1: It's an Amusement Adventure!

2: Guide Creation Information

Guide Author	Joyce Baumann and Terri Haakenson
District	ROCORI ISD 750
Date Created	09/25/2011
Guide Description	A look at a Minnesota icon, Excelsior Amusement Park, via photos from the property prior to building the park to 1960. Although this guide has an initial focus standard in Social Studies, it heavily hits the Writing Standards as noted. It is listed using fourth grade standards in the Minnesota DRAFT K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, April 29, 2011 DRAFT, but can be used for other grade levels as well. This guide is really good for multiple subject/standard integration.

3: Guide Characteristics

Title of Main Academic Standard used in Guide	Minnesota DRAFT K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, April 29, 2011 DRAFT
Grade Level	4
Learning Level	Introductory
National Holiday/Special Occasion (optional)
Source Format Emphasized
Geographic Region Emphasized (optional)	Minnesota
Other Minnesota Reflections Guide(s) Related to this Guide (optional)

4: Main Standard Emphasized in Guide

Standard Title	Minnesota DRAFT K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies April 29, 2011 DRAFT
Category	Geography (specific to Minnesota)
Strand	Geography
Sub-strand	5. Human Environment Interaction
Standard	1. The physical environment influences human activities.
Benchmark 1: standard number	4.3.5.1.1
Benchmark 1: text	Describe the relationships between economic activities and resources by using maps to identify major industrial regions and locations of natural resources.
Benchmark 2: standard number
Benchmark 2: text
Benchmark 3: standard number
Benchmark 3: text
Benchmark 4: standard number
Benchmark 4: text

5: Another Standard Emphasized in Guide (optional)

Standard Title	English Language Arts K-12 (2010)
Category	Standards for English Language Arts Grades 6-12
Strand	Writing
Sub-strand	College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
Standard	Writing Process: Production and Distribution of Writing
Benchmark 1: standard number	4.6.4.4
Benchmark 1: text	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
Benchmark 2: standard number
Benchmark 2: text
Benchmark 3: standard number
Benchmark 3: text
Benchmark 4: standard number
Benchmark 4: text

6: Additional Standards and/or Skills (reading, math, media literacy, interdisciplinary)

Reading: standard number	4.6.7.7.
Reading: standard text	Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Math: standard number
Math: standard text
Media Literacy: standard number	4.8.7.7.
Media Literacy: standard text	Distinguish among, understand, and use different types of print, digital, and multimodal media. Make informed judgments about messages promoted in the mass media (e.g., film, television, radio, magazines, advertisements, newspapers). Locate and use information in print, non-print, and digital resources using a variety of strategies. Check for accuracy of information between two different sources. Recognize safe practices in social and personal media communications
Interdisciplinary Connection

Minnesota Reflections Resources

7: Search Strategy

Things to Think About	The ideas I have proposed in this guide ire just the tip of what could be done with ALL of the pictures and such on the topic.
Keywords	I looked up Excelsior Amusement Park and Lake Minnetonka.
Other ideas (to assist with discovery)	Think about the ways you are going to be using the topic, and then choose words/phrases that go along with it.
Challenges to finding resources on this standard

8: Minnesota Reflections Top Picks

Title	Date created	Description	Format (photo, map, letter)	"Cite the Item" link
Road in front of Excelsior Amusement Park.	1924-1935	Check out the wooden roller coaster. Notice how close the road is to the ride! How about the cars!	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,10
Roller Coaster Tunnel at Excelsior	May 5, 1929	The beginning of the roller coaster at Excelsior Amusement Park.	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,100
Roller Coaster car at Excelsior	May 24, 1929	Is this what we are seeing today? Do you see any safety belts?	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,101
"Hot Rod" bumper car at Excelsior	1959	Compare this car to modern go cart cars!	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,102
Caterpillar Ride at Excelsior	May 5, 1929	Another example of a ride	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,103
Boat Ride on Lake Minnetonka, ride at Excelsior	1930-1940	A boat ride was part of the attractions at the park.	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,104
"Axel" riding a Hot Rod car at Excelsior	June 1960	Axel Torgeson (played by Clellan Card) was a childrenÕs television celebrity during this time period. Check out the "track" these cars drove on. Check out the cars and compare them to the actual cars of the time!	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,105
Excelsior Amusement Park	1930	Check out the rides! Even the overall look of the park compared with parks as we know them today!	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,11
Excelsior Amusement Park, panoramic view of sidewalk outside park, Excelsior, Minnesota	1924-1935	Notice how rural the area is. Also notice how much glitz and glamour there isnÕt for the amusement park! Also notice how open it seems to be to the park. No big walls, security and such.	Panoramic Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,110
Prince Nelson, "Wizard of the High Wire, " Excelsior, Minnesota	1931	A tight rope walker at an amusement park! WhereÕs the net? More of a combination of circus and amusement park.	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,119
The amusement park from Excelsior Bay	1924-1935	Looking at the park from Lake Minnetonka. The access from the lake was an important way to get to the park.	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,118
Another unusual attraction to see at the Amusement Park"	1924-1935	Park customers checking out a hydroplane! Check out the plane, the people, and their age!	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,133
The land where the future park will be built	1900-1923	The property before the park was built. Why was the park placed here? Who thought of this? Who gained from having this park? Was the park intended to be for kids, as it seems today, or adult entertainment?	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,14
Excelsior Amusement Park founder, Fred W. Pearce, Sr.	1920-1929	Founder of Excelsior Amusement Park; WhatÕs his story?	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,150
"Hopkins" a streetcar boat	1923	What was a streetcar boat and why was it important to the park?	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,149
Bicycle loop the loop attraction	1931	Not a ride, ban attraction at the park. What happened with this attraction?	Photo	http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/elm,19

9: Specific Minnesota Reflections Collection(s) to Consider (optional)

Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society

10: Helpful Tips (optional)

There are so many pictures and other resources on the amusement park! I would not only look at what I have selected, but check out the rest that are there. Then figure out what direction(s) you want to take it. I think this would be a really fun topic for kids to research and compare what they already know to the new information.

11: Ideas for Lesson Plans Using this Guide (optional)

Compare/Contrast the amusement park to the modern facilities: Valley Fair. Research the rides that were the attractions in the beginning of the park. Talk about the placement of the park: the pros/cons. Look at other photos that show the building of the park and research the practices, materials used. We see roads, water, railroad, and streetcar access to the park; delve deeper into this.

Have kids create their own theme park with a theme (add in math/science activities and standards).

12: Other Online Collections that Help Teach this Standard (optional)

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excelsior_Amusement_Park

Lesson Planet: Thematic Amusement Park Projects Ð http://www.lessonplanet.com/article/social-studies/thematic-amusement-park-projects

National Geographic Xpeditions Archives: Lesson Plans
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g35/wonderworld.html