Georgia State Capitol Field Trips: A Teacher’s Guide

I. PLANNING PHASE

A. Why take a field trip to the Capitol?

A visit to the Georgia Capitol offers students an opportunity to view first-hand the most important government building in the state and to learn about the heritage of Georgians. An interpretive tour provided by the Office of the Secretary of State gives students an overview of Georgia history with visual emphasis on current events, portraits, flags, statues and the Capitol building.


B. Which grade levels would most benefit from a tour of the Capitol?

Guided tours provided by the Office of Secretary of State are available for grades 3-12. Older students (8th grade and above) who are studying Georgia government and political science benefit from a trip during the legislative session (usually January through March); however, the Georgia General Assembly has adopted a policy encouraging elementary level teachers to schedule their class trips when the legislature is not in session. Not only is there less confusion during this time, but students also have more freedom to become acquainted with the Capitol and the Georgia Capitol Museum.  Tour guides also have more time to answer questions and interact with each group individually.  The weather in the fall and spring provides a much nicer opportunity to tour the grounds of the Capitol and neighboring sites.


C. Are tours provided for children in pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade?

While tours are recommended for grades 3-12, guided tours are available for students in kindergarten through second grade. These tours begin at the Capitol and last 30-45 minutes. Chaperones should check in at the security desk at the Washington Street entrance. Tours for this group focus on larger concepts of Capitol history and the functions of the people that work in the Capitol. Because of the age and level of comprehension of younger children, guided tours are NOT available for student groups in the pre-kindergarten age group. 


D. Where does a field trip to the Capitol fit into your curriculum?

There are no hard and fast rules about when to schedule a field trip in relation to your course of study. Some teachers effectively use the trip as a culminating activity on a unit on citizenship, civics or Georgia history. Others use this opportunity as a preliminary motivating experience with great success. Regardless of when the trip is made, it is imperative that an orientation be given before students visit the Capitol, especially during the legislative session.


E. When is the best time to schedule a tour during the legislative session?

The Georgia General Assembly begins their legislative session each year on the second Monday in January. There are no tours of the galleries the first few days of session. After the first week, the legislature usually adjourns for a one-week budget recess and then reconvenes, but this pattern may vary. The House Public Information Office, (404) 656-5082, and the Senate Public Information Office, (404) 656-0028, can provide expected dates of recess once the session begins. The first six months of the year are the busiest at the Capitol. When possible, school groups (particularly 7th grade and below) are encouraged to book tours in the fall.


F. How far in advance should trips be scheduled?

Trips to the Capitol should be scheduled in advance to assure that a tour guide will be available; tours may be scheduled up to six months in advance. Even if a group does not wish to take a guided tour, advanced scheduling is still recommended for fire code compliance. To schedule a guided tour of the Capitol, school groups and other visitors should access http://www.sos.state.ga.us/Tour_Reservation/tourform.asp or contact the tour staff in the Office of the Secretary of State by phone at (404) 656-2844 or via email at this link. Before calling to schedule a tour, please identify three alternate dates and times in case your first choice is unavailable.


G. What are the available tour times?

Tours are given Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The guided portion of the tour is approximately 45 minutes in duration. Tour times are as follows:

January through March
A.M. Tours - 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, and 11:30
P.M. Tours - 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00

April through May / September through December
A.M. Tours - 10:00, 10:30, and 11:00
P.M. Tours - 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00

Summer Tours (June through August)
A.M. Tours - 10:00 and 11:00
P.M. Tours - 1:00 and 2:00

H. How many students may tour the Capitol at one time?

Tours are scheduled for groups of 10 or more.  Most groups are limited in size to 60 people per tour group.  Often, teachers with groups that exceed these limits break the field trip into multiple days.  Please call the tour program staff with additional questions. 


I. What is the basic format of a Capitol tour?

The tour begins at the Capitol building, where tour guides provide an overview of the building’s history in the Rotunda, located on the executive (2nd) floor.

