FIELD TRIP TO MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM

January 21, 2015        

Dear Parents:

The third grade team is excited and looking forward to our upcoming field trip on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill, NC.  Students will participate in a hands-on learning experience called Solar Systematics in which they become NASA engineers as they design, build, and test interplanetary landers that are necessary to test rocky environments such as Mars.  Students will also view a show in the planetarium entitled Solar System Odyssey.  The purpose of this field trip is to reinforce the concepts that students learned in our “Objects in the Sky” unit in science. 

The cost of the trip to cover the workshop, show, and busses is $13.00 per student.  Donations to help the students who cannot financially afford to pay for the trip are greatly appreciated.  Please fill out both sides of the attached permission slip and send in your payment to your homeroom teacher by Tuesday, February 17, 2015.  Please make checks payable to Douglas Elementary School.  You may also pay online through OSP (Online School Payment).  You can access OSP directly online at the Douglas Elementary School website.

If you are interested in chaperoning, we would love to have you accompany us!  We are allowed to have two chaperones per class.  Please submit your name to your homeroom teacher by Friday, February 13, 2015, and your teacher will do a drawing on this date to announce the chaperones.  In order to be a chaperone, you must have a background clearance.  The cost of the trip for chaperones is $6.50 per person.  Wake County Schools’ policy does not allow parents to ride Wake County school busses; therefore, parents are required to drive separately and meet us at the planetarium.  Please consider participating in this wonderful volunteer experience!

Thank you for your support!

The Third Grade Team

ITINERARY

9:30 a.m. –    Busses depart Douglas Elementary School to travel to Chapel Hill, NC

10:30 a.m. -   Planetarium Show /Solar Systematics Workshop     

11:30 a.m. -   Planetarium Show/Solar Systematics Workshop

(Half of our students will be viewing the show while the other half participates in the hands-on workshop.  During the second hour, students will switch activities.)

12:15 – 12:30 p.m. – Depart Chapel Hill to travel to Douglas Elementary School

1:30 p.m. – Return to Douglas Elementary School

(Students will eat a snack on the bus during our ride back and eat lunch at school upon our return.)