportation office or other offices.