Field Trip Fund for Next Year

I teach third and fourth grade at a Chicago Public School. I would like to take the students on a variety of field trips throughout next year. I would like many of them to be a way for students to study and explore the city they live in. I want them to know and understand their community. Even though they live in Chicago, many don't really get a chance to explore their own Chicago and what it has to offer and it's history. Unfortunately, some field trips are very costly and it's difficult for students to afford them especially if we go on several a year. So, below I have listed the field trips I would like them to go on next year. Goebberts Pumpkin Farm in Barrington, Illinois We've had funding for this one in the past. But, it's such a great trip for the students. It was a favorite among my past students. Unfortunately the cost per child is a lot. The students get to visit a pumpkin farm and learn how the farm operates, they get to go on a hayride, visit a petting zoo, and take a pumpkin, indian corn, and a gourd home. Chinatown Tour Students would be given a tour by a docent in Chinatown. The docent takes the students to a variety of places in Chinatown while he/she explains the history and significance of each location. Students would also visit a Chinese restaurant to try ethnic food. Hancock Observatory and walking trip to the Water Tower Students would visit the observatory and see Chicago from a whole new angle. After visiting the Hancock students would have lunch at McDonalds and explore sites around the magnificent mile and visit the Water Tower and Waterworks buildings. Chicago Architecture Foundation Tour Structure: The Secret of Skyscrapers This is an interactive workshop/walking tour exploring the secrets of how architects design buildings and how they stand up Adler Planetarium Every year I do a unit on space. In past years, my students have never had the opportunity to go the planetarium. We would visit the museum, see a sky show, and go into a cyberspace classroom where students will use programs that would let them explore starts and planets or allow them to plan their own trip to Mars. Field trips are always unforgettable experiences for students. I have students now that still come and see me and tell me about how much they had on the trips we went on, even if it was just to a library.