Throughout the Capitol, students will view portions of the state’s $2 million art collection containing some of the oldest portraits in the state of Georgia. During the legislative session, tours end on the fourth floor where students, teachers and other visitors may choose to visit the public galleries to view the General Assembly. While in the Capitol, students are encouraged to look at the museum cases on the fourth floor.  The Hall of Valor, which houses the state’s historic flag collection, is located on the first floor.


II. THE DAY OF THE CLASS VISIT

A. Is parking available for school buses?

Buses and commercial vans (not minivans) may park, free of charge, on the right curb of Washington Street in front of the Capitol. Visitors in automobiles may park in state parking lots, which charge a nominal fee. Lots which are available for public parking include: the Archives parking lot on Capitol Avenue, the Steve Polk Plaza parking lot and the public lot at Underground Atlanta located on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.

MARTA is also an option for transportation to the Capitol. MARTA exits located nearest the Capitol are the Georgia State Station (directly across from the Capitol in the Sloppy Floyd/Twin Towers complex) or the Five Points station (two blocks west of the Capitol at Underground Atlanta.)


 B. What kind of security can we expect when entering the Capitol?

Groups starting at the Capitol should register at the security booth inside the door.  All adults must show photo identification to security before proceeding inside the building.  Once inside the Capitol, security booths are located at each entrance for the protection of state officials and the security of state records and property. School groups usually enter the Capitol at the Washington Street entrance and will go through metal detectors. Students and chaperones are required to pass through a metal detector in a single-file line. An x-ray machine will examine all backpacks, purses and packages. Students should not bring radios, headphones, knives or any sharp objects into the Capitol.

 


 C. Are there helpful tips for chaperones while visiting the Capitol?

Teachers are responsible for the discipline and safety of their students throughout the tour. Students should not run on the marble floors and stairs and should not lean on the balcony railings. Noise must be kept to a minimum. While outside the Capitol, students must not climb on statues or walk through the grass and/or flowerbeds.

Teachers who wish to visit the viewing gallery of the House or Senate chambers should inform the staff outside the galleries and notify them of the number of students in their group. It may be necessary to wait 10 to 15 minutes before entering. Once inside, most groups are allowed 15 minutes to observe the lawmakers in action.

Students should be reminded that important state business is being conducted in each chamber. All visitors to the galleries must remain seated and quiet and may not applaud. Students are not allowed to lean on the gallery railing from the first row.

If the General Assembly is adjourned during your visit, your tour guide may take you into a gallery and discuss the legislative process with the students.


D. Are cameras allowed inside the Capitol?

Photography is prohibited in the House and Senate galleries while the legislature is in session.  Video cameras are also prohibited during the legislative session. If the General Assembly is not in session, flash photography is permitted as it is throughout the public areas of the Capitol.  


 E. Are dining facilities available for students?

Several dining options are available for school groups at lunchtime. If the class brings lunch, students may eat on the upper level of Plaza Park, near the Capitol Education Center and directly across from the western entrance of the Capitol. There is also a cafeteria in the Sloppy Floyd/ Twin Towers complex located across from the Capitol. The food court at Underground Atlanta is also nearby.


F. Where are the restrooms located?

Student groups needing to take advantage of restroom facilities before the tour begins, are asked to arrive at the Capitol 20 minutes before their scheduled tour time.  Tours begin promptly at the scheduled tour times.

Public restrooms in the Capitol are located on the first and third floors. Groups must remain quiet and orderly as they wait in the hall near the restrooms. Remember that the Capitol is a professional workplace where important state business is being conducted.  


 III. PRE AND POST PLANNING THE FIELD TRIP

A. What resources are provided by the Secretary of State’s Office to prepare students for their Capitol field trip?

This website contains Capitol and state information such as a list of state symbols and an outline of the legislative process. Resources for teachers provide historical and procedural information regarding the Capitol and the legislative process. A teacher guidebook is available online or can be mailed upon request.

We Look Forward To Seeing You Soon!