Flight

In pursuing their quest for flight, humans expand both their world and their intellectual abilities.

This stream provides students with an understanding of the fundamentals of flight. The stream follows the development of flight beginning with animals, continuing with a study of the types of non-powered flight and finishing with powered flight. Research projects on flying animals, non-flying birds, hot-air balloons, and gliders are an integral part of the stream. An integral part of the stream is students’ building and flying kites, aerobies, parachutes, balloons, and gliders. Students explore the principles of aerodynamics, the study of mass, volume, weight, density, gravity, work, internal and external combustion engines, and Newton’s laws of motion. 

SIMULATION 1: Birds, Bats, Butterflies, and the Gossamer Albatross

Cooperative groups of students produce a video presentation or a scrapbook comparing and contrasting groups of muscle-powered flying animals.

SIMULATION 2: Parachutes, Hot Air Balloons, Gliders, and Delta Darts

Students organize and participate in a hot air balloon competition event.