• Where: The STEM Connection at Moore Road Farm 8407 Moore Road, Indianapolis, IN 46278

    When: Tuesdays-Fridays, March-May and August-November

    Who: Youth Programs & schools serving youth grades K-8 (9-12 coming soon!). Half-day field trips for PreK available upon request.

    ____________________________

    Field Trips run for up to 3.5 hours including a lunch break, typically 10:00 am-1:30 p.m.

    For K-8 groups with fewer than 40 participants, please reach out to fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org

    Other arrangements can be made upon request and availability.

    For the safety of our participants, we are unable to accommodate unregistered youth or children under the age of 4.

    • Animals as Engineers - Explore some of the wondrous things animals build to help them survive in the habitats in which they live. Make your own model habitats. (K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-1, 2-PS1-2, 2-LS4-1, K-2-ETS1-2, K-2-ETS1-3)

    • Plants on the Farm - Observe and explore plants at Moore Road Farm to learn more about the needs of living things, what it takes for plants to grow, and how plants are useful to other organisms. (Available mid-April through mid-October) (K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, 1-LS1-3, 1-LS3-1, 1-ESS1-2, 2-PS1-1, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1)

    • Scientists Use Their Senses - Find out about the different ways scientists use their different senses to learn about the world and then use your senses to learn more about Moore Road Farm. (1-PS4-1, 1-PS4-3, 2-PS1-1, 2-LS4-3)

    • Working with Weather - Investigate different types of weather events and why and how they happen. Learn about the water cycle through experimentation and observation. (K-PS3-1, K-ESS2-1, K-ESS3-2, 1-ESS1-1, 1-ESS1-2, 2-PS1-4, 2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-3)

    Other Seasonal or Standards-Based Opportunities Available upon Request – Contact us at fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org to discuss possibilities.

    For the safety of our participants, we are unable to accommodate unregistered youth or children under the age of 4.

      • Exploring Earth Processes - Identify, model, and investigate how geological processes make changes to the Earth quickly and over time. (4-ESS1-1, 4-ESS2-1, 4-ESS3-2, 5-PS1-4, 5-ESS2-1, 5-ESS3-1, 3-5-ETS1-1, 3-5-ETS1-2)

      • Force & Motion - Newton’s three laws of motion describe the relationship between objects and the forces exerted on them. Matter can change from one phase to another when energy is added or subtracted.  (3-PS2-2, 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-3, 4-PS3-4, 5-PS1-2, 5-PS1-3, 5-PS1-4, 5-PS2-1)

      • Healthy Soil and Water - Clean and healthy soil and water are essential for healthy organisms and ecosystems. Observe and test soil and water samples to determine how healthy they are. (3-ESS2-3, 5-PS1-3, 5-PS1-4, 5-ESS2-1, 5-ESS3-1)

      • Organism Adaptations & Interactions - Explore living and nonliving things, noticing interactions and how living things are dependent upon both living and nonliving things around them. Model and investigate the features that organisms have that help them survive. (3-LS2-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS4-2, 4-LS1-1, 4-PS3-2, 5-PS3-1, 5-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1, 5-ESS2-1)

    Other Seasonal or Standards-Based Opportunities Available upon Request – Contact us at fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org to discuss possibilities.

  • 6th-8th Grade Field Trips

      • Energy Flow in Ecosystems - Explore how energy in all ecosystems starts with the sun and moves through different organisms within an ecosystem. (MS-PS4-2, MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-1, MS-LS2-2, MS-LS2-3, MS-LS2-4)

      • Force, Motion, & Energy- Energy is neither lost nor gained, but can transfer from place to place in a closed system. Newton’s three laws of motion describe the relationship between objects and the forces exerted on them. Matter can change from one phase to another when energy is added or subtracted. (MS-PS2-2, MS-PS2-4, MS-PS2-5, MS-PS3-1, MS-PS3-2, MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-4, MS-PS3-5, MS-PS1-2, MS-PS1-6)

      • Healthy Gardens & Water - Visit, observe, and explore our gardens to learn more about how the needs of organisms are met at Moore Road Farm, what it takes for a garden to grow, and how we maximize our space and time to grow as much as possible in our gardens. Observe and test soil and water samples to determine how healthy they are.(MS-LS1-5, MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-2, MS-LS2-3, MS-LS2-4, MS-ESS3-3, MS-ESS2-4,MS-PS-2)

    Other Seasonal or Standards-Based Opportunities Available upon Request – Contact us at fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org to discuss possibilities.

