discovery journal - worldstrides · the walt disney company. epcot opened on october 14, 1982, with...

SCIENCE

Discovery Journal

in motion

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis Science in Motion Discovery Journal features activities developed by the WorldStrides staff in surveying the best available physics curricula offered by educational and scientific organizations throughout the nation. We wish to acknowledge the many individuals who assisted us with this effort.

Special thanks to the Course Leader team for their guidance, encouragement, and use of program materials. They have provided us with enthusiastic support and offers to “test drive” our activity plans. We also wish to acknowledge our many educational partners in Florida, especially Walt Disney World® Theme Parks, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Gatorland®, SeaWorld® Orlando, and Nature’s Academy.

In case of emergency If you have lost contact with your group or need assistance for a medical condition, injury, or any other emergency, please call a staff member immediately at the toll-free number listed below.

In Florida call 1-800-999-4542 This number should be used for emergencies only. When you call, please be prepared to give your name, the number from which you are calling, your location, your group name or teacher’s name, and the reason for the call. The person with whom you speak will give you further instructions.

©WorldStrides 11/13 PO#122103583A

User’s Guide ...................................... 2Features of Your Discovery Journal ....... 3

Epcot® About Epcot ........................................ 5Feeding the World............................... 6What is an Ecological Footprint? .......... 7How to Take Action ............................. 8Alternative Energy ............................... 9Renewable Energy ............................. 10How Fireworks Work ......................... 12World Showcase ............................... 14

Islands of Adventure®

De Soto ............................................ 22Exotic Species .................................... 23Kayaking ........................................... 24Snorkeling 101 .................................. 27Sharks .............................................. 28

WonderWorksTM

Magic Tricks ...................................... 31WonderWorks Quiz .............................. 32

Kennedy Space CenterVisitor ComplexSpace Fashion ................................... 35Space Missions .................................. 36Saturn V Center ................................. 41

Gatorland®

Alligators and Crocodiles .................... 43Alligator Quiz .................................... 44Invasion of Non-Native Species ............ 45

Magic Kingdom®

Roller Coaster Physics 101 .................. 47Thrill Elements ................................... 48

SeaWorld®

Manatees .......................................... 51Sea Turtles ......................................... 52Sharks .............................................. 53Reef Life ............................................ 54Rays ................................................. 55Killer Whales ..................................... 56

Animal Kingdom®

Tree of Life ........................................ 58Endangered and Extinct Species ........... 59

Hollywood Studios®

Director for a Day .............................. 62Movie Magic ...................................... 63 Film Industry Lingo ............................. 65The Human Eye ................................. 66Video Game Physics ........................... 67

Eco-Pedia .................................. 69

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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USER’S GUIDE

To make the best use of your Discovery Journal:• Personalize your journal! This is your

research, thoughts, and observations. Own it, and be proud!

• Bring your Discovery Journal with you for every activity in the field.

• Use as much detail as possible. There is plenty of space throughout the journal (as well as in the Notes section at the end) to take your own notes or draw your own sketches.

• Familiarize yourself with the Tools of the Trade below and the features of your Discovery Journal in the section that follows.

TOOL PURPOSE

Discovery Journal Keeping a journal is an important part of fieldwork. A scientist uses one to keep track of observations, thoughts, and ideas, and to provide a permanent record of what is going on in the natural world. Your Discovery Journal is a space to record your thoughts and observations and a resource to help you find out more about the topics you are researching.

Pens, pencils It is difficult to record your observations without a writing utensil! Be sure to keep extra pens or pencils with you.

Camera A digital camera is perfect for documenting animals, plants, landscapes, and other adventures. Be sure to note the time, date, and location of your photos for future reference. Check out the Lights, Camera, ACTION! photo tips throughout your Discovery Journal for photography hints.

= Lights, Camera, ACTION!

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FEATURES OF YOUR DISCOVERY JOURNALACTION Figures Throughout your journey in Florida, you’ll find people who pursue exciting career paths. ACTION Figures appear throughout your Discovery Journal to highlight some of these professions. Take a moment to read about the interesting careers that are featured in this journal. When you return from your trip, look up more information online about careers that interest you.

Lights, Camera, ACTION! You’ll definitely want to document this journey, and your Discovery Journal offers professional-quality photography tips. Whenever you see the camera icon, keep your eyes peeled for photographic opportunities using the advice provided in your journal.

The Eco-Pedia A little rusty on your science vocabulary or concepts? No need to worry! A handy

reference tool appears at the back of your Discovery Journal—something we like to call the Eco-Pedia. Check here if you are unsure of a term or idea, or if you desire a more in-depth explanation. Topics are organized alphabetically.

Notes! Take note… Although there is space throughout your Discovery Journal to record your observations and thoughts and to make sketches, we’ve provided some extra blank pages for you at the end of the journal.

Taking A.C.T.I.O.N. You may be familiar with the Scientific Method from your science classes. Remember that the Scientific Method includes these steps: ask a question, do some research, make a hypothesis, perform an experiment, analyze your results, and come up with a conclusion. The ACTION steps that you will take with every activity during this trip go beyond the Scientific Method to get you up on your feet and active in taking action to save your planet. ACTION stands for:

= Lights, Camera, ACTION!

ACTION STANDS FOR...

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About Epcot

Feeding the World

What is an Ecological Footprint?

How to Take Action

Alternative Energy

Renewable Energy

How Fireworks Work

World Showcase

EPCOT®

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ABOUT EPCOT

The name Epcot is derived from the acronym E.P.C.O.T. (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), a utopian city of the future created by the Walt Disney Company.

Epcot opened on October 14, 1982, with the goal of creating a place for imaginative travel through time and space. Though some of Epcot’s dreams and features may be considered outdated, Epcot continues to represent a way of thinking that urges Earth’s citizens to look to the future. The

park is divided into two main themes: Future World and World Showcase. Future World explores the endless potential of scientific discovery. The World Showcase allows visitors to experience the diverse cultures of 11 different countries.

Epcot ®

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FEEDING THE WORLD

While at the Land Pavilion, find out what sustainability means for the future.

PROBLEM ACTION

Farmers in the poorest countries in the world cannot afford seeds, fertilizer, or irrigation systems.

The U.S. and Europe pay farmers to convert their food crops to biofuels, like corn-based ethanol.

Climate change has caused droughts, which have reduced the global production of grain.

There is a growing global demand for food and feed grains driven by the swelling human population and wealthy industries.

What has caused the global food crisis? What can we do to help poorer countries that are facing starvation? Some trends in agriculture that have contributed to the food crisis are listed in the chart below. As you tour

the Land Pavilion, think about how innovation within agriculture could help solve the global food crisis. If you were the president of the United States, what actions would you take to reverse global hunger?

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Epcot ®

WHAT IS AN ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT?

Imagine walking along a beach. Your feet leave footprints in the sand that do not immediately disappear. An ecological footprint refers to the amount of land or sea required to provide humans with enough resources, which includes the capacity to absorb human wastes, given our current knowledge of technology.

There are many online calculators that can determine how much carbon dioxide you produce or how much water you consume. Although these are important factors to consider in living a sustainable lifestyle, a true ecological footprint compares how much humans are using with how much is actually available for us to use.

As the graph below shows, humans are currently using up Earth’s natural resources and turning them into waste faster than Earth can turn those wastes

back into natural resources! It is estimated that if current practices of consumption continue, by the year 2050 humans will be demanding twice the Earth’s biological capacity. That’s like needing two Earths to meet our needs and desires! And in case you haven’t checked the Solar System recently, we’ve only got one Earth.

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

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Nu

mb

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pla

net

Eart

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World biocapacity

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 05

Humanity’s Ecological Footprint, 1961-2005

BIOCAPACITY The amount of land or sea that is actually available for production of resources and absorption of wastes.

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Epcot ®

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Food

üChoose meat carefullyFactory-fed beef cows require massive amounts of natural resources such as water, grain, wheat, and grass, and produce a lot of solid waste which, in such large quantities, is a major pollutant.

Factory-farmed cows are often treated inhumanely.

üChoose organicOrganic produce is grown without the use of pesticides and other harsh chemicals, which means they are less harmful to you and to the soil where they are grown.

üChoose localLocally grown foods travel less distance from the farm to your plate, so they are more environmentally friendly because less transportation is involved.

Transportation

üChoose bicyclesBicycles are the most efficient and the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation. They use no natural resources and carry people great distances with little effort.

üChoose smaller carsCars, especially large cars, are not very efficient and therefore not very environmentally friendly. They use a lot of natural resources and fuel to provide for the needs of a small number of people.

Carpooling cuts down on the number of cars being used.

