florida: science in motion · 2016-06-16 · florida: science in motion sometimes those classroom...

DISCOVERY JOURNAL

Florida: Science in Motion

AcknowledgmentsThis Science in Motion Discovery Journal features activities developed by the WorldStrides staff in surveying the best available science 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, SeaWorld® Orlando, and Nature’s Academy.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCYIf 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 800-999-4542This number should be used for emergencies only. When you call, please be prepared to give your name, the number you are calling from, your location, your group name or teacher’s name, and the reason for the call. The person you speak with will give you further instructions.©WorldStrides 06/16 KMBD0086 P1368

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IntroductionMy WorldStrides Science in Motion Discovery Journal

My Name

My Program Leader’s Name

My Course Leader’s Name

Dates of My WorldStrides Program

My Hotel

My Customer / Traveler ID#

Trip ID#

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Discovery for Credit ..............................................vTake a LEAP with Us! ...........................................viUsing Your Discovery Journal ............................viiLet’s Get Social ...................................................viiiSymbols to Your Discovery Journal ...................viiiAdventure Photography ......................................ix

Epcot®About Epcot ......................................................... 1Feeding the World .............................................. 2What is an Ecological Footprint? ........................ 3How to Take Action ............................................. 4Alternative Energy .............................................. 5Renewable Energy .............................................. 6Types of Biomass ................................................. 7How It Works: Fireworks ................................... 8How to Photograph Fireworks ........................... 9World Showcase ................................................ 10

Island AdventuresWhat’s DeSoto Got To Do With It? ................... 18Exotic Species .................................................... 19Kayaking ............................................................. 20Mangrove Observation ..................................... 21Snorkeling 101 ................................................... 22Action Figure: Diving for Shark Conservation . 24Sharks ................................................................. 25The Spiny Dogfish .............................................. 29

Introduction

Lessons & Activity Journal

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Table of Contents

WonderWorks™Magic by Any Other Name... ............................. 32WonderWorks Scavenger Hunt: 1st level ......... 34WonderWorks Scavenger Hunt: 2nd level ....... 35

Kennedy Space CenterSpace Fashion .................................................... 37Mission: To the Moon or Bust! ......................... 38Action Figure: NASA Flight

Director, Bobak Ferdowski .......................... 40Kennedy Space Center Quiz .............................. 41Spaced Out at Saturn V Center ......................... 44

Conservation Up CloseAlligators and Crocodiles .................................. 46Pop Quiz! ........................................................... 47Invasion! ............................................................ 48Endangered Reptiles ......................................... 49

Magic Kingdom®Roller Coaster Physics 101 ................................ 51Advanced Thrill Elements ................................. 53

SeaWorld®Manatees ........................................................... 55Threats to Sea Turtles ........................................ 56Stingrays............................................................. 57Dolphins ............................................................. 58Career Corner: Marine Mammal Training ....... 60Sharks in Danger ............................................... 61Killer Whales - Rulers of the Seas ..................... 62Reef Life ............................................................. 63Species Interdependence .................................. 65Save Our Living Coral Reefs! ............................. 66

Animal Kingdom®The Tree of Life .................................................. 68Endangered and Extinct Species....................... 69Eco-pedia® ......................................................... 71Florida Map ....................................................... 75Notes .................................................................. 77

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Introduction

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Introduction

High School Credit Details

— No additional cost.

— Deadline for completing coursework is six months from the return date of travel.

— Upon successful completion of coursework, WorldStrides will mail you your transcript.

College Credit Details — Discounted tuition rate

based on the number of credits you wish to earn.

— Deadline for completing coursework is six months from the return date of travel.

— You can request an official transcript via the partner university.

Discovery for CreditYour WorldStrides journey is going to be a fun, amazing educational experience. You will see and do many new things, and we believe you should definitely get credit for everything you’re going to learn! That’s why WorldStrides offers a special Discovery for Credit option with each of our programs. Your entire trip is built around an accredited WorldStrides program that gives you the opportunity to earn high school or even college credit by completing post-trip online coursework.

What is Discovery for Credit?Discovery for Credit is comprised of online activities offered together with your travel program. All content has been specially developed by the WorldStrides Curriculum & Academics team to help you take the valuable lessons you learn while traveling and incorporate them into your ongoing education.

How does it work?To access Discovery for Credit, go to worldstrides.com and follow the academic credit links to create a student account using your Trip ID and Customer Account Number. Once you are logged in, you can access our Discovery for Credit Dashboard to enroll in courses and preview the online assignments that go with them. After travel, you’ll use your trip experiences to complete the assignments in your course. If you have any questions while you work, our WorldStrides Online Instructors are standing by to help! Need help logging in? Contact Customer Support at 800-468-5899.

*To best facilitate the transfer of credit earned, WorldStrides recommends that students and parents inquire about their high school’s transfer credit policy, in case additional paperwork is requested prior to beginning coursework. Our Director of Curriculum & Academics encourages students to submit their WorldStrides transcripts in addition to their main high school transcript as part of their college applications. Having an extra transcript is a great way to showcase the learning you’ve done outside of your regular school program.

