The clock in the classroom reads 2:55 p.m. In just five short minutes, school will be officially over until the fall. You have been counting the months, then the days, and now the minutes for what seems like forever! Although summer actually begins in mid-June, in just under five minutes, it will begin for you!

Summer brings "fun in the sun" with trips to the local pool where you can dive into the cool water after basking in the hot sun or water skiing at the lake a few miles away. Even a relaxing boat ride where you can fish all day sounds inviting! "Take me out to the ball game" isn't just a song you hear on the TV, it is where the action is most every night . You can either watch or participate in softball or baseball games. Lawn chairs and barbecue grills line the shelter houses at nearby parks.

Vacation time is just about to begin and the first thing you are going to do when you get home is toss out that dreadful alarm clock! No more of those "early to bed, early to rise" lectures your parents have been pounding in your head. You can stay up late every night and sleep in each morning!

For right now this is merely a daydream of what lies ahead. However, in just a click of the keys you will be embarking on an exciting iAdventure. In this activity, you will be faced with several dilemmas in which you will need to do some research before making a decision. Once you have completed the research, you will then make your decision and progress to the next situation. Be sure to have paper and pencil ready for notes and have fun!

There it is, hear it? The bell you have been waiting for just sounded. School is out! All the way home you keep thinking about what you will do after you toss out the alarm clock, will it be swimming, a ball game, fishing, camping, or just relaxing in the hammock in the backyard?

As you drop your backpack at the back door, you discover a note on the refrigerator from your mom letting you know she had made a quick run into town to pick up some snacks. As you are opening up the frig to grab a soda, you notice the map on the table. As your eyes scan the room, you also notice the coolers and suitcases laying about the room. The clues suggest a trip in the making, but nobody mentioned anything to you about taking a vacation.

Just then, your dad opens the door and says, "I just finished planting the last few acres and thought we'd celebrate by heading out of town for a few days for a family vacation. How does that sound, kid?" You nearly spill the can of pop you just opened as you jump with excitement!

There isn't much time to spare as you know your dad can't get away from the farm for very long at a time, usually two or three days tops. Just then, your mom drives up and you run out to the car to see what snacks she got for the trip. Trip? All at once you realize you don't even know where you're going yet? As you help your mom bring in the grocery sacks, you ask, "So, where are we headed anyway?" As you sit the sacks down on the table, you again notice the map, but this time you see Branson and St. Louis are circled with question marks around them. "We thought you might like some input on the vacation location, honey," your mom said with a smile.

You are already shocked to be leaving on vacation, but now the destination is up to you, Branson or St. Louis, what will it be? What could be better than this day? School's out, you're headed on vacation, and you get to make the decision where the whole family goes! After viewing the web sites containing information about each location, make a list of a least five attractions you would like to visit while there, places you would like to go, or things you would like to do.