2012
School Days
Upper Elementary
Please answer the following questions. You may use a calculator if you brought one with you.
You will need to gather information from around the park for some of the questions. Make sure
that you write out all of your solutions completely – Not just the answer!
1. After a long morning, you start to get hungry… Go to a concessions stand and look at the
menu for help with this question. Your parents give you $10, but they say that you can
only choose from the following items: a hot dog, a hamburger, a soda (any size), a bag of
peanuts, a bag of chips or candy. What can you buy to spend all of the money without
going over? (Must choose at least 3 items)
Answers will vary. Prices are as follows: hot dog -$2.75, hamburger - $4.00,
sodasregular – $2.75, medium – $3.50, souvenir – $4.00, bag of peanuts - $4.00, chips - $1.00,
candy (M&M’s or Snickers) - $3.00
The attendance at Fifth Third Ballpark for each year is as follows:
Year Attendance
1994
475,212
1995
507,989
1996
547,401
1997
536,029
1998
500,083
1999
457,350
2000
436,751
2001
422,892
2002
400,196
2003
361,545
2004
390,033
2005
370,153
2006
356,167
2007
377,412
2008
367,532
2009
356,637
2010
371,575
2011
372,555
2. How many fans total have attended a game at Fifth Third Ballpark from when it opened
in 1994 through the 2011 season?
475,212+507,989+547,401+536,029+500,083+457,350+436,751+42
2,892+400,196+361,545+390,033+370,153+356,167+377,412+367,5
32+356,637+371,575+372,555=7,607,512
3. What is the average number of fans per year that have attended a game at Fifth Third
Ballpark for the first 17 years?
7,607,512 ÷ 18 = 422,640 people
4. Home plate is 90 feet from first base. How far is this when measured in:
a. a) inches 12 in=1ft b) yards 3 ft=1yd c) centimeters 1 in=2.54 cm d) meters
1m=100cm
a. 1,080 in. b. 30 yd. c. 2,743.2 cm d. 277.432 m
5. The distance between each consecutive base is 90 ft. Assuming that the angle of the base
paths at first base is 90 degrees and the second baseman is directly on second base, how
far does the second baseman have to throw the ball to make it to home plate?
a2+ b2= c2
so 90ft2+90ft2=distance2
distance2=16,200ft
distance=127.28 ft
6. Earned Run Average: A pitcher’s earned run average (ERA) is the average number of
“earned” runs that the pitcher allows for every nine innings. To calculate a pitcher’s
ERA, multiply the total number of earned runs by 9. Then, divide that number by the
number of innings pitched.
Example: If Joel Zumaya has 23 earned runs and has pitched 106.2 innings.
23 x 9 ÷ 106.2 = 1.94 ERA
Shane Heams, a member of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team in Sydney, Australia, gave
up 18 earned runs during 69 innings pitched with the Whitecaps in 1999. What was his
ERA?
18 earned runs ÷ 69 innings pitched = .261 ERA
7. Win-Loss Percentage: A pitcher’s win-loss percentage is the percentage of games they
win out of all the games in which they earn a decision (win or loss). To calculate winloss percentage, divide the number of games won by the total number of games pitched.
(Pitcher’s records are usually given as “total wins” – “total losses”)
Example: If Whitecaps’ Jacob Turner is 8-4.
8 + 4 = 12 total games played; 8 ÷ 12 = .67; .67 x 100 = 67%
In 2000, Holland-native Andy Van Hekken had a record of 16-6. What was his win-loss
percentage?
16 wins + 6 losses = 22 games played
16wins / 22 games played = .727 x100 = 72.7 %
Go to the big map of the United States behind the lawn section on the first base side to do this
activity.
1.
Put a star where the Whitecaps play.
2.
Color in and label the only states that have no Major League or Minor League baseball
teams.
North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Mississippi should be shaded and labeled
3.
The Toledo Mud Hens are the Detroit Tigers Triple A Team. Put an X on Toledo, Ohio
where they play.
4.
Circle the state located on the west border of Ohio.
5.
Put a triangle in the state where your favorite Major League Baseball team plays.
Answers will vary
6.
Draw stripes in any states that share borders with the state with a triangle.
Answers will vary based on previous answer
Answer the following questions. The answers are on the timeline poster located in the lawn area
behind right field.
1) a) When was the first officially recorded baseball game? 1846
b) Which teams played in that game? New York Nine vs. Knickerbockers
2) In 1880, what was the population of the U.S.? Just over 50 million
3) Why was Game 3 of the World Series postponed in 1989?
There was an earthquake
4) Where was the first baseball game played on artificial turf?
Houston Astrodome
5) What is the name of the world’s first satellite?
Sputnik
6) As of January 1998, approximately how many web sites were there?
7) Who invented the telephone and in what year?
Alexander Graham Bell in 1876
8) Who was the first Detroit Tigers player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Ty Cobb
9) Who was the first female secretary of state?
Madaline Albright
10) What “curse” did the Boston Red Sox break by winning the World Series?