üChoose public transportationBuses and other public transportation are environmentally friendly because they carry more people at one time, decreasing congestion and the need for new roads.

Look for public transportation that uses biofuels or hybrid technology.

Energy Use

üChoose recyclingRecycling limits the amount of garbage in landfills and reduces the amount of natural resources required to make new materials such as glass, paper, plastic, and metal.

üChoose less packagingBuy products that use little packaging or natural resources.

Buy in bulk to reduce packaging.

Bring your own reusable bags when you shop.

Buy products that are made with recycled materials.

üChoose efficiencyEnergy-saving light bulbs such as LEDs andhigh-quality compact fluorescent bulbs are a worthwhile investment.

Low-flow or dual-flush toilets save water.

Low-flow shower heads and sink faucets can keep you clean while saving water.

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Epcot ®

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

In the Universe of Energy Pavilion, you will learn about the production and conservation of energy.

Renewable Energy comes from energy sources that can be replenished

within a short period of time. There are five main sources. Give examples

of how each of the renewable energy sources listed below are used to

produce energy.

Non-renewable Energy refers to energy sources that cannot be

replenished or created again within a short amount of time. They

can be liquids, gases, and solids that come out of the ground, such as

coal, petroleum (oil), natural gas, and propane. Why are these called

fossil fuels?

WIND

WATER

SOLAR

GEOTHERMAL

BIOMASS

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Epcot ®

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable energy comes from energy sources that can be replenished within a short period of time.

The pie chart above shows that renewable energy only accounted for 7% of the energy consumed in the U.S. in 2007. Do you think the use of renewable energy has increased or decreased since 2007? Why do you think this?

BiomassBiomass refers to organic materials that store energy from the sun, like plants. It’s renewable because we can grow an infinite amount of trees and crops, and we are always producing waste (agricultural and human waste release methane gas). See the diagram on the next page for various examples of biomass.

Geothermal Energy“Geothermal” comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat), or heat from the earth. It is renewable because heat is continuously produced in the earth’s core; a layer 4,000 miles beneath earth’s surface that is hotter than the surface of the sun. Geothermal energy only makes up 0.5% of electricity produced in the U.S., but this is more than any other country uses.

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Epcot ®

Crops Garbage

Landfill Gas

Wood

Alcohol Fuels

Types of Biomass

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Epcot ®

HOW IT WORKS: FIREWORKS

Learn about the physics of fireworks!

Blue: Copper saltsGold: Aluminum, magnesiumGreen: Barium saltsRed: Strontium saltsWhite: Aluminum, magnesiumYellow: Sodium salts

Common Fireworks Colors

Fireworks are shot into the sky from a mortar, which is like a small cannon. Determining the height a shell will reach after fired from the mortar is basic ballistics. Ballistics is the science of the propulsion, flight, and impact of projectiles.

Fireworks have an outer shell that contains stars, a charge, and a fuse. The stars are made up of different minerals that burn at high temperatures. When the fuse burns into the shell and ignites the charge, the resulting explosion throws the stars in different

directions. The chart below shows which colors are produced by particular minerals in fireworks.

Epcot ®

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HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH FIREWORKS

1 When photographing fireworks at night do not use the flash, because the flash on your camera will only light up the foreground of your shot and exclude the real light show. Try to keep your camera as still as possible, as the no-flash settings on a digital camera take longer to capture the picture and any movement will make it blurry.

2 Set up the shot by making sure you have a clear view of the location where the fireworks are being set off. Consider what will be in the foreground (front) and background of your picture. Your camera should be aimed before the fireworks even go off.

3 Frame your shot. Consider everything that is included in your photograph, not just the fireworks, which are your focal point. The objects below and around the fireworks frame the picture and give the viewer a reference for the size of fireworks.

4 Make sure the horizon is straight in your photograph.

5 The orientation of your shot, whether horizontal or vertical, has a dramatic effect on the picture. A vertical (portrait) perspective is usually better for photographing fireworks because it draws attention to the vertical motion of fireworks. A horizontal orientation is best if you’re doing a landscape shot or trying to capture multiple fireworks at once.

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Epcot ®

__ __ __ __ __ T H E __ __ __ __

Mexico Pavilion Have fun exploring Plaza de Los Amigos in the Mexico pavilion. Look around the entire marketplace, as some items are displayed in more than one location. Read the sentences below and follow the directions. Fill in the blanks at the bottom of the page, and you will spell out a traditional Mexican celebration.

WORLD SHOWCASEExplore many different countries and cultures at Epcot’s World Showcase. After visiting each country’s pavilion, answer the questions that follow.

1. There is “una camisa” that costs more than $20.00. A. If this is True, write D on line 1. B. If this is False, write E on line 1.

2. There is “un sombrero” that could fit on a little doll.A. If this is True, write A on line 2.B. If this is False, write L on line 2.

3. There is “una silla“ with white legs.A. If this is True, write E on line 3.B. If this is False, write Y on line 3.

4. There is “un cinturón” made of leather.A. If this is True, write O on line 4.B. If this is False, write R on line 4.

5. There is “una piñata” that looks like Mickey Mouse.A. If this is True, write E on line 5.B. If this is False, write F on line 5.

6. There is “una canasta” that costs more than $5.00.A. If this is True, write D on line 6.B. If this is False, write N on line 6.

7. There are “los flores” for less than $5.00 each. A. If this is True, write U on line 7.B. If this is False, write E on line 7.

8. There is “un bolso” that costs less than $5.00.A. If this is True, write W on line 8.B. If this is False, write A on line 8.

9. There is “una bandera” with an eagle and a snake on it.A. If this is True, write D on line 9.B. If this is False, write E on line 9.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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France Pavilion France is well-known for its amazing perfumeries. Visit one of the French shops and learn about this type of art form.

What is the process of making perfumes?

________________________________________________________________________

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What is the most expensive perfume in the shop?

________________________________________________________________________

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China PavilionThe Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the most famous building in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. Numbers are symbolic to the Chinese people. Take a walk inside the building to find the answers to the riddle below.

There are columns along the outer wall, and larger ones in the center of the hall.Divide the large number by the one that is the least, then look for the dragons, north, south, west, and east.Take the answer you find, add the number of claws that you will discover on the emperor’s dragon’s paw!

1. Number of outer columns: 2. Number of center columns: 3. Divide item 2 into item 1: 4. Number of claws: 5. Add item 3 and item 4:

This number represents prosperity and good luck in the Chinese culture!

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Epcot ®

Germany PavilionMatch the item to the store where you would find it by drawing a line between them.

1. Cookie Der Bücherwurm

2. Lunch Süssigkeiten

3. Books Die Weihnachts Ecke

4. Hummel figurine Volkskunst

5. Christmas ornaments Biergarten

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Epcot ®

Italy Pavilion

Ciao! Welcome to Italy. Each year millions of people travel to the Italian peninsula to discover its ancient cities and art treasures. See if you can discover the answers to the questions below.

Which city is represented by the Italy Showcase? ________________________

Which palace is represented by the Italy Showcase? ____________________

What type of stone is plentiful in Italy? _________________________________

Italy is well-known for its mosaics, frescoes, stained glass, and sculptures.

What is a mosaic? _____________________________________________________

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What is a fresco? _______________________________________________________

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What Italian artist created many famous frescoes? ______________________

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Which type of performing art was invented in Italy that tells a story

through singing? _______________________________________________________

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What is the city of Venice known for? ___________________________________

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What Italian city had the first network of roads? ________________________

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Epcot ®

United Kingdom Pavilion Even though English is the official language of both the United Kingdom and the United States, certain words need to be “translated.” Below is a list of American words and their British counterparts. Match the words correctly by drawing a line between them.

American English British English

Vacation Flat

Line Chips

Apartment Mackintosh

Raincoat Queue

French Fries Serviette

Potato Chips Holiday

Elevator Lolly

Sneakers Scones

Diaper Crisps

Napkin Trainers

Biscuits Lift

Popsicle Nappy

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Japan Pavilion After solving each riddle, use the circled red letters to fill in the blanks in the puzzle below. Then unscramble the letters to discover a Japanese greeting!

I house the sun, moon, and stars.I have many colors.

I can be as bright as day or dark as night.Here is where the Pagoda stops.

I am at the very top. WHAT AM I?

___ ___ ___

I am invisible, yet you can see me move.Cranes, Egrets, and other birds can travel upon me.

Man can too.I can travel over mountains, through trees, and across seas.

I am needed to sail boats that transport the Japanese. WHAT AM I?

___ ___ ___ ___

Water and wind can control me.I can destroy things and create things.

I can be blue and still very hot. The Japanese use me to warm them when they are cold.

