The Confluence of Dreams

and Technology

A Flight Unit

Deena Zarlin and Claire Skilton

Mendocino Grammar School

Mendocino, California

Explore the hypertext version of the unit

Please send your comments and suggestions via e-mail to the developers of the unit: Deena Zarlin , Claire Skilton and Mitchell Sprague

Personal Highlights for the teachers who wrote the units

Claire put the 4th grade students in touch with real pilots through the Young Eagles Association.

Deena's favorite spot on the Internet was the Dryden Flight Research Center.

Highlights From the Many Materials Used in This Unit

Design Group Applications used by the students to apply for the various positions on the ideal aircraft design teams

Economic Indicator used to measure the plus and minus of economic factors for each ideal aircraft design

Graphic Organizer used to help students draw the design of the airplane and take into account all of the factors involved

Internet Survey Form used to analyze the responses of aeronautics engineers who responded to a survey on the newsgroup sci.aeronautics

Student Generated Ideal Aircraft Designs

Student created ideal aircraft design in rough draft form

The Flying Cat (small version)

The Flying Cat (large version)

The Floating Helicopter (small version)

The Floating Helicopter (large version)

Student created ideal aircraft design in final copy

The Flying Cat (small version)

The Flying Cat (large version)

The Floating Helicopter (small version)

The Floating Helicopter (large version)

Pictures of students and their own ideal paper aircraft (under construction)

Students Interact With the Experts--Students posted a survey on the newsgroup sci.aeronautics

Read ideal aircraft descriptions written by graduate aeronautics students and aeronautics engineer

  • Steve Anario Aerospace Graduate Students
  • Dan Sharpes Flying Quality Engineer C-17 Project
  • Mike Waters UVA Aerospace Now see how the students worked with these descriptions and other responses to their survey to compare and contrast various ideal aircraft designs

    Internet Resources for Further Study of Aeronautics

    Other Teaching Resources (under development)

    Roger and out! Good Luck in your search for aeronuatics resources