1: Going to the Circus-K-2 Grades

2: Guide Creation Information

Guide Author

Ann F. Woell

District

Moorhead Public Schools ISD 152

Date Created

06/10/2011

Guide Description

This is a guide to be used when promoting and celebrating "Going to the Circus."

3: Guide Characteristics

Title of Main Academic Standard used in Guide

Minnesota Academic Standards in Science - 2009 Adopted Version

Grade Level

K-2

Learning Level

Introductory

National Holiday/Special Occasion (optional)

Going to the Circus

Source Format Emphasized

photos

Geographic Region Emphasized (optional)

Minnesota

Other Minnesota Reflections Guide(s) Related to this Guide (optional)

Other Field trip guides include, Going to the Pumpkin Patch and Going to the Zoo

4: Main Standard Emphasized in Guide

Standard Title

Minnesota Academic Standards in Science - 2009 Adopted Version

Category

Science

Strand

Life Science

Sub-strand

Interdepen-dence Among Living Systems

Standard

Natural systems have many components that interact to maintain the system.

Benchmark 1: standard number

1.4.2.1.1

Benchmark 1: text

Recognize that animals need space, water, food, shelter and air.

Benchmark 2: standard number

1.4.2.1.2

Benchmark 2: text

Describe ways in which an animal's habitat provides for its basic needs.

Benchmark 3: standard number

Benchmark 3: text

Benchmark 4: standard number

Benchmark 4: text

5: Another Standard Emphasized in Guide (optional)

Standard Title

Minnesota Academic Standards in Science - 2009 Adopted Version

Category

Science

Strand

The Nature of Science and Engineering

Sub-strand

The Practice of Science

Standard

Scientific inquiry is a set of interrelated processes incorporating multiple approaches that are used to pose questions about the natural world and investigate phenomena.

Benchmark 1: standard number

2.1.1.2.1

Benchmark 1: text

Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others.

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

1.1.7.7

Reading: standard text

Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events

Math: standard number

Math: standard text

Media Literacy: standard number

1.8.4.4

Media Literacy: standard text

Describe people, places, things, and events with relative details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly

Interdisciplinary Connection

Minnesota Reflections Resources

7: Search Strategy

Things to Think About

Many more photos are available apart from this guide. Wide varieties from all over the state were used as were photos with the clearest detail. There are local circus performances and performers which are not covered in this guide.

Keywords

Circus, Ringling Circus, circus parades, parades, calliope, circus animals, Barnum and Bailey

Other ideas (to assist with discovery)

There are many circus posters from George Engesser's Circus, which was based in St. Peter. (Mr. Engesser is buried in St. Peter and his tombstone is an elephant.) The circus was one of the largest motorized circuses in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Many "Ole Shows" were presented by the circus, which was known under the Clarion Brothers, Zellmar Brothers, and Schell Brothers names. These posters are not included in this guide.

Challenges to finding resources on this standard

There are a vast amount of beautiful photos regarding circuses, street fairs, performances and local circus events.

8: Minnesota Reflections Top Picks

Title

Date created

Description

Format (photo, map, letter …)

"Cite the Item" link

Circus Parade on front Street, Mankato

1890?

View of circus parade; with horses and wagons in Mankato

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/blue,1478

Circus wagons, Big Stone County, MN

1897?

Circus wagons lined up on the prairie

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/bsc,2659

Possibly the Ringling Brothers Circus, Ortonville, MN

1897 or 1905

Band and circus parade on Main Street of Ortonville, MN

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/bsc,2488

Circus Parade, Goodhue County, MN

1899?

Circus parade on Main Street between Bush and Plum Street

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/good,271

Circus parade with elephants, Red Wing, MN

1900?

Circus parade with elephants on Main Street between Bush and Plum Street

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/good,272

Circus parade in downtown Northfield

1900

Circus parade with caged wagon

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nfh,123

Circus parade in downtown Northfield

1900

Circus parade 1900

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nfh,126

Circus parade in Rochester

1903

A large group of people line Broadway to watch the circus parade with horses, elephants, circus wagons and performers

photos

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/olms,602

Circus Parade on Front Street, Moorhead, MN

1903 - 1904

Parade for unidentified circus. Spectators watch from the sidewalks as a gilded wagons drawn by horses go around the corner

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/clc,19

Parade

1906

Parade in conjunction with the circus in town; Garfield avenue and West Superior Street; animals include elephants

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nemhc,2070

Parade

1907

Parade in conjunction with the circus in town; Garfield avenue and West Superior Street; animals include camels

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nemhc,1914

Ringling Circus Parade

1915

Postcard showing Ringling Circus Parade down main Street in Blue Earth featuring 8-horse hitch pulling calliope

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/fhs,362

Ringling Elephants Parade

1915

Postcard showing the Ringling Circus elephants parading up main street in Blue Earth

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/fhs,360

Ringling Circus

1915

Postcard showing the Ringling Circus setup, people coming to a show

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/fhs,361

Neighborhoods of Duluth: West Duluth Barnum and Bailey Circus

1915?

Barnum and Bailey circus train

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nemhc,3365

Circus

1919

Circus side show; banners and entrance

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nemhc,2725

Circus

1919?

Circus; signs; circus posters; animals

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nemhc,2726

Elephants on North Front street, Mankato

1940?

Elephants walking down North Front street, Mankato

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/blue,2721

Portrait of Myron Hall with two circus performers, St. Cloud

1956

Portrait of Myron Hall, photographer for the St. Cloud Times, with two circus performers

photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,1586

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

Blue Earth County Historical Society, Goodhue County Historical Society, Northeast Minnesota Historical Center

10: Helpful Tips (optional)

Look for "circus animals" to narrow search.

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

Use the guide to talk about animal types and care. Also, compare circuses of long ago with circuses of today, such as facility changes, transportation differences and performance and performer evolutions. Also, a study of how a circus varies from a zoo or a fair could be explored.

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

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus http://www.ringling.com/

Cirque Du Soleil http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/home.aspx#/en/home/americas/usa.aspx