After all your at home learning about keystone species it is time to have a fun Edventure. This Edventure will take you to three of Walt Disney World Resort's theme parks. Any combination of Disney's Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot theme parks can be visited with this printable worksheet Bingo card to search for examples of keystone species.
These photo bingo cards can be used by students of all ages. They are designed to be printed out and used as you tour the theme parks. There is no need to make any special plans. Most of the attractions where keystones species are highlighted will already be in your park plan. If you are in search of a good touring plan I use The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World book, TouringPlans.com and their Lines App. The plans are user friendly, allow for customization and will save you so much time! I have been a paying subscriber for years.
Here is a summary of the keystone species included on the bingo cards and the location of the park and attraction where they can be found. I have included only major attractions that are available to guests with paid admission to the parks. There are other place you will find keystones species such as additional paid tours, like Caring for Giants (I have a blog post about this great tour here), but these are not necessary to complete the Bingo Card. Bees are one that you will probably be able to find anywhere there are flowers, which at Walt Disney World is everywhere.
I have included three different Bingo Card arrangements for you to print out if you have a competitive family. I would suggest bringing a small pencil to "x" off the square when you see that keystone species. You could also use stickers to cover the boxes. In a pinch I have used the free stickers from the Disney Vacation Club booths that you can find throughout each theme park.
When you are visiting the live animal attractions, especially the trails at Animal Kingdom and the aquarium at The Seas with Nemo and Friends, there will generally be an animal expert cast member around to answer questions and provided information. The interactions that my children have had with these cast members have always added to their knowledge and enjoyment of these experiences. If you have some questions that have come up during your at home learning this is a great time to talk with an expert. The education team at The Seas with Nemo and Friends, in addition to answering questions, usually have some great hands on displays to interact with.
In Pandora World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom, you will encounter the fictional keystone species of the mountain banshee. The Flight of Passage attraction follows the story of the Resources Development Administration, or RDA, who through bad mining practices, caused damage to the ecosystem. The Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI) have been studying the keystone species of Pandora, the mountain banshee. In the attraction queue, there are several posters explained the ecosystem in the Valley of Mo'ara. This is a great opportunity, if you are in the standby line, to take a closer look at the food chains and enviromental impact the mining has had on this keystone species. The ride itself speaks of the banshees or Ikron as a keystone species so grab a FastPass for this one if you can to avoid the three hour wait!
Here is the free, printable worksheet of Walt Disney World Keystone Species Bingo. Click on the photo to get the PDF. Enjoy your Edventure!
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