For more information, visit worldstrides.com

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Sometimes those classroom walls can be confining. Reading books and looking at pictures is not the same as firsthand, upfront and personal experience. That’s where WorldStrides comes in…

When you begin your WorldStrides program, you are embarking on a whole new educational journey. Your trip’s Course Leader can’t wait to bring your destination to life with WorldStrides’ unique educational philosophy, LEAP—Learning through Exploration and Active Participation. LEAP isn’t a lesson plan, it’s a way of being that embodies a hands-on, exploratory approach to travel and learning.

Not LEAPLEAP

Take a LEAP with Us!With the LEAP approach, your Course Leader will:

— Turn up the volume and connect with you. Your Course Leader wants to talk WITH you...not AT you!

— Spark curiosity with active instruction that engages you through hands-on experience.

— Tailor your experience because this trip is about you! You are a key ingredient. It will reflect your interests and be as unique as you are!

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Introduction

You are probably familiar with the Scientific Method from your science classes. The Scientific Method includes several major steps:

A OITC NAsk A Question Collect Info Test It Out Investigate Offer A Solution Next Steps

Taking Action

1. Ask a question 2. Conduct research

3. Form a hypothesis 4. Perform an experiment

5. Analyze your results 6. Develop a conclusion

During your WorldStrides program, the ACTION steps will take you beyond the Scientific Method to transform you into a conservation activist! ACTION steps are more than just basic scientific questioning. They encourage you to evaluate the ways you interact with the natural world and develop a plan for improving it.

Using Your Discovery JournalGeneral adviceTo make the best use of your Discovery Journal on your WorldStrides program:

— Personalize your journal! This is your research, thoughts, and observations. They are unique to you and reflect your individual perspective.

— Write with as much detail as possible! There is plenty of space throughout the journal to take notes or sketch. If you run out of space, use the notes section at the end of the journal.

— Be prepared! Bring your Discovery Journal with you for every activity in the field. Your program will have planned and spontaneous opportunities to use your Discovery Journal.

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Let’s Get SocialShare your travel photos and videos and favorite memories with us! Here are some tips on safely sharing your photos with us:

— Tag us! We are listed as @WorldStrides on Instagram and Twitter!

— Use the hashtags #BestTripEver and #WorldStrides so we can find your shots—we share our favorites on our own social media channels!

— Hashtag and tag the places you’re visiting, too! Are you in Florida? Use #WorldStrides and #Florida.

— Share your photos and favorite memories with your friends.

— Be smart about what you share. Don’t post personal information or details about hotel accommodations. Also, don’t engage in conversation with people you don’t know on social media. Have fun and share your photos, but be smart!

Symbols to Your Discovery JournalCareer CornerEver thought about being a veterinarian? What about a marine biologist? Throughout your journey, you’ll find people who pursue some exciting career paths. Career Corner highlights a few of these interesting occupations so you can take a closer look behind the scenes.

Action Figures: Throughout your trip, you’ll meet people who practice a variety of exciting careers. Whether it’s a profession that you’ve never heard of or one you’ve dreamed of pursuing, you can read more about these unique jobs in the career section. You may even be inspired to learn more about these careers when you return home.

Write It Down!There is so much to take in while on your travel

program! The sites, sounds, and smells are sure to inspire you during your trip. Use the available spaces to write down what excites you, scares you, makes you happy, stumps you, or maybe you just want to remember something for when you return—write it down!

LEAPLearning Through Exploration & Active Participation

It would be difficult to cover the entirety of your destination in a few days, but we can try! These adventures will take you off the beaten path and onto the road to discovery. Learn your way by interacting with the people and animals, eating the food, mapping your route, and much more!

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Introduction

Adventure PhotographyAs you float down the river, use an underwater camera to document your journey. Be creative with the pictures you take. Try to create a narrative with your pictures that will help you document the experience. Before you gear up to go, check out these photography tips:

Use flash outdoorsIt seems like a flash would be the last thing you need on a bright day but the sun can cast harsh shadows and your flash will fill in the shadows. When taking pictures of people on sunny days, turn your flash on. You may have a choice of fill-flash mode or full-flash mode. Both are good on a sunny day.

Move in closeA common mistake is being too far away from your subject. Get close! Your goal is to fill the picture area with the subject you are photographing. Up close, you can reveal more about your subject. If you can, don’t rely on the zoom to move in. You’ll get a better, sharper photo if you physically move closer to your subject rather than zooming in.

Find a simple background to use A simple background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you look through the

camera viewfinder, find an area surrounding your subject that is not complicated. Make sure no poles grow from the head of your subject and that your subject isn’t sharing the spotlight with something else.

Move it from the middleThe middle of your picture is not always the best place for your subject. Bring your picture to life by simply moving your subject away from the middle of your picture. Imagine a tick-tack-toe grid in your viewfinder (see the image below). Now place your important subject at one of the intersections of lines. You’ll need to lock the focus if you have an auto-focus camera because most of them focus on whatever is in the center of the viewfinder.

BE READY! It’s the worst feeling in the world to have something happening when you’re not ready, your camera is in your bag, turned off, or set to the wrong settings. Usually you know if you are planning on shooting photos at an event. Have a practice drill for getting your camera out quickly. Settings need to change when the lighting does. Take a few practice shots with your settings adjusted before the action happens.

How to be an adventure photographer

It’s all about telling a story, and having a front row seat to the ACTION! Taking a great picture requires technique and getting close. Use a hip pack or shoulder strap so your camera is accessible. But remember, no photo is worth risking your safety!

