Focus on the Facts

Have you ever stopped to think about how many math opportunities there are in theme parks?

Here are a few ideas for working in a little math during your day at the park:

- Estimate and calculate your steps from the front gate to your first ride.

- Estimate and calculate your time from the start to the finish of a ride.

- Count the number of (choose an item) you pass during the day.

- Pick up a theme park map and "sort" the items found (restaurants, thrill rides, etc).

- Calculate the total cost of a meal.

- Take the receipt from a meal and divide by the number of guests to calculate the meal cost per person.

- Choose some things you may see a few times during the day (characters, soda cups, strollers, etc), keep a tally, and make a graph at the end of the day.

What others can you come up with?

Disney's Homeschool Days

Just announced!

The next Disney Homeschool Days events are planned for September 8 & 9, 2010 and January 24 & 25, 2011.

This Fall event focus is on the Arts. If you have a budding artist, animator, or stage performer, this may be the Homeschool Days event for your family!

Transportation - for little ones

Why not take a look at the various modes of transportation around Disney World?

Here is a list of ideas for incorporating the transportation of Disney World into a lesson or series of lessons for your young child:

- Take a picture of each (boats, monorail, buses, cars, train, carts, airplane - if this is how you arrived, etc.) or have the child draw a picture of each in a journal. (The pictures could be colored later when waiting in line for a ride.)

- Label each and discuss the uses / importance

- Keep a tally each time you see one

- Use each in a sentence

- Discuss safety

- Time how long it takes to get from one location to another using one of the forms of transportation

Homework:

- Study the history of transportation

- Add the number of each type of transportation seen at Disney World

- Using the pictures - sort, classify, and label the attributes in common

The countries of Epcot

While making your way around the World Showcase -

- Speak with cast members from each country. Ask them to greet you in their native language.

- Have cast members from each country write their greeting on a keepsake item, such as a scrapbook page, t-shirt, photo mat, ball cap, or acrylic frame.

- Stop by the "kidcot" stations.

- Study architectural, food, music, and costume differences in each country.

- Locate each of the countries in the World Showcase on a world map.


Homework:

- Research each of the countries of the World Showcase to learn more.

- Find a recipe from each of the countries and make it at home.

- Make your own costumes.

- Record your memories from the World Showcase in a journal.

- Create a scrapbook including maps, photographs, greetings, and journaling from your trip.

Welcome!

Welcome to the beginnings of what I hope will be a helpful site during your planning and preparing to visit any of the many wonderful theme parks.

Generic ideas, as well as specific theme park ideas, will be shared throughout our journey.

If you have an idea to share, please email it to JanPepe@comcast.net
I look forward to this being a wonderful learning opportunity for all.

Thank you for visiting!