SEE THE WORLD IN THE HEART OF TIMES SQUARE 1 Educators Resource Guide Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square is the largest Ripley’s museum attraction in North America. It features a collection of over 500 remarkable objects from all over the world as well as amazing interactive exhibits that are sure to make your students say “WOW!” A number of the displays featured in Ripley’s Times Square showcase what inspired Ripley’s renowned cartoons, books, radio broadcasts, television series and one of the most famous phrases in history – “Believe It or Not!”

In this packet, you will find:

✓ At The Odditorium: An overview of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square ✓ With Your Students: Frequently Asked Questions

✓ In the Classroom: Ripley’s Ramble ‘Round the World, a Middle School Lesson Plan

✓ Make a Connection: New York State Learning Standards

✓ More to Come: Believe it or Not!

✓ Ripley’s Fun & Games: Ripley’s Riddles, The Search is On, Explore & Learn

✓ Make a Plan: School Group Order Form

2 At Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square, students of all ages immerse themselves in the unusual, the unexpected, and the unbelievable. From understanding diversity (embrace your “Inner Odd”) to exploring the unexplainable through science, and discovering the extreme genetics of nature, a field trip to Ripley’s is more educational than you might expect.

Ripley’s will awe your class with amazing displays of eccentric art, meticulously detailed sculptures constructed from used car parts, and extraordinary animals that greet you as you walk through Ripley’s Courtyard.

As a teacher, you’ll be astonished by how much your students appreciate the eccentricity of Ripley’s passion and the amazing oddities featured in the museum. This unimaginable collection is the ideal setting for your class to experience the most remarkable feats of science, history, artistry, and humanity in a way that is fun, engaging, and a perfect complement to your daily instruction. It’s STEAM learning in the most unbelievable way.

As you tour through over 20 themed galleries spanning two floors, you and your students will discover new surprises at almost every turn. Believe it or not, Ripley’s is oddly educational!

3 In preparation for your class visit to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square, your students may have some questions about what they can expect on this unexpected field trip.

• Who is Robert Ripley? Robert L. Ripley was a cartoonist, explorer, reporter, and collector who traveled to 201 countries in 35 years seeking the odd, the unusual, and the unexplained. He led a life of adventure and excitement and will forever be remembered for coining the phrase “believe it or not.”

• Why did he collect so many weird things? In his search for far-fetched stories to draw in his popular newspaper cartoons, Ripley acquired hundreds of exotic artifacts from around the world. He introduced his readers to incredible characters: sword swallowers, people who ate glass, a man who nailed his tongue to a piece of wood, a woman missing the lower half of her body. He sketched men with horns on their heads, a child cyclops, an armless golfer, and a fork-tongued woman. There were fish that climbed trees, wingless birds, four-legged chickens, and peg-legged cows. He loved quirks of language, word puzzles, palindromes, and number problems. Ripley first shared his unique collection at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago in an exhibit he called an “Odditorium.”

• What are some of the cool things we will see? With over 500 astounding exhibits, you are bound to find something you have never seen before. How about 15 authentic shrunken heads or a massive gorilla made from 5,000 pounds of car tires? There’s a 2,500 year old mummified human hand, 300 strands of Abraham Lincoln’s hair, coal from the Titanic – and so much more!

• Can we take selfies? Check with your teacher about bringing your phone with you on your field trip. There are amazing photo opportunities you won’t find anywhere else! Post a picture of yourself as half a person, or covered by live cockroaches, or even hanging off the top of the Empire State building! Be sure to share them with us: #ripleysNY @ripleysNY

• What am I going to learn by studying all of this crazy stuff? Pick a school subject and you will find a surprising connection in the galleries at Ripley’s Time Square.

Here are a few: Math: measurements, converting units (heights and weights), scale for models (micro-miniatures, Spanish Armada in matchsticks) Art: mixed media, found art (dog hair painting, postal stamp collage, keyboard Darth Vader, scrap metal Captain America) Science: genetics (albino giraffe, two-headed calf, methemoglobinemia), paleontology (megalodon, prehistoric fish), Earth Science (meteorite, fulgurite) Technology: evolution of media technology (radio to TV), changes in transportation, Vitaphone sound system for films History: New York City, sports/baseball, the Great Depression, Titanic, WWII, Napoleon 4 Social Studies, Mathematics, English Language Arts Primary Sources, Geography, World History, Ratios, the Number System, Literacy in History, Informational Reading Middle School Lesson Plan: Ripley’s Ramble ’Round the World Teacher Instructions

