Kennywood
A Classroom for Learning
A booklet of worksheets for elementary
and middle school students created by the
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
Published by the
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
100 West Station Square Drive, Suite 450
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134
www.phlf.org
Contents
A Brief History of Kennywood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Transportation Through the Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Copyright © 2002; updated 2007, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
Getting to Kennywood: Designing a Mass Transit System . . . . . . . 5
Permission is granted to reproduce pages for individual classroom use only.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond educational use without the permission of the
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is unlawful.
Making a Map of Kennywood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The worksheets were created by Darren DeArment, an intern from the University of Pittsburgh, with assistance
from Louise Sturgess, Mary Ann Eubanks, Laura Charles, and Tawnya Zemka, all of the Pittsburgh History &
Landmarks Foundation.
Designing an Arcade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
A First-Hand Account of Kennywood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Interview Follow-Up Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Making Kennywood Even Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The booklet was designed by Pytlik Design Associates.
Advertising a New Amusement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The printing of this publication was made possible by the Revolving Fund for Education of the Pittsburgh
History & Landmarks Foundation, established in 1984 through a generous grant from the Claude Worthington
Benedum Foundation and later augmented through major grants from The Grable Foundation, The Mary
Hillman Jennings Foundation, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and an anonymous donor.
The Potato Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Sources:
Jacques, Charles J., Jr. Kennywood: Roller Coaster Capital of the World. Vestal, NY: The Vestal Press, Ltd., 1982.
Jacques, Charles J., Jr. More Kennywood Memories. Jefferson, OH: Amusement Park Journal, 1998.
Kennywood Memories, producer and narrator Rick Sebak, 60 min., QED Communications, Inc., 1990,
videocassette.
The Merry-Go-Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Kennywood After Dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Social Studies/Reading Comprehension
Your Task:
1. Read the section below on Kennywood’s history.
2. Then see what you remember by answering the six questions.
A Brief History of Kennywood
Kennywood is located on an important site. Back in 1755 British General Edward Braddock and 23-year-old
George Washington stopped for water and rest on the land that is now Kennywood. They were on an expedition
to capture the French fort “Du Quesne,” 10 miles west at the Point.
Beginning in the 1860s, from about the time of the Civil War, the site that is now Kennywood was called
“Kenny’s Grove.” It was a popular place to picnic. In 1898 Kennywood was created as a “trolley park” at
the end of the Monongahela Street Railroad Company. It was designed as a place where workers and their
families could gather for games, rides, band concerts, and food.
In the 1900s, Kennywood was affected by the Depression and two World Wars. During the Great Depression,
Kennywood managed to stay open by holding dances and school picnics. During World War II, service men and
women in uniform received free admission into the park. Kennywood became an early leader in the “coaster wars”
that began in the 1970s, when the New York Times named the Thunderbolt the “King of Coasters.” In 1987,
Kennywood was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior because of its
historical significance. In 1998, Kennywood celebrated its one hundredth birthday!
1. Why did General Braddock and George Washington come to this area in 1755?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What did people do when they went to “Kenny’s Grove”?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What saved Kennywood during the Great Depression?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Who was admitted free to Kennywood during World War II?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Who called the Thunderbolt the “King of Coasters”?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What was Kennywood designated in recognition of its historical significance?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
This is one of eight full-color posters (actual size 16.5'' x 23.5'') in the Landmark Survivors series.
For other titles in the series call or visit www.phlf.org
3
Social Studies
Social Studies
Transportation Through the Years
Your task:
Match the written description with the correct illustration.
A.
1. The invention of this form of transportation caused an explosion
in commerce and travel from Pittsburgh to New Orleans.
Getting to Kennywood: Designing a
Mass Transit System
In 1898, Kennywood was built at the end of a trolley line to both attract customers to the Monongahela Street
Railway (trolley) company, and to bring them to the new “trolley park.” The trolley car was really the first
urban mass transit system. A mass transit system carries large amounts of people to different points in and
around the city.
Your task:
1. Please answer the following questions:
B.
2. The French in Canada traveled in this from Lake Erie to the
Mississippi River.
