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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Could your 10yo do this school assignment?

221 replies

HerRoyalNotness · 15/01/2021 12:44

I had an email to say they were missing an assignment from Monday, so I had a look at what it was. They’d been talking about and I thought they were on top of it.

They had to plan a trip overseas for three days with a budget of $20k. The information they needed to include was:

Destination
Flight and costs
Why you chose destination
Hotel and cost
Amenities at hotel
3 days of 3 meals naming a restaurant, meal choice and cost incl drinks
3 days of 3 activities per day naming activity, cost per person and total
Total cost overall.

It’s for maths.

YABU - yes my 10yo could complete that
YANBU - no, they’d need a lot of help/guidance.

OP posts:
ButterflySmith · 15/01/2021 13:01

If it was a case of making up all the details, they could. But if they are supposed to research and include real costs, then no - they wouldn't know where to look.

ShrekandDonkey · 15/01/2021 13:01

My DS would love a challenge like that. He looks at properties on rightmove for fun and plans his his dream adult home.

Whathappenedtothelego · 15/01/2021 13:03

My 9 year old would definitely need guidance on finding suitable websites, or (in non lockdown times) provision of a holiday brochure from the travel agency, or perhaps a travel guide book.

If they had the information set out in front of them, I think they would definitely manage ok.
It's definitely something they'd enjoy doing.

Being able to find the information themselves with random googling - not sure that would work!

Original poster
HerRoyalNotness · 15/01/2021 13:03

@BabyofMine

I don’t know if it’s reasonable, but I think it’s a pretty fucking insensitive assignment when children will likely have no holiday to plan for a very long time.
I hear you, but the last two years our holiday has been a long weekend to a place about 2hrs drive away. Sad
OP posts:
WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 15/01/2021 13:04

@BabyofMine

I don’t know if it’s reasonable, but I think it’s a pretty fucking insensitive assignment when children will likely have no holiday to plan for a very long time.
Definitely

I think that it depends on the area too. Some kids would have no idea about flights, hotels, restaurants etc.

All around it seems like a stupid assignment for maths, there are other situations that are more realistic for 10 year olds & the maths much the same.

Spongebobsquarefringe · 15/01/2021 13:04

10 year old DD yes my husband no

Bunnybigears · 15/01/2021 13:06

Strange project for maths as the maths is very simple I would say that's more a life skills project. DS 10 would need help as has never had to look those things up online before.

TheSockMonster · 15/01/2021 13:06

During pandemic #1 this was actually one of the tasks DH set DC (aged 9 and 11 at the time) on one of his homeschooling days.

They both enjoyed and completed it, although I don’t know how much help he gave them.

TheSockMonster · 15/01/2021 13:07

Lockdown #1 that should say!

We don’t need any more pandemics!!

backinthebox · 15/01/2021 13:07

My daughter's class set a similar exercise in Year 5, so she was 9 at the time, and she loved doing it. She had rather less to spend than $20000 though! She had to look up train timetables and costs, and plan a journey around Europe. DS is currently 10 and they have been set a project in a similar vein but with a historical twist. They were first of all asked to plan a route that can be undertaken by sea, then have been given a list of Royal Navy ships and 18th century famous sailors and explorers, each with a set of costs and conditions applied to them. They had to work out which was the most economical ship and crew depending on the length of their journeys, the speed of the ship, and the expertise of the captain. For example, you could choose the Beagle, but it would have to stop for a full day at every island it passes, which leads to greater crew costs, but if your captain is Nelson he doesn't stop at any islands, sails fast, but costs a lot more. It was a great project, and yes, my 10 year old could do it.

AaronPurr · 15/01/2021 13:08

All around it seems like a stupid assignment for maths, there are other situations that are more realistic for 10 year olds & the maths much the same.

Agreed. The poster above who said planning a menu / weekly shop is a much more sensible idea, and would have the added benefit of being a practical life skill. Booking a 20k holiday isn't relevant.

