Guide for Chaperones
Thank you for taking the day to be a chaperone. We rely on you to keep students safe, respectful, responsible, and caring during the visit. You are responsible for ensuring students in your group are following all the Museum expectations.
Be sure you understand the plan for the day by checking in with the lead teacher of your group. When are classes? When and where is lunch? Are they allowed to visit the gift shop?
Know who is in your group. You must stay together at all times—inside the Museum, outside, in the gift store, and while moving between locations.
Please help to enforce only one chaperone-led group at a time in the Silver Sage Trading Company (Museum gift shop).
Help students to be courteous and respectful of all visitors. Talk and walk quietly through the Museum.
Help protect the animals. Don’t disturb animals by tapping on the windows or class. Please do not feed chipmunks or ducks. When near an animal exhibit, don’t make any loud noises, including animal sounds, or sudden movements. Do not climb on exhibits or railings.
Be mindful of space capacity. If attending an interpretive talk, arrive five minutes early to allow time for students to settle in and for you to give students another reminder about being respectful listeners and having calm bodies. Doors close promptly at the beginning of a talk, with no late entry. If a talk or exhibit area looks too full, please find an alternate activity.
Help your students learn. Let the students know that you are all visiting the Museum to have fun and learn at the same time. Encourage students’ deeper exploration with open-ended questions such as: What do you notice? Which is your favorite piece of art and why? What do you observe about this animal’s habitat? Help students find answers to their own questions within the exhibit. Read exhibit labels and text panels together as a group or ask students to volunteer as “sign readers.”
Get out some energy. The meadow is a perfect spot to play and burn off some energy.
Student safety is a top priority. if a student gets lost or you come across an unattended student, go to the Front Desk near the Main Entrance.