Robert Ripley (1890-1949) was the media train trip between the Atlantic and pioneer of his time. He drew thousands of Pacific Oceans. Students will read an cartoons syndicated in newspapers excerpt promoting this world cruise and around the world, starred in numerous answer questions about the trip and its radio shows, hosted early short “talkie” ports of call in Part 1. movies, and even had his own weekly television show. At a time when world In the age of imperialism, powerful travel was an expensive and extensive nations raced to establish as many undertaking, Ripley allowed his fans to colonies around the world as possible. As see places they never would otherwise. foreign governments, businesses, and languages took hold, place names Ripley’s ability to draw, his love of travel, changed often. For example, Port and his endless curiosity provided him a Arthur, one of the Laconia’s stops in Asia, lifetime of opportunities to see the world. was named for William Arthur, a In 1914, he took his first trip to Europe. Six lieutenant in the British Navy who years later, he returned to cover the 1920 surveyed the area in 1860. After Olympics as a sports reporter for the New changing hands several times among York Globe. In December of 1922, he set China, Japan, and Russia in the early 20th sail on the Laconia for a world cruise that century, it is now known as the Lüshunkou brought him to Asia for the first time. District in China. Along the way, he sent in dispatches from every stop, which were then During his lifetime of travel, Ripley visited published in a syndicated newspaper places that are now known by different series called “Ripley’s Ramble ‘Round names. After World War II, many the World.” countries in Asia and Africa changed their names when they gained Many of Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” independence from European countries. claims were true due to technicalities or In Part 2, your students will match a list of the specific words he used. For example, historic locations to their modern English his statement in 1927 that Charles place names. Lindbergh was the 67th person, and not the first, to fly across the Atlantic Ocean Ripley often broadcast his “Believe It or is true because Ripley left out the word Not!” radio show live from places like the “solo” in his claim. Others had made the bottom of the Grand Canyon, the North transatlantic flight, beginning in 1919, but Pole, in a shark tank, and while skydiving. Lindbergh was the first to do it alone. Imagine what Ripley would do in today’s world of travel blogs, reality TV, and An advertisement for the Laconia’s trip, social media! In Part 3, students will featured in Part 1 below, is worthy of create a series of modern-day tweets, as Ripley’s semantics. This 1922-1923 Robert Ripley might have, describing voyage is often described as the first some of the objects on display at Ripley’s world5 cruise since Magellan set out in Believe It or Not! Time Square. 1519. True? Yes, prior to the Laconia, world cruises included a transcontinental Part 1 1. Nov. 21, 2011; March 2. (a.) 230.77 miles per day, (b.) 9.62 mph, (c.) 8.37 knots 3. 1:14 4. San Francisco 5. 1959 6. Tsing-Tao (Shantung) 7. 2 canals: Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, Suez Canal connects the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. 8. Europe 9. Asia. Answers will vary but students might note that Asia was not as well known to Westerners as other continents at that time. Perhaps it seemed more exotic and more interesting to visit. 10. (a.) 85.5%, (b.) The U.S. government recognizes 195 sovereign nations. Other groups have different totals, but they are all less than 200.

Part 2: 1.e, 2.i, 3.b, 4.l, 5.f, 6.j, 7.h, 8.a, 9.k, 10.g, 11.c, 12.d

Part 3: Assessment based on completion. Each of the five tweets should contain a location, object description, and be 140 characters or less.