• How did you get to Kennywood today? ____________________________________________________________
• How do you think people got here about 60 years ago, say in 1950?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
C.
3. This method of transportation allowed for the growth and
expansion of Pittsburgh’s suburbs after the Civil War.
• How do you think people got here 100 years ago? ___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
D.
4. Early settlers used this to travel from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
E.
5. This “iron horse” connected Pittsburgh to the Pacific Ocean.
• Design a new mass transit system for Pittsburgh. In the space below, draw a picture of what your new form
of transportation might look like. Your system can be made up of several different types of vehicles if you
like.
The vehicles in my mass transit system
F.
6. This connects Pittsburgh with the rest of the world, making
Pittsburgh an international city.
G.
7. The Heinz family was the first to own one of these in Pittsburgh.
Now, most families in the Pittsburgh region have at least one of
these.
Answer Key
1(E)
2(F)
3(D)
4(A)
5(B)
6(C)
7(G)
over
4
5
Social Studies
Social Studies/Art
Getting to Kennywood (continued)
Your task:
1. On the map below, trace the path of your new mass transit system from downtown Pittsburgh to
Kennywood.
2. Think about the following questions:
• Will your mass transit system go under, over, or around existing buildings?
• How will your mass transit system get across the rivers?
• What stops will your mass transit system make en route to Kennywood?
• Will someone visiting Point State Park, Station Square, or the stadiums be able to get to Kennywood via
your transit system?
Making a Map of Kennywood
Your task:
1. Pretend that you have been hired by Kennywood to design a map of “Lost Kennywood” for children.
2. Go to Lost Kennywood and, in the space below, sketch the pathways, buildings, rides, attractions, and other
landmarks that you see.
My map of Lost Kennywood
Heinz
Field
3. Back in your classroom, use your sketch to create a map of Lost Kennywood on a piece of poster board.
• You can include trees, food stands, and even people.
• Make your map eye-catching and colorful!
6
7
Art
Social Studies/Language Arts
Designing an Arcade
A First-Hand Account of Kennywood
What is an arcade?
Families in Pittsburgh have been going to Kennywood for generations.
An arcade is a large building usually located near the center of an amusement park. It has different games —
skeeball, “horsey rides,” and racing games — and, traditionally, small, manual motion-picture machines to look
into called Nickelodeons.
Your task:
1. Interview at least one friend or family member to learn about his/her experiences at Kennywood.
Complete the worksheet below.
Your task:
Pretend you are an architect at the Three Rivers Amusement and Coaster Consortium (TRACC). You have been
hired to design an arcade at Lost Kennywood. About 100 people should be able to enjoy being in your arcade
at any one time.
1. On a separate piece of paper, draw a floor plan (bird’s eye view) of your arcade. You can include a second
floor, if you wish.
Interview Worksheet
Date: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Location: ________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Next, draw the front of the building (an elevation).
Name (and relation) of person being interviewed: ______________________________________________________
3. Draw the other three (or more) sides of the building (also elevations).
Goal of interview: _________________________________________________________________________________
4. Add color to your drawings if you wish.
Suggested questions:
5. Cut out the front and side walls. Tape them to your floor plan and create a paper model based on your
drawings.
For inspiration, look at these pictures of buildings that were once at Kennywood.
1. How old were you when you first went to Kennywood? ______________________________________________
2. When was the last time you went to Kennywood?____________________________________________________
3. How has Kennywood changed over the years?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Do you feel that some things have remained the same?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Why do you think people keep coming back to Kennywood?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What is your favorite ride?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
over
8
9
Social Studies/Language Arts
7. Is there a special memory about Kennywood that you would like to share?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Write down any additional questions you would like to ask:
8. Question:_______________________________________________________________________________________
Answer: ________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Social Studies/Language Arts/Art
Interview Follow-Up Projects
Your task:
Meet with other students in your class, and create a group project based on facts you discovered during your
interview.
Timeline/Skit
1. Create a timeline by writing down all the facts that everyone learned during their interviews. Write and
perform a skit based on the events on your timeline.
