This webpage is for teachers actively participating in field trips for the 2024-2025 school year. Below outlines all the requirements, suggested pre- and post- activities, and resources to support your class action project.

Each participating teacher is assigned a StopWaste Classroom Liaison. This liaison serves as your guide and support to all things related to your field trip program and action project. Feel free to reach out to your liaison at any time with questions or concerns. 

Jump to: Pre-Trip Materials  

Permission Slips  |  Teacher Requirements  |  Student Requirements  |  Activities and Resources

Jump to: Post-Trip Materials

Program Evaluation  |  Take Action |  Report Back |  Activities and Resources

Pre-Field Trip Materials and Activities

Permission Slips

After your field trip request is approved and confirmed, you will receive an email with digital PDF copies of your pre-field trip materials including permission slips. If you requested hard copies, the packet was mailed to your school mailbox. If you haven't received these materials, let your Classroom Liaison know as soon as possible. Please make sure to bring Parent Permission Slips and Chaperone Safety Waivers with you on the day of the field trip.

Pre-Field Trip Teacher Requirements

• Send Us a Class List 
  Email your Classroom Liaison a class list along with the names of the chaperones. We need this list on file while you are on site for our safety protocols and in case of an emergency. Please add phonetic pronunciations for student names and pronouns, if possible.
• Pre-Assign Your Class into 4 Colored Groups
  On your class list, before you send it to us, please mark students into 4 colored groups (Red, Orange, Blue, and Green). Please also assign at least one chaperone per colored group.
• Schedule a Check-In with your Classroom Liaison
  As a StopWaste partner, we need to schedule a 15-20 minute Zoom phone check-in to discuss how we can best support your class's action project which is a requirement for participation. Your Classroom Liaison will coordinate this check in with you.  
• Ensure Proper Attire
  Ensure that students and chaperones dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes (no Crocs) and long pants. Spare shoes and pants may be available to borrow on the day of your tour, but not guaranteed. Any one not in the proper attire may not go on the walking portion of the facility tour. 

Pre-Field Trip Student Requirements

• Students fill out a pre-survey
  We ask that all students complete this pre-survey so that we can ensure the best possible field trip experience.
  Student Pre-Survey

Pre-Field Trip Activities and Lessons

Highly Recommended, Not Required

• KWL Chart
  Before your field trip, have a class discussion about what students know and what they want to know about the transfer station, waste, the 4Rs and more.
  Download the KWL Chart 
   
• Watch Virtual Tour Stop #1: Transform into a Garbologist
  Get to know StopWaste as students explore what they care about, what they connect with, and how their own knowledge, skills, and life experiences align with the mission of the League of 4Rs Action Heroes - to protect the earth by taking action to reduce waste.
  Watch Virtual Stop 1
   
• Watch Virtual Tour Stop #2: What is a Transfer Station?
  Students will learn what happens to things that we decide to throw away by following an Alameda County family from their home in Oakland, CA to the Davis St. Transfer Station in San Leandro. 
  Watch Virtual Stop 2 
   
• Watch Doing the 4Rs
  Students are introduced to the 4Rs  –  reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot – as they meet youth from around Alameda County who are putting the 4Rs into practice in their own lives.
  Watch Doing the 4Rs 
  Download the Video Discussion Questions

As we continue to evaluate and improve our program, we ask that you complete the following Teacher Feedback Form: 
Teacher Feedback Form 

Take Action In your Community

As a school partner, we ask that you complete the following requirements. You can work with your Classroom Liaison on a timeline for meeting these requirments and for any support you might need.

1. Complete a Student Action Project 
   One of our requirements for participating teachers is to take action with your students and take the 4Rs message to your communities through an action project of your choice. You may come up with an Action Project with your class and we’d be happy to support in any capacity we can.

   The following are also examples of Action Projects along with guides and templates: 

Green Team Action Project  Presentation Action Project  Educational Posters and Handouts Action Project Buddy Book Action Project 

Report Back on your Action Project

After completing the action project, teachers and students must report back to StopWaste. All teachers are required to submit a Teacher Action Report Back Form to summarize how you and your students took action. 
Teacher Action Project Report Back Form

Student Post Survey: Have your students complete this 15-20 min survey:
Student Garbologist Post-Survey
(please note that it looks similar to the student pre-survey they completed prior to the field trip) 

Activities and Resources

Highly recommended, not required

• Amazing Garbologist Adventure Journal: Stop Food Waste Edition
  This activity journal guides students from garbologist to food rescue action heroes! Learn about the impacts of wasted food and how students can take action to reduce wasted food.
  Download the Activity Journal
   
• Student Mission Report Back Letters
  Have students author letters about what they learned and how they took action after the field trip. Students can address the letters to other students at school, their families, or even StopWaste! The templates below are aligned to Common Core standards.
  Teacher Master 
  Mission Report Back Letter Template 
  Blank Publishing Stationary 

  Optionally, you can share your letters with StopWaste by mailing them to: 1537 Webster St., Oakland, CA 94612 or emailing a scanned PDF of the letters to your classroom liaison.
   

• Watch: How to Sort Cafeteria Waste at School 
  Watch as students at Hoover Elementary in Oakland share how they sort their recycling, compostables, landfill and foodshare items. Please note that sorting practices are different depending on your school district so always check with your waste hauler. 
  Watch the Videos

Thank you for taking action to stop waste!