With digital cameras, keep in mind saltwater is more corrosive than freshwater; you’ll need to carefully clean your camera every day. It’s a good idea to keep your camera sealed in a plastic bag.

Use the reflections of the sun to your creative advantage with water, particularly when calm water comes between you and the brightest part of the sky during sunrise and sunset. Look for natural frames like mountains or arches formed by trees.

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Epcot®

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Epcot®

About EpcotThe 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. 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 innovative aspects and applications including technology and science.

World Showcase is a large area reminiscent of a permanent world’s fair containing 11 pavilions surrounding a large man-made lagoon at the center. Each pavilion is themed and dedicated to represent a specific country.

Future World Focus — Spaceship Earth

— Universe of Energy

— Mission: Space

— Test Track

— Innoventions East and West

— The Land

— Imagination!

— Wonders of Life

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Feeding the World

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.

While at the Land Pavilion at EPCOT’s Future World, find out what sustainability means for the future of the human race on planet Earth.

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.

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World biocapacity

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Humanity’s Ecological Footprint, 1961-2005

Learn about your ecological footprint

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

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Take Action! Can you identify one item from each column and pledge to improve your habits?

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How to Take ActionFoodChoose 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 also often treated inhumanely.

Choose 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.

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

Watch for restaurant chains that have switched to local produce.

TransportationChoose 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.

Choose 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.

Choose 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 UseChoose 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.

Choose less packaging — Buy products that use natural

resources or little packaging.

— Buy in bulk.

— Bring your own reusable bags when you shop.

— Buy products that are made with recycled materials.

Choose efficiencyUse energy-saving light bulbs such as LEDs and high-quality compact fluorescent bulbs.

Low-flow or dual-flush toilets save water with every flush.

Low-flow shower heads and sink faucets can save water.

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Epcot®

0Non-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?

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.

WIND:

WATER:

SOLAR:

GEOTHERMAL:

BIOMASS:

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

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

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.

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.

Renewable Energy

The pie chart above shows renewable energy only accounted for 8% of the energy consumed in the U.S. in 2010. Do you think the use of renewable energy has increased or decreased since 2007? Why do you think this?

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Did you know? New Zealand boasts some of the earliest large-scale use of geothermal energy in the world. It accounts for 13% of its annual usage.

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Epcot®

Types of Biomass

Wood

Crops

Alcohol Fuels

Garbage

Landfill Gas

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How It Works: Fireworks Common Fireworks Colors

Blue: Copper salts

Gold: Aluminum, Magnesium

Green: Barium salts

Red: Strontium salts

White: Aluminum, Magnesium

Yellow: Sodium salts

The Science of Basic BallisticsThere is a lot more science in fireworks than you might think at first. Fireworks are made from combustible ingredients packed into a shell. Shells are shot into the sky from a mortar, which is like a small cannon. Determining the height a shell will reach after fired is basic ballistics. Ballistics is the science of the propulsion, flight, and impact of projectiles.

CompositionFireworks have an outer shell that contains stars, a charge, and a

fuse. The greater the charge, the higher the assent. The real show comes from the stars. The stars are made up of different minerals that burn at high temperatures. Each mineral or mineral combination burns as a different color. When the fuse burns into the shell and ignites the charge, the resulting explosion throws the stars in different directions. Due to their explosive nature, fireworks should only be handled by trained experts. The chart to the left shows which colors are produced by particular minerals in fireworks.

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Epcot®

How to Photograph Fireworks — 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.

— 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.

— 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.

— Make sure the horizon is straight in your photograph.

— 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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__ __ __ __ __ T H E __ __ __ __

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1. There is “una camisa” that costs more than $20.00.

A. If True, write D on line 1. B. If False, write E on line 1.

2. There is “un sombrero” that could fit on a doll.

A. If True, write A on line 2.B. If False, write L on line 2.

3. There is “una silla“ with white legs.

A. If True, write E on line 3.B. If False, write Y on line 3.

4. There is “un cinturón” made of leather.

A. If True, write O on line 4.B. If False, write R on line 4.

5. There is “una piñata” that looks like Mickey Mouse.

A. If True, write E on line 5.B. If False, write F on line 5.

6. There is “una canasta” that costs more than $5.00.

A. If True, write D on line 6.B. If False, write N on line 6.

7. There are “los flores” for less than $5.00 each.

A. If True, write U on line 7.B. If False, write E on line 7.

8. There is “un bolso” that costs less than $5.00.

A. If True, write W on line 8.B. If False, write A on line 8.

9. There is “una bandera” with an eagle and a snake on it.

A. If True, write D on line 9.B. If False, write E on line 9.

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

Mexico PavilionHave 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.

BonusWhat Showcase country’s flag is missing from this page?

The Letters Game ChallengeDetermine the answer to each of the 9 true and false questions listed below. Then do what it says on either instruction A or instruction B to complete the corresponding blank line in the answer phrase at the bottom.

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Epcot®

France PavilionFrance 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?

What is the most expensive perfume in the shop?

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

Number ChallengeThere 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 on the emperor’s dragon’s paw. This number represents prosperity and good luck in China!

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: ____

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Germany Pavilion

Criss-Cross ChallengeBrush up on your German, and study the types of shops you might find there. Match the item in the left column to the store in the right column where you would be most likely to find it by drawing a line between them.