And to melt down metals, even gold. WHAT AM I?

___ ___ ___ ___

I cover all of the planet.I am necessary for all living things.

I am a way of life for people in Japan. They put their boats and nets in me.I am used for food, travel, and joy.

I also house their favorite koi.WHAT AM I?

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

I am billions of years old.I am home to all living things.

I have crust on the outside and a melted core on the inside.I provide the Japanese with a place to plant their peaceful gardens

and bonsai trees.WHAT AM I?

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ O N C19

Epcot ®

Canada Pavilion Totem poles are used to tell a story and are often built to celebrate special occasions. Draw a totem pole that you might build if you were a member of a Canadian tribe. Use symbols, animals, and objects that depict your team’s favorite activities, hobbies, family pets, special times, or personalities of your team members. After watching the film, you will have a better idea of the diverse people of Canada.

Epcot ®

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De Soto

Exotic Species

Kayaking

Snorkeling

Sharks

ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE®

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WHAT’S DE SOTO GOT TO DO WITH IT?Fort De Soto was named after Hernando De Soto, a Spanish explorer in the 1500s. De Soto arrived at Tampa Bay on May 30, 1539, with 10 ships and over 600 soldiers, explorers, and priests. He and his large expedition trekked through the swampy regions of Florida and southeastern North America looking for gold and silver and engaging in brutal conflicts with the natives. De Soto died in 1542 and was buried on the banks of the Mississippi River. Fort De Soto, named in his honor, wasn’t constructed until 1898, over 300 years after his death. The map shows De Soto’s daring passage through unfamiliar terrain. Think of yourself as an explorer of Florida’s still-wild lands. Many of the places you will visit have been preserved in their natural state through limited human interaction.

TRUE OR FALSE? MARK “T” OR “F” IN THE SPACE TO THE RIGHT

1. The fort has the only two guns left from the year 1898 in the United States.

2. It was one of the naval forces created to protect Tampa Bay during the Spanish-American War.

3. Mullet Island was not discovered until the 1700s.

4. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 because of its role in the development of modern weaponry.

5. It was the site of many major battles.

6. It was used by Union Troops during the Civil War.

7. During WWII, the island was used for bombing practice by the pilot who dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.


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EXOTIC SPECIES

De Soto introduced exotic, or non-native, species to North America. Draw a line from each animal that De Soto brought to America to its effect on Florida.

Non-native species are not only animals, but also plants. Describe some of the exotic plants that have invaded Mullet Key and the problems or benefits they have on the ecosystem.

HORSE BLOODHOUND PIG MULE RAT MOUSE

A

Reduced vegetation, uprooted seedlings, reduced forest diversity, but provided a delicious and plentiful meat source

B

Brought typhus and bubonic plague

C

Enabled swift travel, communication, and military conquest

D

Contaminated fOOD, particularly grain and seed

E

Provided a best friend for hunters

F

Aided in easier farming


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KAYAKING

Kayaking is an easy skill to learn, because the equipment is designed to be very easy to use. Paddle at your own pace and enjoy a leisurely exploration into this watery habitat.

Are you a first-time kayaker? Not to worry! See the diagram for a quick tutorial on kayaking terms and you’ll be talking like a pro in no time. Kayaking is a very peaceful and relaxing activity that you enjoy for the rest of your life. If you’re a more solitary type, use the silence to meditate and enjoy the world around you. If you like a little company while you kayak, it’s a great time to strike

up a game of “I spy” with a fellow kayaker. Not to mention you’re toning your arms and increasing your heart rate! As with any athletic activity, it’s important to stay hydrated and rest when needed. And don’t forget the sunscreen; sunlight reflected off the surface of the water can be very damaging to your skin. Use waterproof sunscreen and reapply!

Kayaking Etiquette

• Keep your distance at bird and animal nesting sites—they do not like to be disturbed.

• Do not chase, tease, or taunt any animals or birds.

• Do not try to tip your friend’s kayak. You may think it’s funny, but everyone has different levels of comfort on the water.

• Leave no trace—be sure to bag any trash and take it with you when you’re finished.


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Mangroves are tropical coastal trees or shrubs that have adapted to live in saline and estuarine environments using above-ground root systems that look like stilts. They trap sediments, nutrients, and pollutants running off the land and protect the shore from erosion and storm damage. They also provide nursery grounds for reef, shore birds, and ocean fish.

Mangrove Observation

Find a mangrove and observe it for at least five minutes. Take notes on any marine life that you see.

Name three types of mangroves found in Florida.

How do mangroves get the fresh water they need to survive?

Why are mangroves so important to Florida coastlines?

KAYAKING (CONTINUED)


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ACTION FIGURE: PADDLING FOR PARKINSON’S JOE FORRESTER

In June 2009, medical student Joe Forrester set out on a four-month journey down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, the fourth longest river system in the world. Traveling in a kayak from Montana to New Orleans, his goal was to raise awareness of and funds for Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disease of the brain that afflicts Joe’s great-uncle, grandfather, and over one million other Americans.

Joe asked for donations to support the National Parkinson’s Foundation and had a friend keep a blog of his journey for supporters to track his progress. He planned carefully in order to find towns where he could sleep and restock his food along the way.

If there is a topic about which you are passionate, consider planning a trip like Joe that combines something you care about with something you love to do. Understand that trips like these take a lot of careful planning and a lot of endurance, but the reward can be great.

What causes do you feel strongly about? How might you take action to benefit one of these causes?


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SNORKELING 101

Snorkeling equipment includes a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and swim fins. In cooler waters, a wet suit may also be worn.

Snorkeling at the surface of the water allows you to observe underwater life for long periods of time. An ideal snorkeling spot has minimal waves, warm water, and interesting scenery near the water’s surface.

Snorkeling requires no special training, only the ability to swim and to breathe through the snorkel. It is always recommended not to snorkel alone; you should stick with a “buddy” during your swim.

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

Light behaves very differently when you’re underwater. The flash of your camera can cause something called “backscatter,” a word used to describe the bright specs of light that show up in your photograph when your camera’s flash reflects off of suspended sediment in the water back

into your lens. To avoid this, try to stay in control of your movements and your buoyancy, or flotation. Also, try to get as close to your subject as possible to reduce the chance of backscatter and increase the amount of light on your subject.


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The Spiny Dogfish Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias, are some of the most abundant sharks in the world, which is why they are the most studied. They are called dogfish because they travel in packs of hundreds or thousands. The most distinctive external features of the spiny dogfish are a row of small white dots along its sides and a sharp spine that releases a mild poison to ward off predators. As a member of the Chondrichthyes class, the dogfish has jaws, paired fins, paired nostrils, scales, atwo-chambered heart, and a skeleton made up of cartilage instead of bone.

FORM FUNCTION

Spiral valve in the intestines

Hair-like projections called papillae in the esophagus

Deep folds (rugae) in the stomach

Large, oily liver

SHARKS

Fill out this chart to explain how form fits function within a shark’s internal organs.


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The Spiny Dogfish

inside

Outside


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Magic Tricks

WonderWorks Quiz

WONDERWORKSTM

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MAGIC BY ANY OTHER NAME...

Learn the mysteries behind the magic of WonderWorks!

How did they do that?! Misdirection is perhaps the most important component of the art of sleight of hand. The magician choreographs his actions so that all spectators are likely to look where he or she wants them to look. More importantly, spectators do not look where the performer does not wish them to look.

Try to pay close attention to the tricks you see during the Outta Control Dinner Show. Write down step-by-step any tricks you saw that you really liked, and how you think the magician accomplished the trick.

PRESTIDIGITATION (press tuh dij it ation) meaning “quick fingers”

LEGERDEMAIN (lej ay duh man) meaning “lightness of hand”

SLEIGHT OF HAND (slyt of hand) meaning “dexterity” or “deceptiveness”

Why do magicians say “abracadabra”? Linguists, people who study languages, point to several different origins of the phrase, including the Hebrew phrase abreg ad habra meaning “strike dead with thy lightning,” and the Aramaic phrase avrah kadabra meaning “I will create as I speak.” The first written record of the word was by a Roman physician named Quintus Serenus Sammonicus in 2 A.D. who believed that when sick people wore the word around their necks in a funnel-shaped amulet, the disease would be driven out of their bodies.

Today, the phrase has evolved even further with the killing curse avada kedavra in the Harry Potter stories, which apparently combines the Aramaic “abracadabra” with the Latin word cadaver meaning “dead body.”

