"Disney Cruise is Educational" School Letter

Please excuse from classes January 21,22, and 25 __________________ (children’s names). We will be traveling to Cape Canaveral and sailing on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas. As much as may be possible and convenient to prepare ahead of time, please send any school work that will be missed for the children to complete during this time period.

While classroom time for the children is valuable and important, _____________(children’s names) will gain an enhanced worldview through personal experience of travel, as well as augment educational studies through the travel activities reflecting Common Core standards listed below.

Additionally, ________________ (children’s names) will have unique opportunities to experience and learn about:
• transportation by plane and ocean liner (including the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, and nautical orientation of forward/aft and port/starboard),
• geographic tools such as map skills by navigating on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay,
• a multicultural environment through interaction with crew members and guests from around the world,
• island geography, flora, and fauna,
• marine wildlife by observation while snorkeling,
• contrast of climate,
• Bahamian culture, including acquiring Bahamian coins and understanding that different cultures use different currencies.

In appreciation of your consideration,

_________________________________ (Parent names)

Common Core Aligned (Grade 1) Educational Activities for Bahamian Cruise:

  1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
    Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

Resource: Under the moon & over the sea: A collection of Caribbean poems. (Agard, Felstead, & Nichols, 2003).

  1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.5
    Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.

Resource: Hintz, M. (2012). The Bahamas: Enchantment of the world. New York, NY: Scholastic Children’s Press.

  1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2
    Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.

Resource: Malam, J. (2002). You wouldn’t want to be a pirate’s prisoner!: Horrible things you’d rather not know. New York, NY: Franklin Watts.

  1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7
    Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.

Resource: Macaulay, D. (1993). Ship. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

  1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.9
    Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).

Resources:
McCulla, P.E. (1999). Bahamas. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House.

Morgan, N. (1997). The Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn

  1. Children will use math addition and subtraction skills with assistance while managing their souvenir money.
    · CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.6
    Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10. Use strategies such as counting on; making ten (e.g., 8 + 6 = 8 + 2 + 4 = 10 + 4 = 14); decomposing a number leading to a ten (e.g., 13 - 4 = 13 - 3 - 1 = 10 - 1 = 9); using the relationship between addition and subtraction (e.g., knowing that 8 + 4 = 12, one knows 12 - 8 = 4); and creating equivalent but easier or known sums (e.g., adding 6 + 7 by creating the known equivalent 6 + 6 + 1 = 12 + 1 = 13).

  2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.9
    Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.

Resource:

Youngquist, C.V. (2002). The three billygoats Gruff and mean Calypso Joe. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Resources

Agard, J., Felstead, C., & Nichols, G. (2003). Under the moon & over the sea: A collection of Caribbean poems. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Hintz, M. (2012). The Bahamas: Enchantment of the world. New York, NY: Scholastic Children’s Press.

Macaulay, D. (1993). Ship. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Malam, J. (2002). You wouldn’t want to be a pirate’s prisoner!: Horrible things you’d rather not know. New York, NY: Franklin Watts.

McCulla, P.E. (1999). Bahamas. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House.

Morgan, N. (1997). The Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn.

Youngquist, C.V. (2002). The three billygoats Gruff and mean Calypso Joe. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

[Getting out soapbox}
Sorry, I hate these letters that try to justify a Disney vacation as an “educational experience.” Let’s be honest here, you are not taking your kids to the Smithsonian where the primary purpose of the institution is to educate and inform. You are doing something where the primary purpose is to relax and have fun.

Using the language that these letters typically use, you could justify almost anything as an “educational experience”. “Child will view first-hand FIFO inventory management techniques as they relate to consumer product presentation. Child will experience various queue management systems and observe state-of-the-art point of sale purchase processing and payment systems. Child will also participate in budgeting and cost/value analysis.” Guess what - I’m taking my kid to the grocery store.
[Putting away soapbox, for now]

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I am sure that many liners will use and appreciate your letter. I will make sure that I link it in chat whenever anyone asks! Thank you!

How kind, PrincipalTinker! Thank you :slight_smile: xo

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Not sure what the soapbox post above hoped to accomplish. Guess some people just like to prove everyone has an opinion just like… well, anyway… hope you don’t let that discourage you. Those who choose to give their child life experiences in this way with family (yeah, it’s fun, that doesn’t suck out possible learning) and take the trouble to write a letter to the school (it isn’t prison, pardon isn’t needed, but it nice to offer letters/notice for absence known in advance) will find this very helpful. Thank you for posting!

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A lot of effort went into this letter! Great job!

I know this is controversial, but why do you have to justify anything? They’re your kids and under your supervision. Asking for homework is fine, but why do you have to ask for permission to remove them from school? Furthermore, why put the teacher in a position to be able to test your children on what they have learned on their trip?

My letter to the teacher will simply be:

X and Y will be away from school from March… to March … Please send any homework you think will be covered before that date. Thank you.

That’s it. It’s no one else’s business, in my opinion.

we just had to fill one out for our kids. They are good kids, get good grades, never get into trouble and do everything they are told. I skip the “educational” part and put “well needed family time”. You don’t want to excuse the absence - too bad - give them an unexcused.

Some schools required the trip to be “educational” in order to be considered “excused”. So you have to fill out a form to give to them explaining how it is educational. I think it is stupid, but rules are rules. I think it may be state mandated, depending on what state the school is in.

What happens if they aren’t “excused”?

In our school district it is considered an “unexcused” absence and if they have ~ 10 there is a possibility of them having to repeat the grade. However - I find that far fetched as there is so much pressure to move kids forward. And if the kids have good grades - I think it is even harder for them to justify the action.

What grades are you kid(s) in?

We are fortunate - our kids have good grades and do well - so missing a few days isn’t going to be a problem - if they were struggling in school - I wouldn’t take them out.

Personally - I feel with the number of days (especially at the end of school) where they are possibly “wasting” time by showing movies etc - I have little difficulty in justifying taking the kids out.

Dave

It’s the same in our school district, absences need written justification from the parents in order to be excused, which is a real PitB. I think this letter will come in very handy, especially when my oldest enters middle school. Thanks to the OP, @belle_angeline!

Mine are in 6th and 8th grades. We had no troubles at all like that. I think you’re right… if they are good students, no one would say anything.