6 Name Class Date Ripley’s Ramble ’Round the World Student Activities

Robert Ripley (1890-1949) was the media world cruises included a transcontinental pioneer of his time. He drew wrote train trip between the Atlantic and thousands of cartoons syndicated in Pacific Ocean. You will read an excerpt newspapers around the world, starred in promoting this world cruise and answer numerous radio shows, hosted early short questions about the trip and its ports of “talkie” movies, and even had his own call in Part 1. weekly television show. At a time when world travel was an expensive and In the age of imperialism, powerful extensive undertaking, Ripley allowed his nations raced to establish as many fans to see places they never would colonies around the world as possible. As otherwise. foreign governments, businesses, and languages took hold, place names Ripley’s ability to draw, his love of travel, changed often. For example, Port and his endless curiosity provided him a Arthur, one of the Laconia’s stops in Asia, lifetime of opportunities to see the world. was named for William Arthur, a In 1914, he took his first trip to Europe. Six lieutenant in the British Navy who years later, he returned to cover the 1920 surveyed the area in 1860. After Olympics as a sports reporter for the New changing hands several times among York Globe. In December of 1922, he set China, Japan, and Russia in the early 20th sail on the Laconia for a world cruise that century, it is now known as the Lüshunkou brought him to Asia for the first time. District in China. Along the way, he sent in dispatches from every stop, which were then During his lifetime of travel, Ripley visited published in a syndicated newspaper places that are now known by different series called “Ripley’s Ramble ‘Round names. After World War II, many the World.” countries in Asia and Africa changed their names when they gained Many of Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” independence from European countries. claims were true due to technicalities or In Part 2, you will match a list of historic the specific words he used. For example, locations to their modern English place his statement in 1927 that Charles names. Lindbergh was the 67th person, and not the first, to fly across the Atlantic Ocean Ripley often broadcast his “Believe It or is true because Ripley left out the word Not!” radio show live from places like the “solo” in his claim. Others had made the bottom of the Grand Canyon, the North transatlantic flight, beginning in 1919, but Pole, in a shark tank, and while skydiving. Lindbergh was the first to do it alone. Imagine what Ripley would do in today’s world of travel blogs, reality TV, and An advertisement for the Laconia’s trip, social media! In Part 3, you will create a featured in Part 1 below, is worthy of series of modern-day tweets, as Robert Ripley’s semantics. This 1922-1923 Ripley might have, describing some of voyage is often described as the first the objects on display at Ripley’s Believe world7 cruise since Magellan set out in It or Not! Time Square. 1519. True? Yes, prior to the Laconia, Name Class Date

Terms to Know: cuisine, excursions, imperialism, knots, semantics, sovereign, stateroom, syndicated, transatlantic, transcontinental

Part 1 Read the excerpt below promoting the world cruise that brought Ripley to Asia for his first time. Then, answer the 10 questions that follow.

Cruise Around the World of the American Express Travel Department from New York, November 21st, 1922 – 130 days via the S.S. Laconia [Cunard Line] oil burner

The Laconia is the largest and finest boat ever to go around the world—the first to make this cruise since 1914; a most luxurious home in comforts; a perfect club in atmosphere and companionship. World renowned Cunard Service and Cuisine. Cost of the Cruise is little more than it will cost to stay at home. $1500 and upwards, according to stateroom. Shore excursions included. American Express World Wide Tour experience and American Express offices in the chief ports, assures perfect arrangement for the comfort and interest of passengers ashore.

Long-to-be-remembered shore excursions at every port of call: Havana, Panama Canal, San Francisco, Hilo, Honolulu, Japan, China, Port Arthur, Tsing- Tao (Shantung), Formosa, the Philippines, Java, Burma, India, the Suez Canal, Palestine, Egypt, the Mediterranean and Europe. The Laconia party visits India and the tropical lands of the Orient in February—the coolest and most delightful month of the year. No such world Cruise has ever been offered. Every modern luxury of travel on sea and land, every opportunity for seeing the wonders of the world.

8 https://www.studenthandouts.com/1ads/travel6.jpg] Name Class Date 1. When does the trip leave New York? In which month will the cruise end?

2. Over the course of 130 days, the Laconia traveled 30,000 miles. (a.) What was the average number of miles per day the ship traveled? (b.) What was the average speed the ship traveled in miles per hour? (c.) The sailing speed of a ship is measured in a unit called “knots.” If one knot equals 1.15 mph, calculate the average speed in knots. Round all your answers to the nearest hundredth.

3. In today’s money the cost of the cruise, $1500 in 1922, equals about $21,000. How does a dollar today compare to a dollar in 1922? Write your answer as a ratio.

4. Which US city will the cruise visit before it sets off across the Pacific?

5. In 1922-1923, Hilo and Honolulu were part of the Territory of Hawaii. When did Hawaii officially become a state?

6. One of the ports of call changed names as it passed from Japanese to Chinese control in 1923. Which port of call has two names?

7. How many canals are mentioned in the advertisement? What are they and which bodies of water does each one connect?

8. Which port of call in the list is simply the name of continent, with no specific locations included?

9. Which continent has the most individual ports of call listed in the advertisement? Why do you think that continent has more locations identified?