RMRM · 15/01/2021 13:08

I think at 10, they need to have the various options provided for them by the teacher to choose from (perhaps as a print out or booklet), rather than being given the entire Internet to look at.

You'd still have the same learning outcome.

mylittleyumyum · 15/01/2021 13:08

First child at 10 - no problem, did this kind of thing for fun.
Second child, 9.5 just now, no way jose.

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 15/01/2021 13:08

@mamaoffourdc

Yep mine could
Completely independently?

Knowing where to fly out of & into

How to locate a hotel in a good location?

Knowing how to find restaurants near the hotel?

Knowing how to find activities & how to access them from the hotel?

I think if it's just 'imagine' it's one thing, but given they have to name restaurants etc

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 15/01/2021 13:09

Mine is in Yr5.
Given some limited websites, or written information, and clear instructions. Maybe.
Open ended? No chance. Her literacy level isn't high enough.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 15/01/2021 13:09

During pandemic #1

Yeah, what do you know that we don't?

SeaToSki · 15/01/2021 13:10

My 12 yr old would love the assignment

On her own she would be able to
Think of where to go and by what route
Pick activities restaurants and hotels etc
Do all the adding up and math

She would need help with which websites to go to for information and how they work eg expedia and yelp
She would need help with laying it all out in a manageable way

I might give it to her as a project next week (we are homeschooling)

I would definitely have set a smaller budget as that makes it more interesting as the dc have to pick and choose based on cost and wants

Original poster
HerRoyalNotness · 15/01/2021 13:11

@RMRM

I think at 10, they need to have the various options provided for them by the teacher to choose from (perhaps as a print out or booklet), rather than being given the entire Internet to look at.

You'd still have the same learning outcome.

Yes, that would have been more sensible (I better check the maths packet to make sure something like that hasn’t come home!)

Also the weekly shop PP mentioned would have been more achievable, we could have incorporated a field trip to the supermarket.

I like the sound of the historical one with information/costs provided. He probably would have liked that as he loves history.

OP posts:
WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 15/01/2021 13:12

@TheSockMonster

During pandemic #1 this was actually one of the tasks DH set DC (aged 9 and 11 at the time) on one of his homeschooling days.

They both enjoyed and completed it, although I don’t know how much help he gave them.

Yes, definitely a good activity to do with a lot of parental guidance, but not independently and I suspect he gave more guidance than he even realised. Even just things like 'Germany' 'ok but which city' makes a big difference.

Parents trying to WFH probably have enough to do without travel plans Ning for holidays they can't take.

MagnoliaBeige · 15/01/2021 13:14

Yep, seems appropriate. Good for their researching skills too.

Thislittlefinger123 · 15/01/2021 13:14

We had that as a set task last lockdown, when the DC was 9 and in year 4, so yes I think a 10 year old should be able to have a good go at it, but might need some help breaking it down initially.

TheVanguardSix · 15/01/2021 13:14

I can't even do it now at 48. Grin

Nope. My 10, almost 11 year old would need a lot of guidance on this. I mean, I've never budgeted such a holiday. Why would my 10 year old know how?

Nonamesavail · 15/01/2021 13:15

No

Original poster
HerRoyalNotness · 15/01/2021 13:17

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

Yes my son had written a hotel name and when I asked where it was he didn’t know. He just knew he wanted to go to Germany. It was in Berlin. At least there are plenty of activities to do. Speaking of which,

What would you recommend for a child interested in the war to visit? I have (ahem he has) brandenburg gate and tiergarten so far. Will add checkpoint Charlie museum too

OP posts:
Same4Walls · 15/01/2021 13:18

All around it seems like a stupid assignment for maths, there are other situations that are more realistic for 10 year olds & the maths much the same.

I agree. It may seem like a great project but any child able to plan it independently is coming from a place of privilege. Where I live many children have never been on a holiday that wasn't either a day trip or f they were fortunate a long weekend in a caravan at the seaside. They wouldn't have a clue about flights, meals out or amenities. Surely a weekly meal plan would be a better idea. It would have been more inclusive and a more useful exercise than planning a mythical 20K holiday.