Environmental
Briefing 
Environmental briefings are an essential part of any field experience and are important for the protection of both teachers and students. It is critical to consider how to communicate the rules to participants, especially children. With older children, give them some of the responsibility to come up with the rules on their own and in enforcing them. With all ages, explain why the rules exist, and that they are there to insure our safety. Provide examples of situations that may arise and behavior that is appropriate in those situations.
Standard Environmental Briefing
The goals of environmental briefings are:
- to become aware of the environmental hazards that might be encountered during a program;
- to understand how all people involved with the problem are potential human hazards;
- to understand that accidents happen when human and environmental hazards combine with each other;
- to help brainstorm a list of ways in which the group can reduce the chance of accidents happening.
Delivery of an environmental briefing should occur:
- just prior to the activity (be pro-active, not reactive);
- with the complete attention of the group (have them write the rules in a journal);
- without distractions (perhaps in the classroom or on the bus);
- with interaction from the students (ask them questions);
- with a preview of desired behavior (perhaps do a scenario with the students).
Content to include:
- the setting of the activity (point out the boundaries);
- an explanation of the environmental hazards (the river, bees, other wildlife, holes in the ground, old fencing, etc.);
- an explanation
of the procedures, directions, and rules, and the consequences
of inappropriate behavior if appropriate.