10. During his lifetime, Robert Ripley claimed to have visited 201 out a possible 235 countries. (a.) What percentage of the countries did he visit? (b.) How many sovereign nations are in the world today? Name Class Date Part 2 Match these locations to their modern English names. You will see remarkable objects from some of these exotic places during your field trip to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square. a. Thailand f. Iran k. Mumbai b. Sri Lanka g. Zimbabwe & Zambia l. Shandong c. Beijing h. Ethiopia d. Ghana i. Jakarta e. Taiwan j. Myanmar 1. Island of Formosa 7. Country of Abyssinia

2. Indonesian city of Batavia 8. Country of Siam

3. Country of Ceylon 9. Indian city of Bombay

4. Chinese province of Shantung 10. Country of Rhodesia

5. Country of Persia 11. Chinese city of Peking

6. Country of Burma 12. Country of Gold Coast

Part 3 On separate paper, write five tweets as Robert Ripley might have sent to describe five of the ten objects listed below from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Time Square. Include the location where it was discovered and limit each tweet to 140 characters.

• Albino giraffe: taken from a national park in Zimbabwe in 2004, 17 feet tall, the third recorded albino giraffe after the first in 1969. • World’s rarest egg: elephant birds were large flightless birds that once lived on the island of Madagascar; became extinct in the 17th or 18th century; 183 times larger than a regular chicken egg. • Postage stamp mural: artist Alban Watkins pays homage to British Columbia with a 30-foot postal stamp mural featuring 70,000 stamps; includes details of Vancouver’s early history and a view of Victoria Harbor. • Padaung neck rings: neck coils were a symbol of status and wealth for the Padaung women of Burma; their necks were elongated by adding a ring year until they totaled 25; the weight of the brass coils has resulted in deformed collarbones and ribcages • Lighthouse man: found in 1923 Robert Ripley; this street guide in Chungking, China, 10 had a hole drilled on the top of his head into which he set a lit candle to give night tours of the city’s dark neighborhoods. World’s Rarest Egg

Albino Giraffe

11 Postage Stamp Mural Name Class Date

• Blue-faced man: Ching Foo of China had methemoglobinemia, a blood disorder in which the body produces an abnormal amount of methemoglobin -- a form of hemoglobin; it makes the skin appear blue; also found in families in Kentucky.

• 3,197-pound meteorite: found in China in 1958;believed to have fallen to Earth during the Ming Dynasty, on June 11, 1520; contains 92% iron. • English bronze cannon: cannon salvaged from the Pass of Killiecrankie in Scotland, where Scottish Highlanders supporting King James defeated British loyalists supporting King William of Orange; July 27, 1689. • Shrunken head collection: Ripley was fascinated by the shrunken human heads made by Jivaro Indians, an indigenous people in South America. • Defeat of the Spanish armada model: artist Len Hughes used 250,000 matchsticks to recreate this battle in which the British defeated the Spanish in 1588; all 234 galleons and 97 other vessels are perfectly scaled; each galleon took over 16

12 hours to make. Ripley’s Ramble ‘Round the World

NATIONAL

Common Core State Standards for Mathematics • Standards for Mathematical Practice: CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1, CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2, CCSS.Math.Practice.MP6 • Grade 6: CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1, CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3, CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.2, CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.3 • Grade 7: CCSS.Math.Content.7.RP.A.2, CCSS.Math.Content.7.NS.A.3

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies • Grades 6-8: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6- 8.7 • Grade 6: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7 • Grade 7: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.7 • Grade 8: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.7

C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards • By the end of grade 8: D2.Geo.4.6-8., D2.Geo.6.6-8., D2.Geo.7.6-8., D2.Geo.10.6-8., D2.His.1.6-8., D2.His.3.6-8., D2.His.4.6-8., D3.1.6-8.

NEW YORK LEARNING STANDARDS

Mathematics • Mathematical Practices: 1, 2, 6 • Grade 6: 6.RP.1, 6.RP.3, 6.NS.2, 6.NS.3 • Grade 7: 7.RP.2, 7.NS.3

English Language Arts & Literacy • Grade 6: RI.1, RI.4, RI.7 • Grade 7: RI.1, RI.4, RI.7 • Grade 8: RI.1, RI.4, RI.7 • Grades 6-8: RH.1, RH.4, RH.7

Social Studies • Grade 6: A.1, A.2, C.4, D.1, D.6, 6.1a, 6.1b, 6.1d • Grade 8: A.1, A.2, C.4, 8.3, 8.3c

13 Believe it or Not, There’s More to Come!

As a companion to your field trip experience to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square, a comprehensive Study Guide for Grades 6-8 will soon be available for you to download and use before, during, and after your school visit. A sample lesson plan, “Ripley’s Ramble ‘Round the World,” is included in this packet. The Study Guide will contain additional STEAM-related classroom lesson plans along with inquiry-based interdisciplinary activities and project ideas for you to use and share. You will also find ready-to-copy activity worksheets with detailed instructions for teachers and students plus answer keys for straight-forward assessment.