WonderworksTM

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WONDERWORKS QUIZ

1. What causes natural disasters? Describe two.

2. List two facts you learned from Wonderworks’ ‘Natural Disasters Trivia.’

3. What level earthquake can you experience in the Earthquake Café?

4. What was the purpose of Project Mercury?

5. How long is a year on the planet Mercury?

6. An astronaut’s space suit has how many layers?

7. Which scientist first described planetary orbits as elliptical?

8. When the RMS Titanic sank, what was the major cause of death for its passengers?

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9. What does the Telsa coil create?

10. What is the most common cause of wildfires?

11. How hot is lightning?

12. Where was the biggest snowfall recorded in U.S. History?

13. Which state experiences the most tornadoes each year?

Discover more online with Wonderworks’ Interactive Attraction!

WonderworksTM

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Space Fashion

Missions

Space Center Quiz

Saturn V Center Questions

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

VISITOR COMPLEX

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SPACE FASHION

Discover how spacesuits keep astronauts safe.

During the assembly and operation of the International Space Station, astronauts will suit up and conduct thousands of hours of extravehicular activity (EVA). They will exit the International Space Station (ISS) and enter a hostile environment in which an unprotected human could survive for only a few seconds. Their spacesuits act like a shell to contain air, pressure, and moderate temperatures while isolating the astronauts from space vacuum and temperature extremes. Spacesuits also act as a shield to protect against high-speed particles such as micrometeoroids and space debris.

Even though micrometeoroids have very small masses, their high-impact velocities can lead to significant damage. Space debris includes metal and paint fragments from space launch vehicles. Although these

fragments travel at considerably lower velocities than typical micrometeoroids, they are still dangerous. Impact velocities of space debris can be doubled if the fragment is coming one way and the orbiting astronaut the other.

NASA spacesuit technology employs multiple layering to diminish the damage of impacts. The first layer is similar to the fabric of a bulletproof vest and causes space particles to disintegrate upon contact. In the following activity, you will explore various space projects and programs.

MICROMETEOROIDS Tiny grains of rock and comet dust that travel through space at speeds of 30 to 60 kilometers per second.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

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Apollo 11On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 lifted off on

mankind’s first voyage to the surface of

another heavenly body with astronauts

Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael

Collins aboard. They safely reached lunar

orbit in three days, and on July 20, 1969,

Armstrong and Aldrin touched down on

the moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Collins

stayed in the Apollo command module,

docked with the lunar module, and brought

the crew safely home. Six Apollo missions

were successfully completed to the moon,

allowing a total of 12 astronauts to walk

on its surface.

MISSIONS: TO THE MOON OR BUST!

After the goal of landing on the Moon

was accomplished, that program came to

an end in 1971 because of our deepening

involvement in the Vietnam War and

social problems at home. The final Apollo

flight was the Apollo-Soyuz project, where

U.S. and Soviet Union spacecrafts docked

together on July 17, 1975 to end the space

race with the Russians.

GeminiThe Gemini Project, which began on March 23, 1965, had three broad objectives: 1. Prove that flights of two weeks’ duration were possible

2. Prove that men could live and work outside their spacecraft

3. Conduct rendezvous and docking missions which would be necessary during the upcoming moon missions

MercuryOne of the first projects designed to prepare the way

to the moon through training and testing astronauts to

travel and live in space was Project Mercury. Beginning

on October 7, 1958, Mercury’s goal was to send a

man into space and returning him safely to Earth.


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In addition to invaluable lessons learned about living and working in space, thousands of products that enhance our life here on earth have been developed because of information gained through the Shuttle program. List some of these products in the space below.

The Shuttle consists of an orbiter, one large external fuel tank, and two reusable solid rocket boosters. Five orbiters – Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Discovery, and Endeavour – were built and reused again and again. Sadly, two of these orbiters, Challenger and Columbia, were lost along with their crews. The remaining orbiters continued to complete missions until the program was phased out. The Shuttle Program came to a close when Atlantis touched down on July 21, 2011, completing 135 highly successful missions in 30 years.

Shuttle Program

With the Apollo project completed, Kennedy Space Center was

preparing to launch into low earth orbit a new breed of space craft,

the Shuttle, NASA’s reusable Space Transportation System. Since the

first launch on April 12, 1981, missions have included:

• Launching satellites into orbit and servicing these satellites

• Conducting scientific experiments while orbiting the Earth

• Helping to build and supply the International Space Station

• Shuttling crew members and supplies to and from the ISS

• Servicing the Hubble Telescope


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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER QUIZ1. What historic event took place on October 4, 1957? a. Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon. b. Sputnik 1, the first man-made object to orbit Earth, was launched by Russia. c. Alan Shepard became the first American launched into outer space. d. Disney launched a weekly television series called “Man in Space.”

2. Who was the first human to reach outer space? a. Alan Shepard b. John F. Kennedy c. John Glenn d. Yuri Gagarin

3. Space shuttles land like airplanes. How did America’s first space capsule land? a. It bounced on a huge trampoline at Cape Canaveral. b. It landed with a thud in the desert somewhere in New Mexico. c. It splashed down in the ocean. d. It didn’t. It is still orbiting the Earth.

4. How fast must a rocket go to remain in Earth’s orbit? a. 65 mph b. 17,500 mph c. Mach one d. Speed of light

5. When the Space Shuttle orbiter lands on Earth, there are designated landing places where they can land. Which is not a designated landing place?

a. Edwards Air Force Base in California b. Houston Space Center c. Kennedy Space Center d. White Sands, New Mexico

6. How do astronauts train for an EVA (extravehicular activity)? a. Join a circus for six months b. Scuba dive under water in space suits c. Take a machine shop class d. Use guide wires that allow you to float through the air


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7. Which of these animals has never been in space? a. Snail b. Dog c. Spider d. Squirrel

8. How can astronauts experience weightlessness on Earth for 30 seconds? a. Ride Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom® Park b. Close their eyes and spin 25 times c. Fly in parabolic curves in a modified jet airplane d. Jump off a very tall building

9. Astronauts on the Mercury Program, the first American program designed to take man to the moon, could not be taller than 5’11”.

a. True b. False

10. Three men made up the crew of Apollo 11, the first mission to land on the moon. Only two men landed. Who was left to orbit the moon in the command module?

a. Neil Armstrong b. Michael Collins c. Buzz Aldrin

11. The Russians picked Valentina Tereshkova to be the first woman in space because of her hobby. What was her hobby?

a. Deep-sea diving b. Piloting a jet c. Parachute jumping

12. An orbiter is extremely difficult to land. It is often referred to as a flying brick. Since it lands like a glider and has no engines to take off and try again, it requires tremendous skill and training to land. How many times must a shuttle pilot practice landing the orbiter in a simulator before being allowed to actually land?

a. A dozen times b. Until the pilot gets it right c. 1,000 times


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13. One outcome of our space exploration, in addition to the knowledge we have gained about our universe, is “spin-offs.” These are products that have been developed through experiments and adapted for use on Earth. Which one is not a spin-off from space?

a. Rubber bands b. Scratch-proof sunglasses c. Air cushioned athletic shoes d. Lightweight wires on orthodontic braces e. Velcro

14. Which of the names below was not the name of a Space Shuttle orbiter? a. Atlantis b. Endeavor c. Discovery d. Saturn e. Columbia f. Challenger


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Did you know that the place where Apollo 11 landed on the moon has a name? Where did it land?

Examine the Saturn V Rocket. How many stages does it contain? How many engines can you find?

What percentage of the Apollo spacecraft was rocket fuel? Why is this significant?

How many people have actually walked on the moon?

Is the lunar module at the center real? Explain.

What was the purpose of the lunar rover? Are there any still on the moon?

How fast does a spacecraft have to go to get into Earth’s orbit?

Can you find and touch an authentic moon rock? Name the Apollo crew that found this rock, then describe any thoughts you had after touching it.

Do you think that we should go back to the moon? Why or why not?


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SPACED OUT AT SATURN V CENTERUse the questions below to help you study your surroundings!

Alligators and Crocodiles

Gatorland Quiz

Invasion of Non-native species

GATORLAND®

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ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES

The Everglades is one of the only places in the world where you can see both alligators and crocodiles.

Both alligators and crocodiles are nocturnal animals that stalk their prey—fish, frogs, snakes, turtles, and birds—along shorelines rich with vegetation. For larger prey, these reptiles will drown their prey before eating it. The major difference between an alligator and a crocodile is the shape of the jaw. Alligators have a wide, u-shaped snout, like a shovel, while crocodiles have a more

pointed, v-shaped snout. This difference also impacts the placement of teeth. When an alligator’s mouth is closed, the bottom teeth are almost completely hidden while the top teeth hang down over the sides. Even though an alligator’s jaws are super-strong, once its mouth is closed its jaws can be held shut by bare human hands!

• Alligators have a rounded snout while crocodiles have a triangular snout.

