Planning a Leisure Activity

This week we are working on all of the logistics that go into planning a leisure activity in the community.  We decided that we wanted to do something outside before the weather really gets cold.  We looked over the list of leisure activities and chose some that were outside.  Potential options included mini golf, hiking, and going to a yard sale.  We researched mini golf places that were close by and discovered that most were closed at the time we were trying to go.  We researched the van schedule and decided that the longest span of time that the van was available was on Monday from 9:00am-12:00pm.  We also had to take the weather into consideration. As a group, we picked a hike at Wildwood Park.  We picked a friend to invite and wrote them an email or asked them face to face.  This is a wonderful way to address math, reading, writing and social skills.  We will post some pictures from our hike on Monday! Remember to dress warm! Your question is: is a hike something you could do as a leisure activity? Why or why not?

A Successful Tailgate from Start to Finish!

For the past several weeks, we have been coordinating and planning a tailgate in the spirit of football season.  First, we had to research exactly what a tailgate was.  Then, we had to vote on food, research recipes, make a grocery list and budget for supplies, and decide who we were inviting and invite them.  We invited some people face to face and some via email.  Then, we set the party up, socialized during, and cleaned up afterwards.  An awesome time was had by all!  Can you please share in the comment thread 3 things that you would see or do at a tailgate party and what your favorite part of ours was.

In the freezer section...

On Friday, we visited Giant for our weekly math lesson.  We did some comparison shopping amongst different brands within the freezer section.  We compared different brands of ice cream and found which brands are more or least expensive.  We also figured out what the difference between the two brands was by subtracting.  Next week, we will be in the canned section of the grocery store checking out different things. What is your favorite part about doing math lessons in the grocery store?

Functional Math at Country Meadows

This morning, we took a class trip to Country Meadows Restaurant in Elizabethtown.  In math, we have been working through our community-based instruction curriculum called "Stepping Out." The current concept is on how to calculate sales tax as well as tip when you go to a restaurant that provides table service.  Everyone did a great job figuring out what their total bill would be (with tax and tip) as well as figuring out what bills to pay with and whether or not to wait for change.  We had good conversation at the table about what we did over the weekend and what we had going on for the upcoming week.  We were all smiles :) What a great way to start the week!  What was your favorite part about going out to breakfast?  What other community trips could we take to practice the math skills we have been discussing?

Grocery Store Math: The Produce Section

Every Friday afternoon in October, we will be going to the local Giant and working on various math concepts within each section of the grocery store.  On Friday, we worked through the produce section.  We read signs to determine what items were sold individually or by the pound.  We found prices for various weights of fruits and vegetables and practiced totaling the price of a hypothetical grocery list that included various produce items.  Everyone did great with this hands-on math lesson!

Work Placements Started!

This week, we started our community job placements.  Community businesses include Babe's Grill House, Pronio's Market, Central PA Food Bank, Sandi's Breads Bakery, Love Inc, Derry Preschool, and the Derry Township District Office.  We were very proud of how well everyone did! We will post more pictures next week, so check back in! In the comment thread, can everyone please share what they did at their work placements this week and what they liked about it?