Field Trips are often booked in a variety of different ways, for a variety of different reasons. How do you infuse a field trip with learning to ensure it is as valuable as a learning experience, as it is as a life experience? 
Some trips are booked for you. The school might have funding for each class to attend a theatrical production, or a science activity, so sometimes you don’t have any say in what trip your class is participating in. In this case, all you can do is know that if admin has booked it or approved it, that it must be educational and board approved. It is not inappropriate to ask admin for a summary of what the trip involves to you can preteach to what the focus will be. If there is content that might not be familiar to your students, it will add significant value to the trip should you prepare the students for some of what they will learn. In the past, my class has been assigned a trip to see a drama troop that had a focus on mime. My kids didn’t know what mime was, so in the weeks approaching the trip, we talked about mime, watched some videos of different types of mime, and then we tried it ourselves. When they saw the live performance, it was so much more meaningful.
When you book a trip yourself, you will likely need to fill out paperwork to have it approved by the board. Often a risk assessment is necessary – is there potential for the kids to get hurt? Once it is approved, you need to ensure you have permission slips, supervisors to meet the adult to student ratio, and a bus booked (or walking route set up). It is NEVER okay to transport students in your own vehicle, nor should you be planning a trip where parents are driving students that are not their own child.
You will also need to consider the cost for the trip. I have been at schools that have a community that can afford to go on expensive trips regularly, while I have been in other areas where asking for any money for a trip can be asking too much of the families. You need to know your clientele and make sure you are booking appropriate trips. If families cannot afford to pay for trips, your school may have a fund that 
can be accessed to ensure no child is left out. You should not be taking trips that include required content for essential learning and exclude students if they cannot pay. This is a huge equity issue.
You will also want to ensure you have a plan in place if there are any medical emergencies, behaviour issues, or other unforseen problems. Will you call the school to have someone come join you? Will the trip just get cut short? Will you bring an EA along with you that isn’t part of the ratio so if there is an issue the EA can take the student that is struggling and work 1:1 with them to ensure the trip is successful? There are lots of things to take into consideration when planning a field trip.
Make sure you run all plans by the office. The last thing you want, is to have a problem while you are on the trip and find out that the admin had no idea that was part of the trip and that they wouldn’t have approved it if they had known. Cover all of your bases before you leave!
Make sure you bring all epi-pens, medications, therapy devices, and a first aid kit. I always bring my cell phone as well to call for help should I need to. You will want emergency contact info for all students on the trip as well to ensure you can contact parents if there is an emergency.