• In alligators, the fourth lower tooth fits into a socket in the upper jaw. In crocodiles, this tooth can be seen when the mouth is closed.

•Alligators can tolerate colder weather than crocodiles.

What is the difference between an

alligator and a crocodile?

Gatorland®

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POP QUIZ!

As you explore the park, find the answers to these fascinating questions:

1 If an alligator or a crocodile is chasing you, what should you do? a. Run away as fast as you can b. Climb the nearest tree c. Run away in a zig-zag pattern to confuse it d. Lay down and act dead

2 How many eggs does the average alligator lay at one time? a. One egg b. 5-30 eggs c. 20-60 eggs d. 70-100 eggs

3 Approximately how long does it take alligator eggs to hatch? a. One hour b. 30 days c. 65 days d. One year

4 What determines the sex of alligator babies? a. Nothing, the nest always hatches half male, half female b. The size of the alligator mom’s snout c. The number of predators that attempt to harm the eggs d. The temperature of the nest

Gatorland®

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INVASION!

Why are non-native species a problem?Biodiversity is valued because it helps an ecosystem remain stable, especially during times of natural disaster. Things like water purification, pollination, soil fertility, diversity of life, and even the increased opportunity for medical discoveries all occur naturally because of the interdependencies of organisms within an ecosystem, or the ways in which the organisms rely on one another for survival.

However, when a non-native animal species becomes dominant, native species can eventually die off, disrupting the ecosystem’s natural functions. The same goes for non-native plant species—as non-native plants compete for space to grow and crowd out the native plants, animals that relied on the native plants for food and shelter might eventually die off, thus threatening the animals who relied on those animals, and so on and so on.

How does a non-native species become so disruptive?

What is being done in Florida (or other places around the world) to combat non-native species?

Some of Florida’s Invaders:

(clockwise, from left)

Melalucca Tree, Gambian Pouched Rat,

Feral Hogs, Lionfish

Gatorland®

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Roller Coaster Physics

Thrill Elements

MAGIC KINGDOM®

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ROLLER COASTER PHYSICS 101

May the G forces be with you!

Roller coasters are giant machines that run on gravity. A roller coaster gets to its highest point either by using a lift chain, or through a launch mechanism. Gravity pulls the coaster down the drops, and momentum, the energy that the train has gained, pushes it back up again. Have you ever noticed that when you look at a roller coaster, the loops and hills always decrease in size? That is because of friction. Friction is the surface resistance to the relative motion of solid surfaces. The friction of the wheels on the track slows down the train, so that it must go lower each time.

What makes a roller coaster so much fun is when your body experiences G forces, or gravity forces. One G force equals the normal gravity of Earth, so right now, you are experiencing 1 G force. If you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, in a 3 G environment you will weigh 300 pounds. In a -2 G environment, you would need 200 pounds to hold you down to the ground. In space, astronauts experience 0 G forces, so they are weightless. On a typical roller coaster, you can experience as much as a 4 G force to as little as a -1 G force. With the 4 G force—you guessed it—you feel much heavier. In fact, you feel four times heavier than normal. With the -1 G force, you body is actually trying to soar upwards while being pulled downward at the same time, which makes your body feel pushed back in your seat.

Train Mechanisms Roller coaster trains are sequences of two or more cars hooked together. The average roller coaster has four seats per car and five cars per train, for a potential total of

20 riders. No matter how the cars look, it is extremely rare for a train to derail, due to the wheel mechanism. There are three sets of wheels: the running wheel, which rests on top of the rail, the side friction wheel, which goes on the side of the rail, and the under-wheels, which go under the track. Each wheel set is attached to the train by pivotal attachments, so that the train can perform complex maneuvers.

Track and Supports There are many different forms of track. The corkscrew-style coaster has a center rail and two-wheel rails connected by metal that attach on the outside. Many types of tracks have two-wheel rails connected with across-girders. Supports are usually tubular and extend to the ground, where they are attached to concrete footers which are usually very large. With wood coasters, the supports are either made of wood or steel, both of which use complex interconnecting rails to provide a safe ride.

Magic Kingdom®

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Break Run A part of a track that is used to slow or stop a roller coaster train. It can be located anywhere on the track to maintain a coaster’s speed. Head Chopper Any point on the ride where a support structure appears to come very close to the passenger’s head. All head choppers are designed never to come in contact with a person’s limb, even when their hands are up.

Foot Chopper Like a head chopper, but for inverted coasters where the passengers’ feet appear to come very close to the ground or water.

Launch Track A section of a roller coaster (usually in the beginning) that launches a coaster train to its full speed in seconds. Lift Hill (Chain Hill) A section of a roller coaster (usually in the beginning) that lifts the train to its highest point.

BASIC THRILL ELEMENTS

Magic Kingdom®

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Batwing A heart-shaped roller coaster inversion that consists of two loops that turn riders upside down twice.

Butterfly Inversion Begins like a normal loop, but as the track goes up, it twists 45 degrees to one side or the other, and then when it is headed down, the track twists back. The maneuver is then repeated, but in reverse.

Cobra Roll A roller coaster inversion which resembles a cobra’s head. Riders traverse forward through an upwards half-vertical loop corkscrew perpendicular to the first direction, and then enter another corkscrew that merges into a downward half-vertical loop that exits in the parallel but opposite direction of the entrance.

Corkscrew A roller coaster inversion which most often resembles a loop that has been ‘widened’ in terms of the element’s entrance and exit points being a distance away from each other.

Diving Loop The track twists upwards and to the side, and then dives toward the ground in a half-vertical loop.

Heartline Roll A roller coaster inversion in which the rider performs a 360-degree roll.

Horseshoe Essentially a 180-degree turnaround with high banking so that riders are tilted at a 90-degree angle or more at the top of the element.

Overbanked Turn A turn or curve in which the track tilts beyond 90 degrees, usually in the 100-120 degree range.

Pretzel Loop Consists of a downward half-loop and upward half-loop. Since they overlap at the top, the entrance and exit points create the look of a pretzel, hence the name.

Raven Turn A half-inversion on a roller coaster that looks like half a loop followed by a drop and then levels out near the same height as it began. The raven turn is only usable on either flying roller coasters or 4D roller coasters and has, so far, only been used on two 4D coasters.

Top Hat An element common to launched coasters. A standard top hat consists of what is essentially a hill with a 90-degree ascent and descent.

Vertical Loop The most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360-degree circle.

Oblique Loop A 360-degree loop that has been tilted at an angle.

Zero-Gravity Roll This inversion is alternately called a “heartline spin” because its center of gravity is placed on the center of the rider’s heart, so that the rider can experience the feeling of weightlessness.

ADVANCED THRILL ELEMENTS

Magic Kingdom®

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Manatees

Sea Turtles

Sharks

Reef Life

STINGRAys

Killer Whales

SEAWORLD®

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MANATEES

Observe the manatees and decide for yourself: Are they mermaids or sea cows?

In 1493, Christopher Columbus sighted manatees near the Dominican Republic and thought they were mermaids. He described them “not half as beautiful as they are painted.” Mermaids, half-female and half-fish creatures, have been part of seafaring mythology since the time of the Ancient Greeks. A manatee’s squeals, used to communicate fear, stress, or excitement, may have been mistaken for mermaids singing. Historians believe that the “mermaids” spotted by sailors were most likely manatees. From afar, the manatee may take on the shape of a mermaid, but up close they live up to their nickname: sea cows. An adult manatee is 10 to 12 feet long and can weigh between 800 and 1,200 pounds! Like cows, they spend almost the entire day grazing and resting. But you can’t blame manatees for being chubby; they have a metabolism

so slow that it takes them seven days to digest their food! Observe the manatees and decide for yourself: Mermaids or sea cows?

Manatee Trivia• Manatees can hold their breath

underwater for up to 20 minutes.

• A mother manatee can hear her calf squeal from over 200 yards away.

• Manatees’ closest relatives are elephants and aardvarks.

• Manatees at SeaWorld remain in the care of SeaWorld staff until their eventual release back into their natural waters.

SeaWorld®

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THREATS TO SEA TURTLES

You can make a difference.

Human behaviors can harm sea turtles, many of which are often the result of carelessness. Boat propellers can cause cuts or gashes to tender turtle heads and even their hard shells. Trash can also be a serious problem. When a turtle sees a colorful piece of plastic garbage floating in the water, they often confuse it for food and try to eat it. This can damage a turtle’s internal organs and block digestive passages, potentially leading to starvation.