COOKIE

LUNCH

BOOKS

HUMMEL FIGURINE

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

Der Bücherwurm

Süssigkeiten

Die Weihnachts Ecke

Volkskunst

Biergarten

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Epcot®

Italy PavilionCiao! 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?

What is a fresco?

What Italian artist created many famous frescoes?

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

What is the city of Venice known for?

What Italian city had the first network of roads?

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United Kingdom PavilionEven 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.

Criss-Cross ChallengeDo you know your queues from your lollies? Match the American word in the left column to the matching British word on the right 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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Epcot®

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

Riddle 1I 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? ___ ___ ___

Riddle 2I 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?___ ___ ___ ___

Riddle 3Water 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?___ ___ ___ ___

The last scrambleNow write the 7 circled letters down below. Then unscramble them to be placed in the answer blanks.

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ O N C

Riddle 1I 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?___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Riddle 1I 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? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

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Canada PavilionTotem 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.

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Island Adventures

Island Adventures

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Hernando 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 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? Circle “T” or “F” in the space to the right

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

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

Mullet Island was not discovered until the 1700s. T F

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in ‘77 because of its role in the development of modern weaponry.

T F

It was the site of many major battles. T F

Used by Union Troops during the Civil War. T F

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

T F

What’s DeSoto Got To Do With It?

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Island Adventures

Exotic SpeciesDe Soto introduced exotic, or non-native, species to North America, for good or for bad. 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.

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

Brought typhus and bubonic plague

Enabled swift travel, communication, and military conquest

Contaminated food, particularly grain and seed

Provided a best friend for hunters

Aided in easier farming

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Kayaking

GRAB LOOP GRAB LOOP

PADDLES

SEATS

BOW (front) STERN (rear)

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 can 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.

Get to know your Kayak

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Island Adventures

Mangrove ObservationMangroves 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.

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?

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Snorkeling 101Snorkeling is a skill required by scientists wishing to observe the underwater world. Snorkeling requires a few pieces of specialized equipment that we are going to learn about today and train to use.

Let’s start with the mask — First you want to make sure

you have a clean seal all the way around.

— Your hair should be pulled back or slicked back. To test the seal, stick the mask to your face, no need for the strap yet, and inhale through your nose to create suction.

— If the mask stays put, then you have a clean seal.

— Remember you have to breathe through your mouth or you’ll snort the mask off.

— The strap of the mask should be worn on the crown of your head (the wide part).

— Before the mask goes on, be sure to spit in it. Spit prevents the mask from fogging. Spit contains amylase which is an enzyme that will prevent the H2O molecules from forming on the lens.

Here are the Important Pieces of Equipment!

These are the fins

This is the mask

This is the snorkel

— To review: Spit, rub it into the mask, slick your hair back, pull the strap onto the widest part of your head.

— Breathe through your mouth.

Next up is the snorkel — Most snorkels work on the

left side. This allows room for other diving equipment.

— See the tabs on the mouth piece? They are for resting your teeth—not for chewing!

— Wrap your lips around the mouth piece.

— Now, breathe normally through your mouth.

— Pay attention to the position of your snorkel.

— Important knowledge: fish do not fly.

— Since fish swim and do not fly, you will want to have your face in the water all the time. This is especially smart because, if you look up, your snorkel becomes a straw!

— You can dive down with the snorkel in your mouth.

— It will fill with water, so when you dive down, you will want to hold your breath.

— When you return to the surface you purge clear your snorkel by saying the number “2” with your diaphragm.

— Use the “2” to push the water out of the snorkel, so give it some oomph!

— It’s almost like the word ‘toot’ without the last ‘t’.

— Practice with me. Twooooo!

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Island Adventures

Underwater PhotographyLight 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. 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.

Finally, the fins — Did anyone call these flippers?

They’re not flippers! Flipper was a dolphin who used flukes for transportation.

— It is easiest to put your fins on if you sit on the edge of the boat.

— Do not walk in your fins. Seriously.a. Walking in fins is

dangerous; andb. Walking in fins looks silly.

— The proper snorkel technique has very official nomenclature that we call “The Three H’s” – Head, Heels, Hiney! Keep your three Hs at the surface of the water at all times. Yes, that means horizontal to the surface of the water.

— If you let yourself go perpendicular, your equipment will not work and you pose a threat to the habitat in which you are swimming.

— Keep your hands at your side and let your fins propel you.

— If something swims by and you wish NOT to see it, just close your eyes!

Relax.Breathe.Kick.Any questions?Okay! Let’s practice!

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Christine Shepard is a multimedia specialist at the University of Miami’s RJ Dunlop Marine Conservation Program. That means that she engages the local community and the community at large about shark conservation. She teaches people about sharks in an effort to help people better understand sharks and their environment. Christine thinks that sharks have a bad reputation and she aims to educate and overcome misconceptions.

As a passionate and skilled science communicator, Christine Shepard is dedicated to expanding understanding of our relationship to the ocean environment and to increasing enthusiasm for ecosystems’ protection and management. Her ease in connecting with journalists, scientists, policymakers, potential donors, and students alike through award-winning photography, captivating educational videos, interactive virtual learning activities, hands-on experiences, public speaking, and conferences contributes to her ability to support organizations’ growth. In addition, her scientific background and diverse skill sets in the creative realm provides for a heartfelt, holistic approach to media creation.

Perhaps most importantly, Christine does what she loves. She is not only a scientist, but an artist. She uses her underwater photos to help educate. What do you love to do? How could you use that passion to help a cause you feel strongly about?

