THE OUTLOOK Saturday Octobers Features Acton students test outdoors Totally roughing it is fun but after spending a week the wilds of the Terra Cotta Conservation Area the general consensus among several Grade Acton High School students is that there is no place like home Prom Sept 23 to 27 the Grade students participated in a part of their curriculum termed outdoor education The week long exercise taught the students outdoor techniques camping skills hands on education in biology geography art history and com mumcation leadership skills how to cooperate within a group the importance of the environment ind insights on how to choose a healthy lifestyle In talking with some of the students however they also learn how much they apprecntc turn radio on watching television and only having to take a few steps to get to the shower When asked what they disliked about the week the students simultaneously said there no radio They went on to lament We ve had to walk a mile to get to the shower Young seemed to represent the opinion of most of the students when she said the week was en but not enough that she would like to go to school outdoors all the time I d get sick of it she said Another student David Smiley was one student that wouldn mind getting his education out doors It s more relaxed in nature he said he students agreed the most beneficial aspect of tht experience was opportunity to get know each other better It has brought us closer together as friends we been together night day said Sarah lect Activities the students par in included learning how to use a canoe ing camping skills art science and survival skills David Smiley enjoyed survival skills more than any of the ac tivities saying it was a real challenge To learn wilderness survival skills the students pretended to be a carnivore meat eater or a her bivore plant eater In turn they would have to find he appropriate food in the forest Young enjoyed orientation compass reading saying it was easy and a lot of fun Sarah Fleet enjoyed learning how to canoe I never knew how to do it and it is something that I II have to do later on she said When asked if the students had become committed talists yven their new found awareness of nature all said no But they did say thev will be more conscious about being more pro it in the future Childs Play caters to children By I ISA LULL The Herald By five years of age a child will have acquired half of his or her ultimate intelligence said Marg Bennett a representative of Child s Play International a children book publishing com My son is four so I m working very hard she added The publishing company which offers a wide selection of quality books for infants toddlers and pre schoolers requires more represen tatives in the Halton Hills area Child s Play books are not sold stores but are available at fun events and home presentations given by com representatives Mrs Ben nett a company unit manager his done several presentations in Georgetown however she re quires more representatives in North As a mother of two Mrs Bennett said Child s Play is more than a business opportunity Immediately after seeing her son fondness for the books she fell in love with the company s mandate and decided to promote the value of reading to children As is the International Year of Literacy it is important to rea as many people as possible and as young as possible even the born said Mrs Bennett No one is ever too young Mrs Bennett insisted Children who were read to while still in their mother s womb are familnr with the rhythm of aloud she said I feel that the foundation for reading has to be laid before the child goes to school Mrs Bennett said adding that parents shouldn t wait for their children to go to school to learn to read A teacher knows which children have been n a basis because the children tend to have a better attention span and a better vocabulary Mrs Bennett said Studies have shown that children have a vocabulary range between and 32 words The children on the upper end of the scale have parents who read to them daily she said Mrs Bennett said a good guideline for parents is to read least five minutes each day to their children It sad when some parents say they don have five minutes a day to read to their kids she said It essential to read to children because they learn by being read to just as they learn to speak by be ing spoken to Mrs Bennett ex plained Leave a book everywhere in the house she suggested String books strollers high in playpens or even in the bathtub Mrs Bennett added Child s Phy offers books covered with plastic so that thev wnt be ruined if water juice r food is spilled on them she said When parents choose a book for their youngster should rememl to look for bright colors or black and white and lots of pictures with Mrs Bennett Child s Play offers a selection of participatory books including books with beads children can manouevre and turning wheels They re books that let children use all of their senses she said Rabbit s Golden Rule which in eludes a rabbit with a squeaking nose teaches children about strangers explained Mrs Bennett a child hears the word no they are supposed to squeak the rabbit s nose Memorizing and recognizing a word is the process of learning to read she said Nancy Beckingham a Georgetown mother of three hosted a Child s Play presentation at her home several months ago and is considering hosting another soon As a former day care worker Mrs Beckingham said children who have been read to regularly have a better vocabulary and listening skills Parents have to realize their children need these skills to be able to express themselves she insisted Child s offers good selec of high quality books with in teresting illustrations and themes said Mrs There are books human reproduction emotions there may soon even be book AIDS she said The price of Child books is comparable prices in good bookstores Mrs Bennett said Anyone interested in becoming a representative for Child In ternation cm ntact Marg Ben nett at home 71 Triangulatlon the determination of distances using a transit was only one or the many activities Grade Acton High School students Jenn Young and her classmates learned during a school sponsored outdoor education week at he Terra Conservation Area Sept lo transit is used measure distances using angles and levels Other activities the students participated in including canoeing biology orientation and camping exercises But when all was said and done the students seemed to agree there nothing like home Herald Activities planned at libraries Thanksgiving in Halton Hills can be celebrated Saturday today at both Georgetown and Acton public libraries Starting at there is an hour f planned for youngsters ages seven years and over Youngsters can take home a special craft which will lend a festive air holiday table Registration for the activities can be done either in person or by phone For more information contact either the Georgetown Library or the Acton Library IT SHOPPING SPREE VALUE STORE SAVE NOW SPECIAL PURCHASE COLOR TV 34800 20 COLOR TV 39800 28 COLOR REMOTE TV 64800 DELUXE VCR ON SCREEN 33800 DELUXE STEREO VCR ON SCREEN 38800 Nancy her children from left to Here Mrs Iteckmgh im is reading her Sean Mich it I and He it her often a as a a book children emotions session over a hi Id s Intern ilion book Herald photo