Bycatching is another threat to sea turtles. Bycatching occurs when turtles accidentally get caught in fishermen’s nets or trap lines intended for other animals like shrimp or lobster. Because turtles move their flippers in circular motions, they often wind the netting tighter and tighter around their flipper when trying to escape. Although these injuries can lead to amputation, turtles can swim successfully with the loss of one flipper.

Fibropapilloma (FP) is a disease afflicting sea turtles and other animals around the world. A major symptom of FP is a large black- or white-colored growth, which resembles a cauliflower-shaped wart. The growths can

be small or large, and can be particularly dangerous when located on or near turtles’ eyes. The growth obstructs their vision and threatens their ability to survive. The only way to treat a turtle with external FP is to remove the tumors through surgery. FP growths can also occur on turtles’ internal organs, in which case there is no known remedy. Scientists are still researching the cause of FP, but it is believed to originate from some version of the herpes virus.

A boat propeller gashed this turtle’s shell.

Even if you don’t live near the ocean where sea turtles are, here are some

suggestions for what you can do to help promote sea turtle survival:

1. REDUCE packing that ends up in the landfill by buying in bulk.2. REUSE old containers and packaging from your every day purchases.3. RECYCLE all plastics, glass, and metals where facilities exist.4. CLEAN UP—participate in and/or organize projects for roads, parks, and beaches.5. EAT SUSTAINABLY—buy only sustainably harvested seafood.

SeaWorld®

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SHARKS IN DANGER

Humans are more threatening to sharks than sharks are to us.

The Truth about Sharks Many people think that sharks are murderous eating machines. But, as a matter of fact, some species of sharks only eat two percent of their body weight each day, which is less than what the average human consumes.

The popularity of beach tourism has caused sharks and humans to come into contact more than ever. Humans are guests to the ocean’s ecosystem and need to be aware that sharks can mistake humans for prey. Most shark attacks are hit-and-run incidents resulting in only cuts and bruises, because the shark retreats after realizing that the human is not a tasty sea lion or fish.

While shark attacks result in only five to 15 human fatalities each year around the world, 20 to 100 million sharks die each year due to fishing. Shark fin soup is an Asian delicacy that involves cutting off a shark’s dorsal fin

and then throwing the body back into the ocean to die.

Conservation Sharks are particularly vulnerable to over-fishing because they have long lives, they take years to mature, and they give birth to very few young at a time. Sharks are also threatened by pollution, oil spills, and toxic waste. It can take decades for shark populations to recover. Shark conservation groups support research and education, implement Fishery Management Plans, and pursue international and domestic conservation agreements.

Shark conservation groups include: • Ocean Conservancy• IUCN Shark Specialist Group• NOAA Fisheries: Sharks• National Coalition for Marine Conservation• World Wildlife Fund: Ocean Rescue• Marine Fish Conservation Network

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REEF LIFE

There is much more to the coral reef ecosystem than gorgeous underwater views and brightly colored fish. Indeed, there are many organisms that depend on each other for survival that call the reef their home.

Use what you have learned to identify each of the following creatures of the reef and explain their roles in the reef ecosystem.

SAVE OUR LIVING CORAL REEFS!

Like other organisms, coral are living creatures and can become threatened when conditions in their environment make it difficult to survive. When ocean temperatures become too warm, the algae that give coral their vibrant colors leave, exposing the coral as white, an effect called bleaching. Unfortunately, coral bleaching has become such a pervasive problem, it can even be photographed from space. Sadly, coral bleaching is an indication that the coral is going to die.

Think about it:• What factors contribute to warmer ocean temperatures, and thus coral death? • What is the larger impact of coral death on the surrounding ecosystem? Will it impact you?

Why or why not?

____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ________________________________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

SeaWorld®

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STINGRAYS

Despite their aggressive-sounding name and the fact that they are most closely related to sharks, stingrays are actually docile creatures and only attack defensively when startled or disturbed. Observe the rays’ swimming motion, then describe it in the space below.What does it remind you of?

CHALLENGE HOW RAYS ADAPT

Camouflage

Defense

Hunting

Youth survival

SeaWorld®

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Like other marine creatures, rays have their own unique adaptations for aquatic life. Explain some of these features in the space below.

KILLER WHALES - RULER OF THE SEAS

Whether you get splashed by Shamu at SeaWorld or not, try to determine some of the adaptations that have made the killer whale the most feared predator of the sea.

CHALLENGE HOW KILLER WHALES ADAPT

Camouflage How does the killer whale’s unique coloring help it approach prey in the wild? (Hint: think about what the whale would look like from all angles)

Cold temperatures

What do you notice about the whale’s shape?

Oxygen levels when diving

Humans can only dive but so deep without causing damage to lungs and other organs. How do killer whales (who are mammals, like humans) manage to dive deeper? In the wild, why might they need to dive deep?

Sleeping in the sea

Do newborn killer whales need more or less sleep than their parents? Why? How is it possible for killer whales to sleep in the water?

SeaWorld®

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Tree of Life

Endangered and Extinct Species

ANIMAL KINGDOM®

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THE TREE OF LIFE

The Tree of Life represents the beauty and diversity of all the plant and animal life on Earth. It shows how we are connected to and dependent on each other for survival.

Amidst the rides and exciting exhibits at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, be sure to take a stroll through Habitat Habit!® in Rafiki’s Planet Watch® to collect some tips on how you can provide much-needed animal habitats around your own home. This will ensure that the vital connection between people and animals imagined and implemented at Animal Kingdom can translate into harmony in your own backyard.

Record what you learn about the following backyard habitat topics below so that when you return home you can work to attract and provide shelter for wildlife in your region, whether you live in the city, country, or suburbs:

Birds, Bats, and Bees

Native Plants vs. Invasive Plants

Water and Shelter

Pets

Other Landscape Features

Animal Kingdom®

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ENDANGERED AND EXTINCT SPECIES

Scientists strongly believe that today’s rate of extinction is much higher than the natural rate—about 1,000 times higher than it was before humans appeared on Earth.

The primary force driving current extinctions is habitat destruction, whether through pollution, climate change, or development for human land use. Hunting, the introduction of non-native species, and the spread of disease also pose significant risks to the planet’s biological heritage.

In response to the extinction epidemic, conservationists began identifying animal and plant species that are “endangered,” and then grouping them according to the severity of threats to their survival. Internationally, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is the most widely accepted standard for classifying threatened species and monitoring their progress. It uses the following categories:

Status Definition Examples

EXTINCT Last remaining individual of the species has died

Dinosaurs, dodo bird, passenger pigeon, Japanese sea lion, Tasmanian tiger

EXTINCT IN THE WILDOnly survives in captivity,

reintroduced populations, or outside its native habitat

Wyoming toad, Hawaiian crow,black soft-shell turtle, Socorro dove

CRITICALLYENDANGERED

Faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

Red wolf, Chinese alligator, angel shark, black rhinoceros, California condor

ENDANGERED Faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild

Giant panda, orangutan, Grevy’s zebra, gorilla, blue whale, brown kiwi

VULNERABLE Faces a high risk of extinctionin the wild

African lion, giant anteater, polar bear, hippopotamus, American crocodile

NEAR THREATENEDDoes not face a high risk of extinction, but is likely to be

threatened in the near future

Emperor penguin, jaguar, Gila monster, leopard, box turtle

LEAST CONCERN Species is thriving,widespread, and abundant

Grey seal, naked mole-rat,American beaver, giraffe, bald eagle

The IUCN Red List

Animal Kingdom®

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After reviewing the chart on the previous page, write down the IUCN Red List conservation status of each animal below.

American crocodile ____________________________________________________________

African lion ___________________________________________________________________

Naked mole-rat _______________________________________________________________

Giant anteater ________________________________________________________________

Gorilla_________________________________________________________________________

Dinosaur ______________________________________________________________________

Animal Kingdom®

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Director for a Day

Movie Magic

3D Movies

Film Industry Lingo

The Human Eye

Video Game Physics

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS®

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DIRECTOR FOR A DAY

Channel your inner filmmaker and be inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood, showcased at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

During the 1930s and 1940s, eight major studios produced 95% of all American films. This time period is known as the heyday of American cinema, with 80 million Americans going to see at least one film per week. This era came to an end in the late 1940s, when antitrust laws broke up the studios, and American audiences were drawn away from the cinema by the invention of television.

The Walt Disney Story The Walt Disney Company was born on October 16, 1923, when Walt Disney and his brother Roy opened a cartoon studio. The first Mickey Mouse cartoon premiered in 1928 with what was then a revolutionary film technology—synchronized sound. Until the early 1950s, all of Disney’s artwork was done by hand. For an animated film, all drawings were traced by “inkers” and “painters,” and then moved to the camera department to be photographed. In the mid-1950s, Disneyland® was created and a live-action production unit was formed.