Action Figure:

Diving for Shark Conservation

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Island Adventures

Sharks

What do you think might be done to help stop shark finning? List at least 3 ideas:

Sharks are an integral part of the ocean ecosystem. Sharks sometimes carry a big bad reputation, but it is important to conserve to help protect these uniquely useful creatures.

Shark Finning: A Big, Bad Problem for the Big, Bad PredatorShark ‘finning’ involves fishermen pulling a shark on board a ship, slicing off the fin to keep, then tossing the still-living shark back overboard to bleed to death. They do this because shark fins are cooked and eaten as a delicacy in some parts of the world. Shark fin can be sold for as much as $300 per pound. The other meat is far less valuable, so the fishermen simply toss it overboard to save room for more valuable fins.

While the practice of finning is illegal, it is still responsible for the deaths of 88-100 million sharks each year.

What happens if sharks die out?As apex predators, sharks are responsible for keeping other populations in the food chain in balance. For instance, they help weed out the sick and less hearty fish and mammal specifies so that their populations stay strong and healthy. Without these predators, the balance of the world’s sea life is in serious danger.

Follow this QR code to get help with brainstorming from Animal Planet!

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— What are the three scientific classes of fish?

— What three characteristics do sharks (and stingrays) have that make them different from other fish?

— Where do sharks produce their red blood cells? How is this different from how humans produce red blood cells?

— What are dermal denticles and how do they aid sharks?

Shark Biology

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Island Adventures

— Where do sharks live?

— What is the Ampullae of Lorenzini? How does it help sharks?

— Name the three shark species that have adapted to eat plankton.

— What shark has been known for eating anything, including license plates, Barbie dolls, and knight’s armor? How is this unusual, compared to most sharks?

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— What are three ways sharks bear young?

— What order do sharks belong to?

— Name three sharks found in Florida waters.

— How are humans depleting shark populations? Give three examples.

— How many sharks do people kill each year? How many humans do sharks kill every year, by comparison?

Shark Biology continued

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Island Adventures

The Spiny DogfishSpiny 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, a two-chambered heart, and a skeleton made up of cartilage instead of bone.

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

Form Function

Spiral valve in the intestines

Hair-like projections called papillae in the esophagus

Deep folds (rugae) in the stomach

Large, oily liver

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The Spiny Dogfish continued

Outside Fin spine

Anterior dorsal fin

Eye

MouthExternal gill slits

Dorsal lobe of caudal fin

Ventral lobe of caudal fin

Inside Falcifrom ligament

Esophageal papillae

Left lobe of liver

Rugae

Cardiac portion of stomach

Dorsal lobe of pancreas

Pyloric portion of stomch

Spleen

Rectal gland

Colon

Rectum

Clasper

Median lobe of liver

Gall bladder

Right lobe of liver

Common bile duct

Pylorus

Ventral lobe of pancreas

Doudenum

Ileum

Spiral valve

Mesentery

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WonderWorks™

WonderWorks™The Spiny Dogfish continued

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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.

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WonderWorks™

Magic VocabularyPrestidigitation (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.”

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WonderWorks Scavenger Hunt: 1st level

— Which state experiences the most tornadoes in a year?

— At which time of the day do most tornadoes happen?

— Where was the biggest snowfall in a single day recorded in U.S. history?

— What kind of Beach Warning is a purple flag?

— How fast are the winds in the Hurricane Shack?

— Based on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, at what level are the winds in the Hurricane Shack?

— How hot is lightning?

— What magnitude is the earthquake in the WonderWorks Earthquake Cafe?

— What does the Tesla Coil create?

— What is the name of the scientist who invented the Tesla Coil?

— What was the major cause of death when the RMS Titanic sank?

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WonderWorks™

WonderWorks Scavenger Hunt: 2nd level

— Why are you able to lie on the Bed of Nails without getting punctured?

— In the MindBall experiment what does “EEG” stand for?

— At Pull Yourself Up, if the number of pulleys decreases, your effort to pull yourself up would…

— Infared rays are typically referred to as?

— Which animal sound can you hear at a distance of five miles?

— Name at least three ways thermography is used.

— When and where did basketball become an Olympic sport?

— At which WonderWorks exhibit can you experience “phosphorescence”?

— What are the five nodal points measured using facial recognition technology?

— In the EVA suit, which part aids mobility?

— What group are the patterns of the ridges on your finger print scan?

— What scientist described the Sun as being at the center of the universe?

— Project Mercury, America’s first man-in-space program, had how many flights between 1961 – 1963?

— How are the motions of the gyroscope directed?

— Name the scientist who discovered the three laws of planetary motion. (Hint: “discovered” not “defined”)

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Kennedy Space Center

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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Space FashionDiscover 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.

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Mission: To the Moon or Bust!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 return him safely to Earth.

GeminiThe Gemini Project, which began on March 23, 1965, had three broad objectives:

— Prove that flights of two weeks’ duration were possible

— Prove that men could live and work outside their spacecraft

— Conduct rendezvous and docking missions which would be necessary during the upcoming moon mission

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 command module, docked with the lunar module, and brought the crew safely home. Six missions were successfully completed, allowing a total of 12 astronauts to walk on its surface.

Other MissionsAfter 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.

