Field Trips: Trip Planner

1. Know Your Options

Your field trip can include an education program, a self-guided tour of the Aquarium, a self-guided tour of the Goldstein Marine Mammal Center, and an interactive movie experience in Immersion Cinema. For an additional fee, you can also take a boat trip around Sarasota Bay and order box lunches from the Deep Sea Diner.

View a sample schedule.

Explore Field Trips by Grade Level

Preschool

Grades K - 2

Grades 3 - 5

Grades 6 - 8

Grades 9 - 12

Interested in visiting Save Our Seabirds during your field trip to Mote?  Click here for a full list of SOS Field Trip Programs.

2. Decide What Is Best for Your Group 

• Discuss your options with fellow teachers and select a group leader to communicate with Mote.
• Decide on the best education program (classroom, laboratory, field, or overnight) for your students and on other Mote activities (Aquarium, Marine Mammal Center, Immersion Cinema, boat trip) you would like them to experience.
• Determine 4 preferred dates for your visit. Please choose your dates carefully: our schedule fills quickly, which can make rescheduling a challenge.
• Identify your arrival and departure times. Consider bus schedules, lunch times, and total travel time to Mote.

3. Reserve Your Field Trip and Recruit Chaperones

• Recruit responsible, enthusiastic adult chaperones to accompany your students. Most programs require a ratio of one chaperone per six students. Chaperones are admitted free of charge.

4. Prepare Your Group 

• Review the Group Visit Rules with your students and chaperones.
• Give your drivers Directions.
• Know what to bring and wear for a Field Program (Habitat Hoopla, Snorkeling Workship, or Field Sampling Techniques).
• Introduce marine life vocabulary with these Word Play Activities (PDF).
• Print out our self-guided visit activities for your students:
  • Aquarium Scavenger Hunt (Word)
    
  • Goldstein Marine Mammal Scavenger Hunt (Word)
  • Aquarium & Marine Mammal Center (combined) Wristband Activity (Word)

Apply for a scholarship: Download our Scholarship Application Form (PDF).                                                                                          

There is no funding available for scholarship programs.  Please refer back frequently, as funding may become available in the future.

Spread the word: Download our Education Programs Brochure (PDF). 

Questions?

Check out our FAQs or contact us by phone at 941.388.4441, ext. 348, or by e-mail at educate@mote.org.