    9th-12th Grade Field Trips – Contact us at fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org to discuss possibilities.

  • 2024-2025 Standard Field Trip Pricing:

    • Standard Field Trip (up to 40 Students) - $455.00 +$11.40 per additional student. Chaperones FREE!

    • Schools with 40% or more students qualifying for Free & Reduced Lunch (up to 40 Students) - $384 +$9.60 per additional student. Chaperones FREE!

    Request a 2024-2025 Standard Field Trip.

    2024-2025 Reverse Field Trip Pricing

    • Reverse field trips for two classes (up to 60 students)- $400

    • Reverse field trips for three classes (up to 90 students)- $550

    Request a 2024-2025 Reverse Field Trip

    Field Trip Assistance:

  • Select a theme for your trip from the activity menu.

    Check the Availability Calendar at the bottom of this page for open dates.

    Complete the 2024-2025 Field Trip Request Form.

    Receive an email from The STEM Connection confirming your request.

  • Click here for more information about our Reverse Field Trip offerings.

Pre-Trip Preparation

    • Review the Welcome to Moore Road Farm slides with your class/group

    • Provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for your school/program (in lieu of individual waivers). This can be obtained from your district or school office and needs to be received at least one week prior to your event date. Email fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org. Sample COI can be found here.

    • Divide participants into the designated number of groups

    • Recruit and assign adult chaperones to each class/group (see Chaperone Policy)

    • Submit a list of approved chaperones at least one week prior to the event. Email: fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org.

    • Share important information with participant families

    • Paper Waivers

    • Water Bottles

    • Sack Lunches

    • Comfortable weather-appropriate clothes – layers work best

    • Closed-toe comfortable shoes that can get wet or muddy

  • Arrival & Group Norms: 10:00-10:20

    Rotation 1: 10:25-10:55 (Activity 1)

    Rotation 2: 11:00-11:30 (Lunch)

    Rotation 3: 11:35-12:05 (Activity 2)

    Rotation 4: 12:10-12:40 (Hike)

    Rotation 5: 12:45-1:15 (Activity 3)

    Dismissal: 1:15-1:30

    • When scheduled, your group will have a 20-30 picnic-style lunch break included with your field trip.

    • Each school group is responsible for providing their own lunches.

    • We encourage you to have sack lunches divided by class/group. Wagons will be provided to hold and transport lunches to designated lunch spots.

    • Refrigeration may not be available.

    • All groups are responsible for cleaning up their lunch areas and leaving the environment around them cleaner than they found it.

    • If time allows, groups may enjoy free play time after lunch in the designated free play area(s). Some free play materials will be provided.

    • Field trip participants will utilize port-o-potties for restrooms.

    • Handwashing stations are available near port-o-potties for handwashing needs.

    • An indoor, accessible restroom is available for individuals who need it.

    • Appropriate chaperone participation helps with safety, engagement, and fun!

    • Chaperones include teachers and other adults (18 years or over) including parents, family members, caregivers, additional school staff, etc.

    • Only registered youth participants and approved teachers & chaperones may attend. For the safety of our participants, no unregistered youth or adults are permitted on the property.

    • TSC Chaperone Recommendations:

      • Preschool-2nd Grade Participants – one chaperone per every 5-6 students

      • 3rd-8th Grade Participants – at least 2 or 3 chaperones per group/class

    • Tips for Chaperone Success:

      • Have each participant assigned to a specific adult chaperone.

      • Share with chaperones the basic plan for the day.

      • Remind chaperones to act as role models and help participants stay on task.

    • Teacher/staff and adult chaperones are free and welcome. If chaperones are driving separately from buses, please encourage carpooling as parking is limited.

    • Submit a list of approved chaperones at least one week prior to the event. Email: fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org.

    • Please contact fieldtrips@thestemconnection.org as soon as possible if you need to cancel your field trip. We will attempt to reschedule the field trip, but due to limited availability, there is no guarantee that a trip can be rescheduled.

    • In case of inclement/severe weather that would make the trip to the farm unsafe, the trip will be canceled. A decision about this will be made by The STEM Connection at least 24 hours before the trip. Inclement weather conditions that would be a cause for cancellation include extreme hot or cold temperatures, thunderstorms, or significant rain, ice, or snow. Field trips can continue as planned if it is raining without storms.