Student Activities:
Introduction:
You have just been hired to lead tours at Churchill Downs the week prior
to the Kentucky Derby. Your role will be as a tour guide specialist in a content
area such as math, science, social studies, reading or writing. You are
very excited about this new job because you will be leading students from all
across Kentucky and educating them about the past, present and future of the
Kentucky Derby. You will be responsible for information pertaining to the
Kentucky Derby in your content area. You will be working as a member of a
team. There will be one person for each content area.
Task:
Before you can begin leading the tours you have to brush up on your
Kentucky Derby Facts! You and your team will plan your tour and the important
information that you will be passing on to Kentucky's students. Working as a
team of 5, choose your content area and begin researching important facts,
information and areas to tour at Churchill Downs, as well as activities that the
students can do in each subject area. Assign each team member a content area:
(1)Math (2)Science (3) Social Studies (4)Writing (5) Art.
Background Information
Before you can begin your research, you must experience the Derby. Since you
only have a week, a virtual experience will have to do.
The Derby
Experience
Take a look at this informative site on Churchill Downs.
Churchill Downs
Now you take a tour of the Kentucky Derby Museum.
Kentucky Derby
Museum
Content Areas
Math
Who are the Kentucky Derby Contenders?
Use the information here to create a bar graph that shows their earnings.
Kentucky
Derby Contenders
Social Studies
Create a Timeline of the History of the Kentucky Derby
Timeline
of History
Visit this site and discover the roles as Jockeys, Trainers and Owners that
the African Americans have played in the Derby over the years.
African
Americans in the Derby
Visit this site and discover the roles as Jockeys, Trainers and Owners that
women have played in the Derby over the years.
Women
in the Derby
Writing
Know Your Role
Visit this site and describe what makes up a Derby Team.
Derby
Connections
Science
Visit this site to find about the Thoroughbred breed.
Thoroughbred
Research Horse Breeds by Continent
Horse Breeds of the World
The Arts
My Old Kentucky Home
Guitar Sheet Music
Museum Tours
Take a tour of the Online History Exhibits, Virtual Art Gallery and more.
International Museum of the
Horse
More to Come
Note to Teachers:
While horse owners and Churchill Downs employees are busy preparing for the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky students and teachers are hard at work in their classrooms. Here is how the excitement of the Kentucky Derby can be brought into your math, science, social studies, reading, art, and writing lessons!
You will need to reserve the computer lab for this activity. Gather maps, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, etc. to use as additional research materials. This activity should take approximately 3-5 days depending on your class length.