The curse of Bambino
You should always try to be safe when using a computer and surfing the internet. Go to the
display located behind the lawn area on the 1st base side to see some hints and tips to be safe.
1)
What is the number one rule about internet safety?
Do not give out personal information such as your address, telephone number, or
location of your school without your parents' permission.
2)
Whose permission do you need to use the internet? Parents
3)
Name 3 good sites where you can go on the internet to have fun?
Any 3 of the following:
http://whitecapsbaseball.com
http://www.mlb.com
http://www.detroittigers.com
http://www.pbskids.org
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/kids/114814
http://www.abckids.com
4)
What is your favorite website, and why?
Answers will vary
Have you ever wondered how light bulbs work? Go to the demonstration located behind the first
base lawn section to find out and answer the following questions.
Refer to the Electricity Safety Rules to answer the following questions.
1)
What should you do if something is marked "Danger", "High Voltage", or "Keep Out"?
Stay away from it
2)
While you are wet, you should not touch anything electrical. True or False
3)
Which safety rule do you think is the most important? Why?
Answers will vary
4)
A household light bulb has a power of about 60 watts. How many watts do you think the
stadium light bulbs are?
They are actually 1500 Watts, but since it is a guess, answers will vary.
5)
Label the parts of the light bulb.
Glass Envelope
Mixture of inert gases
at low pressure
Coiled tungsten
filament
Support wires
Glass fuse enclosure
Connecting wires
Screw cap
Electrical contact
Can fruit and vegetables be used to make batteries? Find out in the lawn section behind the Superior’s
Landing.
1) A battery is made up of galvanic cells.
2) What is electricity?
The flow of electrons.
3) 90% of all portable electronic devices require which four sizes of batteries?
AAA, AA, C, D
4) Label the following cell:
Anode
Cathode
Electrolyte
http://www.nlectc.org/txtfiles/batteryguide/images/ba-fig1.gif
5) The fruit in our experimental food batteries acts as what part of a cell?
They are acting as the electrolyte.
Fruits
6) Fill in the following chart.
Food
Current (in Volts)
Lemon
All will vary between .60 and
1.00 volts
Apple
Vegetables
Banana
Potato
Radish
Carrot
Independent Thinking: There are no right or wrong answers to the following questions.
7) Are fruits or vegetables better to use as batteries?
Why?
Answers will vary based on readings above.
8) What characteristics do you think are better for the electrolytes for batteries?
Answers will vary
9) Name some other fruits or vegetables that may be good to use in this experiment.
Answers will vary
Does the angle a ball is hit affect the distance it goes? To find out, we are going to shoot off three balls
at the same speed, but different angles. Go to the table behind the first base lawn section. Then
answer the questions that follow.
Angle
(in Degrees)
30
Trial #1
(in inches)
Trial #2
(in inches)
Trial #3
(in inches)
Avg. Distance
(in inches)
45
60
Answers to this section will vary based on individual demonstration results.
1) At which angle did the ball go the farthest?
Which Trial was it?
It should be 45 degrees
Answer will vary
2) Which angle had the highest average distance?
3) Why do you think this is the case?
The 45 degree angle
Answers will vary.
4) What other factors may contribute to the distance the ball goes when it is hit?
Answers will vary, but answers could include: wind, velocity (speed) of ball,
velocity (speed) of shooter (or bat), air pressure, temperature
What is a simple machine? Find out at the display behind the lawn area on the 1st base side.
1)
Name the six types of simple machines.
Levers, Inclined Planes, Wheel and Axles, Screws, Wedge, Pulleys
2)
For each of the following examples, name the type of simple machine it is:
a) Hammer:
b) Tent Stake:
Lever
Wedge
c) Crane:
Pulley
d) Bolt:
Screw
e) Flag Pole:
Pulley
f) Ramp:
g) Light Bulb:
Inclined plane
Screw
h) Baseball Bat: Lever
i) Nail:
Wedge
h) Bicycle Wheel: Wheel and Axel
3) Name at least one more example for each type of simple machine.
Answers will vary.
Answer the following questions using the display located behind the first base lawn section.
1.
What is a professional baseball pitching mound made from? Clay
2.
On a baseball infield, the material on top of the “dirt” is just like what material that about onethird of all Americans have in their home? Cat Litter
3.
Name one common grass insect: Bluegrass billbug, Japanese Beetle, European
What is its scientific name:
chafer
Sphenophorous parvulus, Popillia japonica, Rhizotrogus
majalis
4.
Name one common grass disease: Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Grey Leaf Spot
What is its scientific name: Rutstoemia floccosum, Rhizoctonia solani, Pyricularia
grisen
5.
Fill in the names for each part of the Kentucky Bluegrass plant:
Seed head
Leaf
Stem
Crown
Rhizome
Roots
Look at the biology display located in the lawn behind right field and answer the questions about
earthworms below.
1.) Name two benefits of earthworms.
1) They turn organic debris into fertile humus
2) Their burrowing aerates the soil.
2.) Name two predators of earthworms.
Birds, especially Robins, and burrowing animals like moles
3.) How does the earthworm take in oxygen?
