Tips for Teachers

To help make your day at the Park more enjoyable, we have created a list of "tips for teachers." Hopefully, this list will guide you through the pre-visit planning stage and answer some of your questions.

• Please don't forget your equipment, supplies and laboratory manuals. Although camcorders are not permitted on the rides, you may find them functional in a variety of ways. Perhaps you wish to use videos to discuss the dynamics of the rides as a review, incorporate them within a laboratory practical, or use them as introductory preparation for next year's trip to the Park.
• You and your students should decide on which of the many rides you want to explore. Carefully peruse the complete list of activities and find those rides that will best benefit your students.
• Some rides may take more time than others to complete. You may find it necessary to ride several times on some of the rides in order to collect good data.
• As much as is feasible, introduce to the students the concepts to be studied and rides that you have chosen during the weeks leading up to the event. Plan time in class for calculations and analysis during the days following the experience.
• Each teacher needs to decide how the students from his/her school will complete the data collection sheets, and any other information, that her/ his students may need. We recommend that teachers in charge advise students who may be fearful of some rides, that riding is optional and not mandatory.
• Kutztown University students will serve as general assistants to the teachers. They will be stationed at each listed ride and the reserved pavilion from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Follow the park map to the pavilion site and look for the Coaster Quest banner. Inform your students that they may ask the university students any questions related to the event with the exception of specific questions that may be contrary to your objectives.

Further information may be obtained by contacting:

Sales Coordinator
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
(610) 395-3724
groupsales@dorneypark.com

or:

Dr. Joseph S. Elias
Associate Professor of Science Education
College of Education
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
elias@kutztown.edu