We know how important it is to be able to justify field trips and document how instructional time is spent outside of your classroom. To that end, this Ripley’s Study Guide will be correlated to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts along with the Next Generation Science Standards, the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards, and the National Core Arts Standards. For your planning needs, the New York Learning Standards, the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, and the Connecticut Academic Standards will also be included.

14 Name Class Date Ripley’s Riddles New York Style • What has many stories but none to tell?

• Although I am originally from France, I am now the ideal New Yorker. Even though I am over 100 years old, I have only had work done to my face one time. Who am I?

• My first syllable wears my second; my third might be what my first would acquire if he was out in the sun all day. Put together my one, two, three and this borough of New York is the place for me! The Search is On in Times Square! Find these twelve words associated with Robert Ripley’s life and work. ARTIFACT CURIOSITY RELIC BASEBALL NEWSPAPER TELEVISION BION ODDITORIUM TRAVEL CARTOONIST RADIO UNIQUE K C Y O M R A X G X U R B L N N U B N I U D R M K I O Y C O F Q U C X D I Q T S V T R I I A V R M P K A R K I I J C L S T E S E J Z U R O S F T U E I B Z T T S I N O O T R A C R V A E U Q I N U I N A I R C R E S E H G X W R A V W M D I T L E N Q F J U L E E V S W D V E B M Z S C D L L H Y Y P T O T A I W U Q J R X N Z H A S B E

15L D O C T N D T X D F X R K V L B J N D X N E W S P A P E R Name Class Date

EXPLORE & LEARN

These questions can be answered as you follow the adventures of Robert Ripley through the galleries at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square.

During the preparation for your field trip, advise students to read through this list of questions carefully, perhaps on the bus on the way over. This way, they will know what to look for once they are inside. Consider assigning categories (“People,” “Art,” etc.) to different teams of students. Upon returning to school, students can share and compare answers. By working in groups or as a whole class, have them complete all of the questions. Enjoy the hunt as you explore and learn. It’s unbelievably fun!

PEOPLE How tall was the world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow? What was the name of Robert Ripley’s charity baseball team? Of what is the portrait of Frank Sinatra made?

ANIMALS From where is the rare albino giraffe? How many legs does the calf have? What are the two types of mummified Egyptian birds? How many bathing suits were found inside the shark? The pre-historic megalodon shark is the same size as what?

SCIENCE & NATURE Jade is considered a precious stone because it is believed to possess which spiritual powers? How much does the meteorite weigh? Of what material is the Buddha made? How many shrunken heads are on display?

ART Which presidents are painted on the back of a common house fly? How many matchsticks were used to make the Spanish Armada display? The “Our Lady of Liberty” portrait is composed of how many puzzle pieces, from how many puzzles? Of what is the guitar in the symphony made? The dress in the glass case is made of what unique material?

HISTORY What year was the collapse of the Berlin Wall? The phrase “I wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole” came from which era of witchcraft? 16 Answer Keys for Fun & Games Ripley’s Riddles New York Style 1. The Empire State Building 2. The Statue of Liberty 3. Manhattan The Search is On in Times Square!

ARTIFACT 7, 1, SE BASEBALL 1, 6, S BION 1, 10, SE CARTOONIST 13, 6, W CURIOSITY 5, 10, NE NEWSPAPER 7, 13, E ODDITORIUM 14, 10, NW RADIO 8, 5, NW RELIC 14, 6, N TELEVISION 15, 10, N K C Y O M R A X G X U R B L N TRAVEL 12, 5, SW N U B N I U D R M K I O Y C O UNIQUE 7, 7, W F Q U C X D I Q T S V T R I I A V R M P K A R K I I J C L S T E S E J Z U R O S F T U E I Explore & Learn B Z T T S I N O O T R A C R V A E U Q I N U I N A I R C R E S E H G X W R A V W M D I T L People E N Q F J U L E E V S W D V E 1. 8’ 11” 2. The Believe It or Nots B M Z S C D L L H Y Y P T O T 3. Butterflies A I W U Q J R X N Z H A S B E Animals L D O C T N D T X D F X R K V 1. Zimbabwe L B J N D X N E W S P A P E R 2. Six 3. Ibis and Falcon 4. Two 5. A school bus Science and Nature 1. To heal and protect 2. 1.6 tons 3. One million shredded dollars 4. 15 Art 1. Lincoln, Washington, & Kennedy 2. 250,000 3. 3,600 pieces from over 30 puzzles 4. A turtle shell 5. Egg beaters or whisks History 1. 1989 2. Medieval

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