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Shuttle ProgramWith the Apollo project completed, Kennedy Space Center was preparing to launch a new breed of space craft into low earth orbit, 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

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.

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.

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Bobak Ferdowski is a flight director for NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity. He is one of 16 drivers that work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) responsible for steering the six-wheeled, plutonium powered rover across Mars as it investigates. NASA officials have called Curiosity the most complex and capable robotic explorer ever sent to another planet.

“Driving” might be a misleading term as there are no pedals and no steering wheel. The flight directors tell the rover what to do and where to go next by entering hundreds of computer commands.

In addition to operating the wheels of the rover to navigate the challenging and often unknown terrain, the flight director also operates Curiosity’s arm, drill, cameras, and scientific instruments on board. Because the rover is solar powered and only operates from sun up to sun down on Mars, the commands are planned out while the rover is “asleep” and uplinked via radio transmission to the rover for the following day.

Ferdowski became well known when the Curiosity rover landed on Mars in August 2012. NASA released a video of the scientists at JPL celebrating the landing of the rover. He could be seen in the video and gained popularity after President Obama mentioned his mohawk hair style during a congratulatory phone call with scientists at JPL. Following that shout out, Ferdowski has accumulated over 60,000 followers on Twitter and given NASA scientists a dose of coolness.

NASA fan club t-shirts were even been created, which portray a screen-print image of Ferdowsi’s profile, including his famous stars-and-stripes mohawk; they demonstrate how his edgy, unique presence among the traditionally clean-cut NASA engineers has awarded him instant, worldwide fame. Ferdowsi was also labeled the “sexiest nerd at NASA” by various online sources, and received dozens of marriage proposals from strangers online. He was also invited to Obama’s inaugural parade and State of the Union Address, not to mention being a guest on a variety of TV programs including “CBS This Morning.” Perhaps a career at NASA can change your life, too!

Action Figure:

NASA Flight Director, Bobak Ferdowski (A.K.A. Mohawk Guy)

Check out NASA’s video of the engineers at JPL during Curiosity’s landing and see Mohawk Man!

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Kennedy Space Center Quiz — 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.”

— Who was the first human to reach outer space?

a. Alan Shepardb. John F. Kennedyc. John Glennd. Yuri Gagarin

— 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.

— How fast must a rocket go to remain in Earth’s orbit?

a. 65 mphb. 17,500 mphc. Mach oned. Speed of light

— 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 Californiab. Houston Space Centerc. Kennedy Space Centerd. White Sands, New Mexico

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— How do astronauts train for an EVA (extravehicular activity)?

a. Join a circus for six monthsb. Scuba dive under water in space suitsc. Take a machine shop classd. Use guide wires that allow you to float through the air

— Which of these animals has never been in space?

a. Snailb. Dogc. Spiderd. Squirrel

— How can astronauts experience weightlessness on Earth for 30 seconds?

a. Ride Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom® Parkb. Close their eyes and spin 25 timesc. Fly in parabolic curves in a modified jet airplaned. Jump off a very tall building

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

a. Trueb. False

— 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 Armstrongb. Michael Collinsc. Buzz Aldrin

Kennedy Space Center Quiz continued

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

a. Deep-sea divingb. Piloting a jetc. Parachute jumping

— 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 timesb. Until the pilot gets it rightc. 1,000 times

— 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 bandsb. Scratch-proof sunglassesc. Air cushioned athletic shoesd. Lightweight wires on orthodontic bracese. Velcro

— Which of the names below was not the name of a Space Shuttle orbiter?

a. Atlantisb. Endeavorc. Discoveryd. Saturne. Columbiaf. Challenger

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Spaced Out at Saturn V CenterUse the questions below to help you study your surroundings!

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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Conservation Up Close


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Did you know? The temperature of an alligator’s nest will determine the sex of the babies. A nest over 93 degrees Fahrenheit will cause males to hatch; below 86 degrees will be females. Temperatures in between this range will produce a mix of males and females.

What is the Difference Between an Alligator and a Crocodile?

— 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.

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

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!

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Pop Quiz!As you explore, find the answers to these fascinating questions:

— 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 treec. Run away in a zig-zag

pattern to confuse itd. Lay down and act dead

— How many eggs does the average alligator lay at one time

a 1 eggb. 5-30 eggsc. 20-60 eggsd. 70-100 eggs

— About how long does it take alligator eggs to hatch?

a. 1 hourb. 30 daysc. 65 daysc. 65 daysd. 1 year

— What determines the sex of alligator babies?

a. Nothing, the nest is always half male, half female

b. The size of the alligator mom’s snout

c. The number of predators trying to harm the eggs

d. The temperature of the nest

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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?

Florida’s InvadersCheck out some of Florida’s biggest non-native invaders from the plant and animal world. Pictured top to bottom:

Melalucca Tree

Gambian Pouched Rat

Feral Hogs

Lionfish

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Endangered TurtlesPictured top to bottom:

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate)

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)

Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Endangered ReptilesReptiles have been around for 300 million years, and during the age of the dinosaurs, they ruled the Earth. Some 6,500 species of reptiles still thrive today. Crocodiles, snakes, lizards, and turtles are all reptiles. Most reptiles live on land, and most lay eggs. They are vertebrates, and, unlike any other animals, are covered in scales. They are cold-blooded, and regulate their body temperature by seeking or avoiding the sun’s heat.

