High school physical science field trip

Have your classroom get to know Fermilab’s facilities and research! The high school tours are designed to introduce students to particle physics and to help them understand some of the cutting-edge research that goes on at Fermilab. The tours provide a unique experience, including getting to know a Fermilab scientist or engineer and visiting some the lab’s one-of-a-kind research facilities.

Field trip activities

Physical science field trips include a:

  • Visit to Lederman Science Center
  • Visit to Wilson Hall and the Main Control Room
  • Q&A session with a scientist or engineer

Field trip details

  • Teachers can bring students to Fermilab for free field trips!
  • Field trips must be scheduled at least four weeks in advance.
  • Group size: minimum of 10, maximum of 54
  • If your group exceeds the capacity for a given field trip, you may plan multiple visits to accommodate everyone.
  • Program length: 3.5 hours
  • Chaperones: One adult chaperone (instructor or responsible adult) is required for every 10 students. Field trips are not permitted for groups that arrive without the minimum number of required chaperones.
  • Teachers, aides, chaperones, and any participants 18 years of age and older MUST have a REAL ID-compliant document, such as a passport or enhanced driver’s license, to enter Fermilab. More information about accepted documents is linked here.
  • This field trip requires adults to complete Business Visitor Access. Instructions will be shared with the group during booking.
  • Groups may arrange to eat lunch in Fermilab’s Wilson Hall cafeteria.

Standards alignment

  • HS-PS1-1: Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
  • HS-PS1-8: Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.
  • HS-PS2-6: Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
  • HS-PS4-4: Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials of the effects that different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter. 

Details

Dates
Scheduled as requested
Grades
9-12 Request a field trip
Contact Information

Education office registrar at edreg@fnal.gov orĀ 630-840-8258