Lesson Ideas

Just for starters

Here’s is a list of lesson ideas that you can use to tie into visits to the park.  This is just a starter and idea list.  How far you go with them is only limited to your imagination!  Lessons can start at home – then be capped off with a visit to the park, or the lesson can be fully explored while inside the park.  Disney was all about “Imagination”.  Let yours run wild!

Fairytales:

Pinocchio – puppetry, doll making

The Little Mermaid – sea life, plants, coral/shells, mermaid myths & stories

Alice in Wonderland – croquet/games, tea parties/ceremonies in various countries, etiquette, rabbit studies, flower studies

The Lion King (Jungle Cruise) – African animals, culture, jungle life, native birds, gourd growing/painting, geography, stereotypes

Snow White – mining, gem/geology studies, forest animals

Transportation:

How many forms of transportation can you find/ride inside DL or DCA?  Paddleboat, pirate ship, rafts, canoes, trains, Omnibus, double-decker bus, horseless carriage, horse-drawn trolley, cars, hang-gliding, Monorail are the first ones that come to mind.  What periods were they used?  What are the great things about them – what are the drawbacks?  What type of fuel do they use?

Architecture:

Compare & Contrast buildings throughout DL/DCA.  Main Street vs. Toontown.  Tomorrowland vs. Frontierland.  New Orleans Square vs. Frontierland.  The comparisons throughout both parks are infinite. Ok, that’s a bit of hyperbole.  But still – there is a LOT to do with this!

Trains:

What child isn’t just a bit fascinated with trains?  So much to learn here.  Trains can be used for transporting not only people, but animals and product, too.  What might a train carry?  What types of rail cars are needed for various types of passengers/goods?  Types of engines – types of fuel?  Learn about ‘Morse code’ – and why it was used.  Take into consideration train safety.  What do all the signs around trains mean?  What type of training is required to become a train engineer?

California Studies:

Head over to DCA for a few hours and learn a little aboutl the history of California in the California Dreams movie, featuring Whoopie Goldberg.  Agriculture can also be explored near the Bug’s Life area and the Golden Vine Winery.  The winery actually holds a wine cellar like theatre where you can learn about the Napa Valley and  area.  Wine tasting is available for those of age .

Did you know?

Before the citrus trees moved in, Anaheim was actually a grape-growing area with a number of vineyards. But in the 1880s a virus called “Anaheim Disease” destroyed the grapevines, and the growers eventually turned to citrus instead.

This virus still persists, and the vines at the Golden Vine Winery have to be re-planted as they fall prey to it.