The Disney Channel® is now the company’s fastest growing segment, thanks to teen stars like Debby Ryan, Bella Thorne, Zendaya, Ross Lynch, and Laura Marano. These stars are also using their fame for good by supporting a green cause with Disney’s “Friends for Change,” an initiative that helps kids preserve the planet and make an impact. Apply for a Disney Friends for Change Grant, participate in a Disney Planet Challenge, or vote on how Disney should invest $1 million towards various environmental causes.

The Walt Disney Company’s success is based on its ability to produce films and television shows that inspire imagination, wonder, and laughter. Disney’s popularity, particularly among today’s youth, comes with a civic responsibility to make a positive and social impact with their films. Recent Disney films like WALL-E and Earth are strong commentaries on the importance of sustainability and the preservation of our planet’s diverse wildlife.

Hollywood Studios®

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MOVIE MAGIC

Welcome to the fascinating world of animation!

Movies, advertisements, and even cell phone apps are now so ingrained into our society that we often take for granted the art and hard work that it took to make them a part of our everyday lives. At the Magic of Disney Animation attraction, you can examine more closely the behind-the-scenes workings of animation in action.

History Arguably, the concept of using art to show motion has existed for thousands of years. Look closely at this mural from ancient Egypt depicting a wrestling match. Of course, during ancient times, there was no device like a television, by which people could view the pictures in motion, so it was up to the viewer to create the storyline in his or her head.

Try it! Stop MotionGather some friends and plan a short skit using movement. Use a digital camera to capture the movement of the scene with your friends in a series of photographs (such as a hug in motion or an unusual dance). When finished, play back the images on your camera. Click from image to image as fast as you can to give the illusion of movement in your photos.

Try it! Make a flip bookUsing a stack of post-it notes, draw a series of images, one on each post-it, in the bottom left or right corner of the paper. Try drawing sequential movements, such as a person walking or a face changing expressions, or even a more complex story. The important thing is to make each drawing only slightly different from the previous one so that the movement seems realistic when you “animate” it by fanning the pages to see your drawing come to life.

More recently, with the development of cameras, individuals could animate images by taking a series of photographs very quickly and then playing them back very quickly to show movement of the subject. Today, this is known as stop motion.

For animated cartoons, it used to be that artists had to draw every frame of the motion sequence by hand so that the cartoon character’s movement would seem realistic. Today, computers assist animators in this process and enable them to manipulate movement in even more ways—even in 3D!

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HOW DO 3D MOVIES WORK?

To understand how 3D movies work, you first have to understand a little bit about the way human eyes are designed to see.

Simply, each eye sees a separate image. Your brain takes these two images and converges them into one image, producing what you see as “normal” and helping you to understand

how far away objects are. This process, called parallax, happens so fast that you don’t even notice it (and it’s a good thing too—otherwise we might all be walking around with headaches all day!).

To trick your eyes into giving depth to objects that don’t really have depth (such as an image on a screen), filmmakers actually project two images in 3D movies. This is why, if you take off your 3D glasses during a 3D movie, the image on

the screen looks blurry. With the help of specially designed glasses, your brain puts together the two images that your eyes see and launches you into that third dimension.

Older versions of 3D involved projecting two images from one projector—one image in red and one in blue. Wearing the corresponding red and blue anaglyph glasses filters out the red and blue colors and helps your brain piece together the two images into a three-dimensional image. More recently, with the advent of digital 3D, polarized glasses have a similar effect, but there is no need to filter the color of the images.

What does this new technology mean for animators? First of all, they must determine what aspects of a character’s motions they want to appear in 3D and how. To do this, animators often create actual models of their characters, called maquettes, to help them understand how the animated character will move.

What else can you learn about animation techniques at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Use this space to record any other things you learn about the film industry or doodle your sketch for a new animated character during your time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

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A. Artist

B. Backdrop

C. Location

D. Atmosphere

E. Art Director

F. Dressed Set

G. Exterior

H. Façade

I. Interior

J. Props

K. Scenes

L. Sound Stage

M. Special Effects

N. Strike a Set

1. Person who prepares all of the sketches and designs for production, including set construction and design

2. Performer

3. A numbered section of a script intended to be shot on one set

4. All scenes shot inside of a building

5. All scenes shot outside of a building

6. A “hot set,” ready for filming

7. A large panel painted to simulate an actual location in the background

8. Soundproof building in which shooting is done

9. The taking apart of a set after shooting is completed

10. “Trick photography” using models, split screens, multiple images, etc.

11. The moveable items used on a set

12. Any action appearing in the background of a shot

13. A French word meaning “front part,” used in film to describe the fronts of buildings, stores, and houses

14. A place outside of the studio lot where the company is shooting

FILM INDUSTRY LINGO

Match the word or phrase to its meaning.

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THE HUMAN EYE—NATURE’S CAMERA

The eyeball has a structure very similar to its offspring: the camera.

Light is refracted as it enters the cornea, the transparent opening at the front of the eyeball. The pupil has a function similar to the aperture of a camera: It is an opening through which light can enter. The iris muscles, like the diaphragm on a camera, open and close slightly to control the amount of light entering. The lens on a human eye and the lens on a camera determine the focal length, the distance between the lens and the point at which the lens will focus light. In the eye, the lens is made up of layers of fibrous material, and the ciliary muscles relax and contract to change the shape of the lens. The choroid in the human eye and the black internal surface of the camera serve the purpose of absorbing light. The retina has photoreceptors for processing images, much like the film in a camera.

Luckily, you don’t have to pay anyone to develop your eye’s film. Images are processed through the optic nerve, which detects frequencies of light and sends nerve impulses to the brain.

The camera’s lens differs because it is stationary or unmoving, lacking the flexible muscles of the eye. The ciliary muscles change focal length in the eye, but the camera’s only focusing tool is to change the distance between the lens of the camera and the film. Cameras have long “telephoto” lenses for magnifying images and short “wide-angle” lenses for creating a broader view that deepens space.

film ___________________ retina

diaphragm _______________ iris

aperture _______________ pupil

lens ____________________ lens

black paint ___________ choroid

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VIDEO GAME PHYSICS

Video games simulate Newtonian physics to make the virtual world more realistic.

Disney Interactive Studios has transformed many of their popular films into video games, including Cars, Enchanted, Bolt, and Hannah Montana the Movie. Video games simulate Newtonian physics to make the virtual world more realistic. A “physics engine” is used to generate mass, velocity, and friction. Rigid forms and soft bodies like clothing, hair, and water are simulated to react to friction, gravity, collisions, and wind. Physics engines have become so advanced that characters in a game can react to one another based on behaviors, rather than set animations.

The Nintendo Wii® controller is an excellent example of video game physics. The Wii

remote is the primary controller for the console. It uses a combination of built-in gyroscopes, accelerometers, and infrared detection to sense its position in 3D space when pointed at the LEDs within the Sensor Bar. This design allows users to control the game using physical gestures as well as traditional button presses.

GYROSCOPE A device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum

ACCELEROMETER A device that measures the acceleration an object experiences relative to freefall

“Red-eye” occurs when a flash photograph is taken in dim light and the pupil is dilated. The pupil does not constrict fast enough to reduce the amount of light entering the eye from the flash of the camera. This results in light reflecting back out of the eye. It appears red because the light is reflecting off the choroid, a layer of tissue at the back of

the eye that contains lots of red blood vessels. It can be prevented by avoiding dim lighting or buying a camera that has red-eye reduction, which emits a brief flash of light before the picture is taken that allows the pupil to constrict. People with blue eyes are more likely to get red-eye in photographs because their irises let more light through.

What causes “red-eye” in a photograph?

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ACTION FIGURE: NATURE DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHER

The camera crews that filmed the hit documentary series Planet Earth went to extreme lengths to show audiences the immense beauty of the natural world and the importance of preserving it.

Planet Earth was filmed over the course of five years in more than 200 locations, in 62 countries, by about 70 cameramen and women. The crew had to endure some of the most extreme environments on the globe, from the frigid Antarctic tundra to Africa’s sweltering Danakil Desert.

They captured many never-before-seen shots for nature photography, including the now infamous super-slow-motion video of a Great White Shark leaping from the water to devour a seal. For this video, the camera crew used an ultra-high-speed camera usually used to film car crashes to slow down the action to 40 times its normal speed.

Being a nature photographer is challenging both physically and mentally and requires a great deal of patience and creativity. One of Planet Earth’s aerial cameramen, Mark Kelem (who previously did camera work in the movies Mission: Impossible III and Black Hawk Down), had to learn to operate a camera attached to the bottom of a helicopter controlled by a joystick in order to film some shots from the sky. One of the best ways to work towards becoming a nature photographer is to take lots and lots of photos or film footage. Look through books or online galleries of other photographers’ work in order to find inspiration for your own shots and train your photographer’s eye.