Many reptile species have remained almost unchanged for hundreds of millions of years, yet are now in danger of extinction due to the recent activity of humans. This threat can be found

directly through hunting, or indirectly, through the destruction of their natural habitat. The most common threat to reptiles has been the introduction of invasive species by humans, such as predator species, or plants that have drastically changed the reptiles’ habitat.

According to a 2015 report published by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are 4 reptiles listed by the state of Florida as Federally-Designated Endangered, 6 are Federally-Designated Threatened, 7 are State-Designated Threatened, and 6 are listed as a State Species of Special Concern.

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Magic Kingdom®

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Magic Kingdom®

Roller Coaster Physics 101May the G Force be with you!Roller Coasters are giant machines that run due to the force of gravity. The force of gravity is the attractive force between anything with mass and the earth, and is what we know as weight. Gravity is the reason that things fall when we drop something, because they have weight. Things that feel heavier have more weight, or a greater force of gravity than things that feel lighter.

A roller coaster gets to its highest point either by using a lift chain, or a launching mechanism. The force of gravity pulls the coaster down the slopes and drops, and as that happens, the train gains energy and momentum that enable the train to travel up the next hill or loop. Have you ever noticed when looking at a roller coaster that the loops and hills always decrease in size as the ride progresses? That is because of the force of friction. Friction is a resistive force that always acts in the direction opposite the motion. The friction between the track and the train car slows the train down, taking away energy and momentum. As a result, the train cannot reach its original height as it continues down the track.

One of the things that makes a roller coaster so fun is experiencing G forces, or gravity forces. The term is misleading because the force of gravity does not actually change when you are on a roller coaster. However, the acceleration, or change in speed or direction over time affects the contact force between you and your seat making you feel lighter or heavier. A force of 1 G is equivalent to the normal force of gravity we feel on the earth. If you weigh 100 pounds on the earth, in a 3 G environment you would feel as if you weighed 300 pounds. In space, astronauts experience 0 G forces and feel “weightless.” On a typical roller coaster, you can experience a force as high as 4 G’s.

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

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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.

Basic Thrill ElementsBreak 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.

Roller Coaster Physics 101 continued

Learn about the effects of excessive G forces

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Magic Kingdom®

Advanced Thrill Elements — 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.

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SeaWorld®

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Seaworld®

ManateesObserve 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.

Manatee anatomy

Cranium

6 Cervical Vertebrae

17-19 Thoratic Vertebrea 23-29

Lumbocaudal Vertebrea

Mandible

Hyoid Bones

Flipper Assembly Sternum

17-19 Paired RibsParied

Pelvic Bones

7-9 Paried Chevron Bones

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Threats to Sea TurtlesYou can make a difference.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.

Human behaviors 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 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 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.

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Seaworld®

StingraysDespite 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?

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

CHALLENGE How Rays Adapt

Camouflage

Defense

Hunting

Youth Survival

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DolphinsThe most intelligent creatures in the sea

Dolphins are very intelligent and are well loved by humans. This aquatic mammal has been able to fascinate us in a variety of ways. They are curious, form strong bonds within their pod, and they have been known to help humans in a variety of circumstances including rescues. Of course they are also incredibly entertaining and are capable of leaping up to 30 feet in the air.

There are 43 different species of dolphins that have been recognized; 38 of them are

marine dolphins which are those that we are the most aware of, and 5 of them are river dolphins. The body of a dolphin is designed to help them move through the water quickly and without exerting huge amounts of energy. They rely on their pectoral fins and the fluke (tail) to help them navigate through the water. There is a significant difference in size among the various species of dolphins. The larger ones can weigh about 11 tons and be close to 30 feet long. The smaller ones are about 90 pounds and 4 feet long. The species as well as their location play a huge role in their overall size.

Dolphins and other marine mammals face a number of conservation threats due to anthropogenic, or human-induced, impacts on the marine environment. Marine mammals adapted to the aquatic environment when it was free from boats, pollution, noise, and human competitors for fish resources. As human beings have created boats that can travel to any part of the ocean, new challenges have developed that threaten the well-being and even, existence of many marine mammal species.

Check out this National Geographic video about dolphin intelligence

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Seaworld®

DolphinsWhat makes dolphins such unique animals that are well-suited to working with humans?

Dolphins have several unique body parts. To learn more, interview your dolphin experts starting with these questions.

How does a dolphin breathe?

Why does it look like a dolphin is always smiling?

How big is a dolphin’s ear?

What are pec-fins used for?

How fast can dolphins swim?

Other questions/answers?

Dolphin Dish — Dolphins have 80 to 100

cone-shaped teeth and they keep the same set of teeth for their entire lifetime.

— Baby dolphins, called calves, are born with several mustache hairs that fall out shortly after birth.

— Dolphins travel in packs called pods. When mother dolphins go to search for food for their young, “baby-sitter dolphins” watch the calves.

— Dolphins have extremely sharp vision, but scientists believe that they are functionally color blind.

— Dolphins swallow their food whole.

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Marine Mammal Training

Record your thoughts after working with dolphins.

Dolphins are seen as the aquatic version of man’s best friend. Although there are many instances of dolphins being friendly, we need to remember that dolphins are wild animals and usually avoid human contact in the wild.

For dolphins that live in human care, training allows keepers to monitor and care for the dolphins’ health while providing a rewarding environment that challenges the dolphins both mentally

and physically. Bottle-nose dolphins adapt well to human companionship and are easily trained to perform complex tricks and tasks.

