Downtown Dragons
A walking tour adventure created for school students by the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
A Field Trip to the City
“Downtown Dragons” is an exhilarating field trip for students in grades three through eight. A specially-trained guide from PHLF leads a two-hour walking tour of downtown Pittsburgh. As participants search for griffins, gargoyles, eagles, lions, dragons, and other city creatures, they learn about the history and architecture of Pittsburgh; they experience the sights, sounds, and commotion of city life; and they come to understand something about the city’s character.
“Downtown Dragons” is a valuable learning experience. The information provided on the tour and the experience itself can be incorporated in language arts, social studies, and art classes. Or, the field trip can simply be a rewarding downtown adventure, introducing students to Pittsburgh’s rich history and architecture. Let us know your needs and interests. We will be happy to work with you so that your “Downtown Dragons” tour fulfills your educational goals.
Teacher and Chaperone Responsibilities
In order to ensure your group’s safety, the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation requires one chaperone for every 5 children. Each tour group includes about 10 students, 2 chaperones and one PHLF tour guide.
Teachers
- Teachers will be mailed name tags in advance. Students must wear them on the day of the tour.
- Teachers and adult chaperones are responsible for the behavior and safety of their students.
- We walk rain or shine. If you wish to cancel the tour for any reason, please call us 48 hours in advance of the tour date.
- Teachers will be given bookmarks, with information recalling tour highlights, to pass out to students at the end of the school day.
Adult Chaperones
Adults help the children cross the streets safely by creating a “barrier” along the length of the street to shield the students from the traffic. Also, it is best if adults stay on the outside of the group when the docent is speaking and keep moving the students as close to the docent as possible. The PHLF tour guide will ask one adult to be the “caboose” — the last person in line when walking.
Visit our Downtown Dragons Web site, then call the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation at 412-471-5808 to reserve a date for your field trip.
Photos from the Tour |
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| Click once on a thumbnail to see the whole image. Photos by volunteer intern Erin Shilling. | ||||
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