The 4th grade students will take a field trip to Mission San Juan Capistrano to learn more about the Spanish missions in California. During their visit, the students will participate in a scavenger hunt to locate important sites around the mission and take pictures. They will write descriptions of the sites and a paper about what they saw and learned. Back in the classroom, the students will write paragraphs using the pictures from their trip and include relevant history facts. Their work will be compiled into a class book summarizing the field trip experience and bringing California history to life.

1. Field Trip to Mission San Juan
Capistrano
Lorena Rodriguez
4th Grade
3/22/12

2. Introduction
• Fourth grade students have been researching and
building mission models. They have learned that
missions were established in Alta California in the
1700’s. California missions were built along a rout
called “The El Camino Real”. Students will take a
field trip to San Juan Capistrano which will allow
there California mission learning to keep
flourishing.
• At San Juan Capistrano students will admire the
missions beauty and history.

3. Subject : History/ Social Studies
Topic: California Missions
Grade Level: Fourth Grade
Number of Sessions: Two Sessions
Length of Session: Session 1: 7 ½ hours
Session 2: 50-60 minutes

4. Standards
Social Studies/ History
 4.2.8 Students will discuss and describe the growth of mission during Mexican rule in
California.
California A Changing State
 4.2.4 Describe the mapping of, geographic basis of, and economic factors in the
placement and function of the Spanish missions; and understand how the mission
system expanded the influence of Spain and Catholicism throughout New Spain and
Latin America.
 4.2.5 Describe the daily lives of the people, native and nonnative, who occupied the
presidios, missions, ranchos, and pueblos.

5. Preparation and Materials:
Students will be assigned to a parent volunteer and into groups of 5.
• Pencil
• Scavenger hunt instructions and guide
• 1 digital camera per group
• Folder
• Map of San Juan Capistrano Mission

6. Activities and Procedures:
 At arrival at San Juan Capistrano students will be provided with pencil and folder containing
Scavenger Hunt instructions and map of mission. Students will be directed to walk to
Father Serra’s statue where they will listen to a short presentation by one of the missions
staff members.
 After presentation students will divide into assigned groups and will begin scavenger hunt.
 During the scavenger hunt students will find various sites such as;( cemetery, chapel,
Father Serra’s statue, padres headquarters, eating area, statue of iron horse, symbol used on
cattle, brick making area, etc.)
 Students will be required to write a description of every item found during scavenger hunt.
 At the end of the scavenger hunt students will write a one page paper on what they saw and
learned during field trip.
 Students will use digital camera to take various pictures of items found for class book.
 Students will take lunch in assigned picnic area at groups choice.
 Students will visit Gift Shop by groups and for only ten minutes at the time group decides.

7. Follow- Up Activities: Each student will receive a picture of himself/herself at the
Mission. The student will write a paragraph summarizing what was happening in each picture
taken. The student will include facts about California history in the paragraph related to the
Conclusion:
Students paragraphs will be made into a class book. It will be summary of the field trip and it
will help California history come alive for the students.

8. Grading Rubric:
5 – all answers attempted, a very complete job, good understanding of subject
Evidence of attempt to go beyond minimal search for the correct answer few spelling and
Language error
No teacher help
4- all answers attempted, good response to all questions, adequate search for answers but
Little evidence of going beyond what is minimally required. Few spelling or grammatical
Errors, minimal teacher intervention
3- most answers are complete and accurate, some spelling and grammatical errors, some
Incomplete sentences, errors do not make it difficult to understand the answers
Some teacher intervention required
2- most questions are answered, many have serious errors, somewhat difficult to understand
many spelling and grammar errors, teacher intervention throughout assignment
1- incomplete assignment, poorly done, difficult to understand, many spelling and grammar
errors, hard to read , teacher intervention required in most areas