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ECO-PEDIAAdaptation An adjustment or change in the physiology, structure, or behavior of an organism to become more suited to its environment

Amphibian An endothermic vertebrate that spends its early development in water and its adulthood on land, only returning to the water to reproduce

Aquifers Groundwater stored in porous rock that transmits water to wells and springs: the permeability of the rock and precipitation affect the recharge rate of the aquifer and the speed at which the groundwater is pushed up into springs

Benthic Ecology The study of bottom-dwelling organisms in marine ecosystems; important for recycling nutrients and decomposition

Biodiversity A wide range of organisms coexisting within a particular habitat, or in the world as a whole

Buoyancy An object’s flotation based on its weight and the amount of water it displaces • Negatively buoyant—An object sinks because it

displaces less water than it weighs. Ex: a steel nail• Positively buoyant—An object floats because

it displaces more water than it weighs. Ex: a basketball

• Neutrally buoyant—An object is weightless because the amount of water displaced is equal to its weight. Ex: Divers use weight belts to make themselves neutrally buoyant to explore the ocean floor without floating to the top or sinking to the bottom where they could damage coral or other marine life on the ocean floor.

Condensation Clouds formed when humid air reaches high altitudes

Conservation The responsible use of resources to sustain the environment

Choroid A light-absorbing layer of blood vessels at the back of the eye Core The center of earth where heat is continuously produced; it is made up of a solid iron core and an outer core consisting of hot melted rock called magma

Cornea Transparent tissue covering the front of the eye

Crust The outermost layer of the Earth that forms continents and ocean floors; 3-5 miles thick under the ocean and 15-35 miles thick on land

Dichotomous Key A classification tool used in the biological sciences to identify organisms based on quantitative (numerical values) and qualitative (physical descriptions) characteristics

Dilated Made wider or larger

Ecological Niches Microhabitats to which organisms adapt, usually referring to how they acquire food

Ecosystem Dynamic relationship between all living and nonliving things; L.A.W.S.: Light, Atmosphere, Water, Soil

Ectotherm Animals whose body temperature changes according to the environment, ex: reptiles and amphibians

End Effector The grasping end of a robot arm

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Endangered Species Species like the manatee that are threatened with extinction; the Endangered Species Act requires the U.S. federal government to identify and protect these species and their habitats

Endotherm An animal whose body temperature is regulated through controlled internal heat, like mammals

Estuary A sheltered area on the coast where fresh and salt water meet

Evaporation Water from lakes, rivers, and oceans turned into water vapor by the heat of the sun; the resulting humid air is drawn upward through convection

Extinction The permanent loss of a species; the largest threats are in Florida, from habitat destruction through air and water pollution, draining of wetlands, and the clearing of forests for human development

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Work done outside the Space Shuttle or the International Space Station by an astronaut wearing a spacesuit; also called a spacewalk

Floridian Aquifer Drinkable water deposited underground through rainfall

Focal Length The distance between the lens and the point at which the lens will focus light

Friction Surface resistance to relative motion, as of a body sliding or rolling

Groundwater Drinkable water stored underground in aquifers

Habitat The natural home of an organism where the species is as adaptive as possible to its environment

International Space Station (ISS) A giant Earth-orbiting laboratory and home in space constructed by the United States and 15 other nations

Invertebrates Animals that have no spinal columns and use other means of support, such as shells or exoskeletons; 98% of species on Earth are invertebrates, and some of the most common are sponges, mollusks (soft body and hard shell: snails, clams, slugs), and arthropods (exoskeleton, segmented body with appendages on every segment: crustaceans like crabs, lobsters, shrimp)

Iris Circular band of muscles that controls the size of the pupil and gives eyes their “color”

Kinetic Energy The energy of a body or a system with respect to the motion of the body or of the particles in the system

Lacustrine Bordering a lake

Lens Flexible, transparent tissue that bends light passing through the eye and focuses an image

Magnetic Field The magnetic region surrounding the Earth, with the magnetic poles near the North and South poles

Mammal An endothermic vertebrate that has a four-chambered heart, fur or hair covering its skin, and young that aremilk-fed from their mothers’ bodies

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Mantle The 1,800-mile layer of the Earth that surrounds the Earth’s core; made up of magma and rock

Marine Shorelines, shallows, and sea beds

Mass The amount of material in an object

Micrometeoroid Tiny bits of space rock and comet dust traveling very rapidly through space

Module A separate laboratory or living quarters that can be linked to the International Space Station to make it larger

Optic Nerve Nerve at the back of the eye that detects light frequencies and sends nerve impulses to the brain to process images

Orbit The path of an object or celestial body as it revolves around another body

Palustrine Forested (swamps and marshes)

Parallax Half of the angle formed by a star in an imaginary triangle with lines connecting the star’s position on one side of the Earth’s orbit and its position on the opposite side of the orbit; it is used to calculate a star’s distance from the EarthDistance[in cm] = [Earth-Sun distance in cm]/[parallax in radians]

Payload The cargo or scientific experiment carried to space on a rocket

Percolation/Infiltration Process by which water travels underground through tiny cracks in the soil and fills holes in the limestone, refreshing groundwater supply which flows out through springs

Plate Tectonics The theory that Earth’s outer shell is made up of a series of oceanic and continental plates about 50 miles thick, called the lithosphere, which move in response to convection currents within the mantle; the interaction between plates at their boundaries form islands and mountain ranges, and can also cause seafloor spreading, earthquakes, and volcanic activity. There are three different types of boundaries:• Divergent: the plates spread apart, causing

seafloor spreading as new material is added to the oceanic plates

• Convergent: plates meet and one is dragged down, or subducted, beneath the other (also called subduction zones)

• Transform Fault: one plate slides alongside another, ex: The San Andreas Fault Zone

Precipitation Falling products of condensation in the atmosphere, such as rain, snow, or hail

Propellant A solid or liquid that burns in a rocket engine to produce thrust for the rocket

Pupil Hole in the middle of the eye that light passes through

Rainforest A tropical forest with heavy rainfall of over 2.5 meters a year

Recharge Basin Land area where rainwater is absorbed through percolation and replenishes springs

Refract To deflect or change path

Reptile An ectothermic vertebrate with lungs and scaly skin

Retina Layer of tissue on the back of the eye containing cells that respond to light (photoreceptors)

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Riparian Freshwater alongside rivers and streams

Runoff Phenomenon that occurs when water cannot be absorbed, as with clay, and flows into bodies of water; in Florida, rainfall usually soaks directly through sand and limestone bedrock

Shuttle Orbiter The winged vehicle occupied by astronauts and designed to carry payloads into space; the only component of the Shuttle that orbits Earth; takes off like a rocket, orbits like a space ship, and lands like a glider

Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) Two white rocket components that are affixed to the external fuel tank; contain solid fuel that provides 75% of the Space Shuttle thrust at lift-off; jettisoned approximately two minutes after lift-off

Space Debris Earth-orbiting fragments from rockets and satellites that present a collision hazard with space walkers and spacecraft

Species A group of organisms that can mate with each other and produce offspring which can breed

Speleogenesis During percolation, the formation of carbonic acid in water from exposure to carbon dioxide and dying vegetation; the acidic water dissolves limestone as it travels through cracks to form caves and caverns underground

Springs A water resource formed when a body of groundwater is intersected at or below the water table or surface, causing water to overflow from an aquifer onto the land; the amount of water flowing from a stream depends on the size of the basin, the water pressure in the aquifer, and the amount of precipitation

Surface Water Water on top of the ground in oceans, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and streams

Sustainability Using Earth’s resources without depleting them or harming natural cycles; ensuring that Earth’s resources will last for future generations

Taxonomic Classification Scientific classification of organisms from the largest category of classification (Kingdom) to the smallest (Species) Kingdom>Phylum>Class>Order>Family>Genus>Species Here’s an acronym to help you remember: King Phillip Came Over From Great Spain

Transpiration Process by which plants absorb water from the soil, removing nutrients and pollutants, then “breathe” it back into the atmosphere through leaves and stems

Velocity The measurement of the rate and direction of motion

Vertebrates Animals that have a vertebral column or spine, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish

Water Column A vertical section of ocean, lake, or river

Water Cycle Precipitation>Infiltration/ Percolation>Evaporation>Condensation

Wetland An ecosystem located betweenland and open water where land is saturated or soaked with water, trapping silt and sediment carried in by rivers; a plentiful area providing breeding and hatching grounds for aquatic creatures

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