Through its moist skin
4) Approximately how many earthworms are there per acre of moist soil?
Approximately 50,000 earthworms
5) What is the area in front of the mouth called?
prostomium
6) How do worms move through the soil?
The body segments expand and contract. As the segments expand, bristles or setae on each
segment grip the wall, then the segments contract moving the body forward.
7) How many body segments is the worm’s body divided into?
100 or more body segments
They say that you are what you eat. That’s why athletes need to watch their diet and eat healthy.
Check out the nutrition booth to answer the following questions.
1) Look at the food pyramid and name the seven groups and a favorite of yours from each group.
The groups are: Physical Activity, Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Oils, Mik, Meat and Beans
Favorites groups will vary
2) Which food group is your favorite? Why?
Answers will vary
3) Which group should be eaten in limited amounts?
Oils
How well do you know your food? Stick your hand in each bucket and guess what the players had to
eat the night before.
What’s in:
Bucket #1 _______________________
Bucket #2 _______________________
Bucket #3 _______________________
Bucket #4 _______________________
Bucket #5 _______________________
Go behind the 1st base lawn area in right field to test some elements of your physical fitness. You can
check your scores by looking at the charts posted on the deck.
1)
Test yourself in the following areas and record your score after one minute.
Pushups: ____________
Curl-ups (sit-ups):______________
2)
List 5 activities or exercises you can do to stay physically fit.
Answers will vary, but could include: walking, running, jumping rope, swimming, playing
sports, pushups, Sit-ups, etc.
3)
Other than to play sports, why do you think it is important to get fit and stay fit?
Answers can vary, but could include: to help prevent certain health conditions, to
feel better
Go to the career booth located behind the Sharkwater Cove. You will see job
descriptions for some of the front office staff of the West Michigan Whitecaps. Read
them over and answer the following questions.
1)
Match the following careers to their job description.
Careers
Position
1) Radio Announcer
Job Description:
2) President
Job Description:
3) Head Groundskeeper
Job Description:
4) Vice President of
Operations
Job Description:
5) Director of Food
and Beverage
Job Description:
Job Descriptions
Person
________________
e.)
Scott Lane
a.)
Adam Farrell
d.)
Jim Jarecki
b.)
Matt Timon
c.)
a.) Manages, directs and implements strategies
and objectives for the Whitecaps.
Additionally, advises the CEO, interacts with
fans, and analyzes budgets.
b.) Oversees day-to-day operations of the stadium.
c.) Responsible for ensuring positive relations
regarding concessions and food service.
d.) Ensures the beauty and efficiency of operation
of the playing surface and turf and grounds at
Fifth Third Ballpark.
e.) Performs announcing and play-by-play
functions of all West Michigan Whitecaps
games both home and away.
2)
Which career from the display would you like to do when you grow up?
Answers will vary
3)
How much education will you need to do to meet the requirements for this job?
Answers will vary
4)
What type of classes will you need to take to prepare you for this job?
Answers will vary
5)
What are some other skills that will aid you in performing your job duties?
Answers will vary
Whitecaps
Mathletes
Directions: Each Whitecaps player represents the number on their jersey. Solve the
math equations and get the autograph of the player who is the answer. The team roster
with jersey numbers can be found on the back of this sheet. The game is based on the
April 9th, 2012 roster.
1. Josue Carreno – Dan Bennett =
2. Aaron Westlake – Matt Perry =
3. Wilsen Palacios / Ryan Woolley + Luis Angel Sanz =
4. Steven Moya – Chad Wright + Danry Vasquez =
5. Tim Kelley – Marcus Lemon – Curt Casali =
6. Kyle Ryan + Eugenio Suarez – Aaron Westlake =
7. Matt Perry + Brandon Loy – Colin Kaline =
8. Michael Torrealba x Marcus Lemon – Aaron Westlake =
9. Dean Green / Michael Torrealba + Pat Leyland =
10. Chad Wright / Jason Krizan + Eugenio Suarez=
11. Kyle Ryan – Michael Torrealba =
12.
Dean Green x Jason Krizan / Eugenio Suarez + Kyle Ryan - Michael Torrealba
+Colin Kaline – Jade Todd =
References:
Play Ball: Sports Math. Time Life for Children Series. 1993. ISBN 0-8094-9970-9970-3
The History of the Tigers. By Richard Rambeck. 1999. ISBN 0-88682-908-9
Goodstein, M. (1999). Sports Science Projects: The Physics of Balls in Motion.
Enslow Publishers.
Berkeley Hts. NJ:
http://ww3.sportsline.com/u/baseball/bol/chronology
http://www.historychannel.com
http://www.nysite.com/nature/fauna/earthworm.htm
http://www.weberelectricsupply.com/sfty.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com
http://www.nlectc.org/txtfiles/batteryguide/ba-cont.htm
http://www.rayovac.com/max_fun/max_fun_info/works.shtml
http://www.mypyramid.gov
Special thanks to: Charlene Beckmann, Professor of Mathematics at Grand Valley State University.
Sandra Springer, Kent County MSU Cooperative Extension Office
MVP Sports Club