Disney s World of Physics: Energy and Waves (Grades 3-5 or Ages 8-11) Program Description Disney s World of Physics: Energy and Waves is a two and a half hour program through Disneyland Park led and taught by a Disney Facilitator. Students examine and gain an understanding on how the energy of light and sound come together to create a unique experience in Disney Park Attractions, including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Buzz Lightyear s Astro Blasters (Buzz Lightyear s Astro Blasters is inspired by Disney Pixar s Toy Story 2. Disney Pixar) and Captain EO. Students will also examine important historical figures and how they have impacted events throughout history. Learning Objectives After completing Disney s World of Physics: Energy and Waves, students are able to do the following: Define energy and work Define a medium Articulate binaural hearing Define and demonstrate a compression wave Demonstrate and articulate how a solid, liquid, and gas affect sound Demonstrate how white light is composed of different colors of light Articulate how different colors of light are made up of different wavelengths Demonstrate how light is reflected in glass Discuss different historical figures and coordinate specific events in a chronological order Apply the basic principal of a hypothesis through observation, experiments, recording data and drawing a conclusion Compare and Contrast refraction, reflection and projection Articulate and discuss the seven forms of energy by demonstrating the Law of Conservation of Energy Learning Guide This information is designed to help you, the teacher or group leader, prepare your class or group for their Disney Youth Education Series experience. All of this information will be covered during the program. It can also serve as a tool after the experience to help your students recap what they ve learned. Vocabulary List Energy The cause of any change Wave Disturbance that moves energy from one place to another Atom The smallest unit of a chemical element Electron A subatomic particle that carries an electric charge Proton A subatomic particle that carries a positive electric charge Neutron A subatomic particle that has no electric charge or mass Vacuum A volume of space that is substantially empty of matter
Visible Light The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye Refraction Change in direction of a wave due to velocity Reflection Change in direction of a wave front between two different mediums, the wave front is returned to its original medium Projection The display of an image Concave Curving in Convex Curving outward Vibration Mechanical motion Medium Materials through which waves propagate Electromagnetic Spectrum Suggested Questions What is the difference between a concave and convex lens? What is another word for Visible Light? How do prisms refract white light? Draw an example. Can light travel through a vacuum? What is the speed of light? What three types of mediums can sound travel through? Sound travels through what type of wave? Give an example of where we use ultraviolet light in our day to day lives. Give an example of where we use reflection in our day to day lives. Give an example of where we use projection in our day to day lives. Observe the surroundings in your classroom; give an example of sound and light? o How would your classroom differ if one of these components were missing? What is a permanent magnet? Is an electromagnet a permanent or temporary magnet? How many electrons are in a permanent magnet made of iron? Give an example of how a permanent magnet is made. Take a look around your classroom, where do you use electromagnets? o Where do you use permanent magnets?
Ideas Write a 250 word essay on Walt Disney and his life or create a drawing about and the contributions that he made. Design and create your own attraction or ride: o What would be the theme of your attraction? o What types of special effects would you use? o What feeling would you want your guest to walk away with? Here is a brief description of the Walt Disney Imagineers that have impacted the growth and development of the Disney brand: Recognizing how the various talents of many different people can come together so powerfully is one of the great lessons a student can take away from a visit to the Disneyland Resort. Walt Disney Imagineering is the business unit under The Walt Disney Company that is responsible for bringing big ideas to life through the Disney Parks around the world. The term Imagineering is simply a combination of the words imagination and engineering. Without imagination and creativity, the Disney Parks wouldn t be very magical and without the engineering and sound construction, the Parks wouldn t function very well. It takes both parts working together to create the most magnificent attractions, shows, and parades in the world. The Walt Disney Imagineers are best known for designing and building the five world famous Disney theme parks all over the world: o Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA o Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida o Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan o Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne-la-Valle, France o Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Because it takes a combination of both imagination and engineering, Imagineers come in all forms. Artists, writers, architects, landscapes architects, engineers, model builders, construction managers, technicians, designers and a whole range of other talents make up the Imagineering team. It takes a lot of teamwork between all these different specialists to be able to make dreams come true for all our guests around the world. NATIONAL HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING STANDARDS Standard 1. Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns Knows how to interpret data presented in time lines (e.g., the sequence in which events developed) Distinguishes between past, present, and future time Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective Grade 5-6 Understands that specific individuals had a great impact on history Understands that specific decisions and events had an impact on history
NATIONAL GRADE K-4 HISTORY STANDARDS Standard 4. Understands how democratic values came to be, and how they have been exemplified by people, events, and symbols Grade 3-4 Understands how people over the last 200 years have continued to struggle to bring to all groups in American society the liberties and equality promised in the basic principles of American democracy (e.g., Sojourner Truth; Harriet Tubman; Frederick Douglass) Understands the historical events and democratic values commemorated by major national holidays (e.g., Presidents Day) NATIONAL THINKING AND REASONING STANDARDS Standard 4. Understands and applies basic principles of hypothesis testing and scientific inquiry Verifies the results of experiments Grade 6-8 Understands that there are a variety of ways people can form hypotheses, including basing them on many observations, basing them on very few observations, and constructing them on only one or two observations Understands the importance of verifying the results of experiments Understands that there may be more than one valid way to interpret a set of findings Makes and validates conjectures about outcomes of an experiment NATIONAL SCIENCE STANDARDS Standard 8. Understands the structure and properties of matter Knows that matter has different states (i.e., solid, liquid, gas) and that each state has distinct physical properties; some common materials such as water can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling Knows that materials may be composed of parts that are too small to be seen without magnification Grade 6-8 Knows that states of matter depend on molecular arrangement and motion (e.g., molecules in solids are packed tightly together and their movement is restricted to vibrations; molecules in liquids are loosely packed and move easily past each other; molecules in gases are quite far apart and move about freely) Standard 9. Understands the sources and properties of energy Knows that heat is often produced as a byproduct when one form of energy is converted to another form Knows that light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed Knows that the pitch of a sound depends on the frequency of the vibration producing it
Grade 6-8 Understands the law of conservation of energy Knows how the Sun acts as a major source of energy for changes on the Earth s surface (i.e., the Sun loses energy by emitting light; some of this light is transferred to the Earth in a range of wavelengths including visible light, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet radiation) Knows that vibrations (e.g., sounds, earthquakes) move at different speeds in different materials, have different wavelengths, and set up wave-like disturbances that spread away from the source Knows that waves have energy and interact with matter (e.g., light scattering) and can transfer energy (e.g., light absorption) Knows that only a narrow range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation can be seen by the human eye; differences of wavelength within that range of visible light are perceived as differences in color Standard 11. Understands the nature of scientific knowledge Grades 3-5 Knows that although the same scientific investigation may give slightly different results when it is carried out by different persons, or at different times or places, the general evidence collected from the investigations should be replicable by others Grades 6-8 Knows that all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, but for most core ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation Standard 12. Understands the Nature of Scientific Inquiry Knows that scientific investigations involve asking and answering a question and comparing the answer to what scientists already know about the world Plans and conducts simple investigations