Kennywood Video
2. Create a video of Kennywood memories, based on information collected during the interviews.
Construct a Model
9. Question:_______________________________________________________________________________________
Answer: ________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Work in groups to construct models of some of the buildings that are no longer standing at Kennywood.
Publication
4. Publish a booklet of Kennywood Memories, based on the student interviews.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Question: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Answer:_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Question: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Answer:_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Question: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Answer:_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
10
11
Business/Language Arts
Language Arts/Art
Making Kennywood Even Better
Advertising a New Amusement
How can we make Kennywood an even better place to visit?
Kennywood attracts over one million people every season, because there is usually a new special event or ride
and because it’s always fun to return to a favorite, familiar place.
Your task:
1. Walk around Kennywood and write down any problems that you see. Are lines too long? Should there be
more food stands? Should there be more restrooms? Do you see litter anywhere?
2. Suggest a solution for each problem. Include drawings, if you wish, that show your ideas.
3. Then write down what you think is good about Kennywood.
Problems that you notice:
Solutions to those problems:
1. _____________________________________________
1. ___________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________
Your Task:
1. Pretend you are an advertising consultant for the Three Rivers Amusement and Coaster Consortium
(TRACC).
2. Design a new ride for Kennywood.
3. Develop an advertising campaign that will make everyone want to try your new ride. In your advertising
campaign:
• Create a 30-second announcement for the radio
• design a poster that could be displayed in schools
A drawing of a new ride
30-second radio announcement:
Good things to continue:
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________
12
Poster for school
13
Math
Math
The Potato Patch
The Merry-Go-Round
Your task:
Your task:
Determine how many times the carousel goes full circle in one minute.
Solve this story problem.
To solve this problem:
How many potatoes does the Potato Patch use in one day?
1. Pick out your favorite animal on the merry-go-round. Write what it is here:________________
Helpful hints:
Read the clues in the information bank below and follow this procedure:
2. Next, look at the second hand on your watch. When the second hand approaches the 12 (or 00 on a digital
watch), start timing one minute.
1. During one season, how many pounds of potatoes does the Potato Patch use? _______________
3. Count how many times your animal passes by you in one minute.
2. Approximately how many pounds of potatoes are used on any one day during the season? _______________
3. Therefore, how many potatoes are used on any one day? _______________
Information Bank
Trial one
Times per minute:_____________
4. Do this a few more times to make sure the merry-go-round is consistent. If you come-up with different
numbers each time, take the average of the three trial counts.
Trial two
Times per minute:_____________
Trial three
Times per minute:_____________
Average times per minute:__________________
1. Every season Kennywood’s Potato Patch
uses about 200 tons of potatoes.
The number you have is the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the merry-go-round. Compare your number
with the number that other students compute to see if they came up with the same number.
2. There are 2,000 pounds in one ton.
3. Assume each potato weighs one pound.
4. Assume Kennywood Park is open 121 days
during the season.
Use this same method to figure out the RPM of the Aero 360?
1. Choose an arm with “Kennywood” written on it.
2. Locate a fixed point that the arm will pass.
3. Count the number of times the arm goes passed the fixed point in one minute.
Trial one
Times per minute:_____________
Trial two
Times per minute:_____________
Trial three
Times per minute:_____________
Average times per minute:__________________
RPM of the Aero 360:______________
Answer Key
3,306 potatoes
1. 40,000
14
2. 3,306
3. 3,306
15
Language Arts
Kennywood After Dark
When you leave Kennywood, do you wonder what happens when all the lights go off and everyone goes home?
Is Kennywood really deserted, or does a second shift of visitors arrive after the first shift leaves? (Maybe those
who have visited Kennywood in the past like to keep coming back!)
Your Task:
Be imaginative! Write a short story about what you think happens when Kennywood closes. You can write a
story that’s spooky, silly, or fantastic—be creative!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Membership
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The annual membership fee for school
districts is $50.00
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Call Mary Lu at 412-471-5808 ext. 527
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PITTSBURGH HISTORY & LANDMARKS FOUNDATION
Founded in 1964, the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is
a non-profit historic preservation group serving Allegheny County.
It is dedicated to identifying and preserving the architectural landmarks,
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