To train dolphins, many trainers use operant conditioning, a type of learning in which the dolphin’s behavior changes in response to the consequences that will follow.

If an animal considers the consequences following a behavior positive, the animal is likely to repeat the behavior.

Through positive reinforcement, the dolphins are rewarded every time they successfully perform a desired behavior. Rewards may include food, rubdowns, splashing the

dolphins with water, verbal praise, or toys, and are often accompanied by the sound of a whistle. To encourage a positive relationship between the dolphin and its trainer, punishment is avoided and undesirable behaviors are ignored.

Because trainers can’t talk to dolphins, they communicate by using hand signals. Each hand signal corresponds to a specific behavior and the dolphins learn to discriminate between the different signals. It’s like conducting a symphony orchestra!

Watch for signs of operant conditioning and positive reinforcement as the dolphin experts work with the dolphins!

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Seaworld®

Sharks in DangerHumans are more threatening to sharks than sharks are to us.

The Truth about SharksMany 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 5 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.

ConservationSharks 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: 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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Killer Whales - Rulers of the SeasFill out this chart to explain how form fits function within a shark’s organs.

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?

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Seaworld®

Reef LifeCoral ReefsCoral reefs are found in deep, cold water and shallow, tropical water throughout the world’s oceans. In Florida, you will find shallow water coral reefs. Worldwide, the current estimate of shallow coral reefs is 110,000 square miles, or an area slightly larger than the state of Texas.

No other ecosystem occupies such a limited area with more life forms. You can compare a reef to a rainforest as it is the only ecosystem that comes close to the amount of biodiversity found on a coral reef.

Coral polyps are soft-bodied animals related to anemones and jellyfish. Their tube-like bodies are closed at one end, with a mouth opening at the other end, surrounded by flexible, stinging tentacles. When coral polyps of the same species grow in close proximity to one another, they form a colony with each polyp joined to the one beside it. Beneath this layer of living tissue, the polyps of reef-building corals create hard “cups” of calcium carbonate. This is what we consider the hard, or stony, part of the reef. This is the coral skeleton.

As coral colonies grow, new layers of skeleton are deposited. The amount of growth in coral skeletons is determined by variations in temperature and other weather conditions. When corals are mentioned, most people immediately think about clear, warm, tropical seas and fish-filled reefs. In fact, the stony, shallow-water corals—the kind that build reefs—are only one type of coral. There are also soft corals and deep water corals that live in dark, cold waters.

Protection of Coral ReefsCoral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Coral reefs support more species per unit area than

any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals, and hundreds of other species. Scientists estimate that there may be another one to eight million undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs. This biodiversity is considered key to finding new medicines for the 21st century.

Coral reefs buffer adjacent shorelines from wave action and prevent erosion, property damage, and loss of life. Reefs also protect the highly productive wetlands along the coast, as well as ports and harbors and the economies they support.

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Reef Life continued

Coral reefs face numerous threats. Corals are vulnerable to predation from fish, marine worms, barnacles, crabs, snails, and sea stars. They prey on the soft inner tissues of coral polyps. In extreme cases, entire reefs can be devastated by this kind of predation. Weather-related damage to reefs also occurs, and reefs are threatened by tidal emersions. Corals exposed during daylight hours are subjected to

the most ultraviolet radiation which can overheat and dry out the coral’s tissues. Increased sea surface temperatures, decreased sea level, and salinity from altered rainfall can all result from weather patterns such as El Niño.

These conditions can have a devastating effect of a coral’s physiology. Coral reefs may recover from periodic traumas, but will not survive numerous and sustained

stresses. The effects of climate change are also a big threat to coral reef ecosystems. Human activities affect ocean chemistry and ultimately, coral reefs.

Check out what NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is doing to preserve and protect coral reefs

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Seaworld®

Species InterdependenceThere 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 numbered photos of creatures of the reef and explain their roles in the reef ecosystem.

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

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Save Our Living Coral Reefs!

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?

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.

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Animal Kingdom®

Animal Kingdom®

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The Tree of LifeThe 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

Water and Shelter

Pets

Other Landscape Features

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Animal Kingdom®

Endangered and Extinct SpeciesScientists 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 WILD Only survives in captivity, reintroduced populations, or outside its native habitat

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

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

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 extinction in the wildAfrican lion, giant anteater, polar bear, hippopotamus, American crocodile

NEAR THREATENED Does 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

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

Naked mole-rat _______________________________ Dinosaur ____________________________________

African Lion __________________________________ Gorilla ______________________________________

American crocodile ____________________________ Giant Anteater _______________________________

Endangered and Extinct Species continued

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Eco-pedia®

Adaptation 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 part 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 Micro habitats 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, for example: reptiles and amphibians

Eco-pedia

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End Effector The grasping end of a robot arm

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 in Florida, are 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

Floridan 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 are milk-fed from their mothers’ bodies

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

Eco-pedia continued

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Eco-pedia®

Marine Shorelines, shallows, and sea beds

Mass The amount of material in an object

Micrometeoroids 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 Earth

Distance[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 between land 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

Eco-pedia continued

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Eco-pedia®

Florida Map

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0 Notes

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Introduction

0 Notes

florida: science in motion · 2016-06-16 · florida: science in motion sometimes those classroom...

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