Up into the Air

Leaving the ground for the air is exhilarating – and can be hard to do. Take off on these airborne activities about flight.

CONNECT:

• Have you ever dreamt you were flying? Since the beginning of history, people have dreamed of flying, as you’ll see here: https://www.fi.edu/topics/flight
• The Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world. Browse current exhibits virtually at http://www.museumofflight.org/
• What’s the story behind the Wright brothers, who made the first successful flight of a motor-powered airplane? It’s at http://www.wright-house.com/wright-brothers/Wrights.html
• If you've ever been interested in taking a ride in a hot air balloon, this is the site for you: http://www.hotairballooning.com/

CREATE:

• Enjoy a variety of online activities exploring the principles of aviation and spaceflight: https://airandspace.si.edu/learn
• Connect with NASA’s interactive website for students: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
• Have you ever wondered what the controls of a aircraft do? you have come to the right place! http://meriweather.com/flight-decks/
• Learn how to make paper airplanes with these easy instructions: https://www.origamiway.com/paper-airplanes.shtml
• Make your own model air balloon by following the directions at https://www.homesciencetools.com/a/make-a-hot-air-balloon

CARE:

• What safe is flying? Here are some comforting facts: http://www.gogetterjetsetter.com/how-safe-is-flying.php
• A commercial pilot answers questions about flying and its safety: https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/how-to-fly-commercial-pilot-flying-questions
• Follow these top ten child air travel safety trips: http://www.airsafe.com/kidsafe/kid_tips.htm
• Have fun watching this flight safety demo by little kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y17u5o5HVeo

CAREERS:

Even if you are afraid of flying, you can have a career related to flight: as a chef, travel agent, mechanic, engineer, and communicator. Let your imaginatin take flight with some of these aeronautic careers:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/FS-2001-09-68-LaRC.html

http://www.nctaviationcareers.com/

https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-education-and-resources/eaa-youth-education/work-in-aviation-and-start-your-aviation-career

http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/science-technology-careers/aviation/

https://www.faa.gov/jobs/

http://www.payscale.com/career-news/2011/08/jobs-in-aviation

And Away We Go!

Think about all the ways we get around: foot, tricycle, car, airplane, horseback. Trying brainstorming all the possible means of transportation alphabetically, or by use according to age from infancy to old age.  What gets transported? Almost everything! Learning about transportation can be a moving experience.

CONNECT:

• You may ride in a car almost every day, but do you know how the average car engine works? Look under the hood at http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine.htm
• Enjoy a variety of online activities exploring the principles of aviation and spaceflight at NASA: http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/online.cfm
• Sometimes a boat carries airplanes. Find out about aircraft carriers: http://www.newtonsapple.tv/TeacherGuides_techInvention.php
• Have you ever wondered what the fight deck controls of aircraft like the777, 767, 747, 340, 320, and the F-16 do? For future pilots, pilots upgrading to new equipment, cockpit engineers, hobbyist, or just the curious looking for some information, the Flightdeck Simulations here has these details at your finger tips: http://meriweather.com/flight-decks/
• Going down under with this web site about the history of New York City's subway system and other transportation systems: http://www.nycsubway.org/
• If you read “Peanuts,” you’ll have heard about Zambonis:  a brand of ice resurfacer. Learn how the Zamboni works, read about its inventor and the famous machine's history, and keep up to date on Zamboni news and trivia: http://www.zamboni.com/
• Learn about the fastest car ever, and read how others are trying to break the record for speed  at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fastcars/

CREATE:

• Have fun with car licenses, and make your own! Check out plates from around the world at http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/
• Design helps make the car run better and look better. Concept cars are the start on the way to production. Take a look at fun concept cars at http://www.conceptcarz.com/, and try your own hand to designing one.
• There are lots of fun ways to create airborn transportation. Here are some good websites to inspire creators: http://www.zurqui.com/crinfocus/paper/airplane.html, http://www.funpaperairplanes.com/, http://www.origami-instructions.com/paper-airplanes.html, http://www.amazingpaperairplanes.com/Simple.html
• Let young Leonardo da Vinci guide you through this website which is a history of flight. Designed by sixth graders, this site has a timeline beginning in 1000 AD, biographies of some famous aviators, external links, experiments you can try, and photos of numerous planes: http://library.thinkquest.org/3785/
• Take a virtual road time on Route 6 (http://www.paroute6.com/), and then create your own road trip using http://maps.google.com or http://maps.yahoo.com

CARE:

• It’s not enough to be transported; you need to stay safe. Boat Safe Kids (http://boatsafe.com/kids/index.htm) gives good safety tips and provides fun facts.
• Otto’s Playland (http://www.ottoclub.org/) is an interactive site with many fun games and activities about being safe with automobiles.
• Many teens enjoy dirtbikes. Dirtbike School (http://www.dirtbikeschool.org/) offers safety tips, an image gallery, and more.
• Use this bicycle safety activity kit: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/bskitboth/3152bskit/pages/section1/section1toc.html
• Remember to keep your head when you use bikes. Here are good tips: http://www.seattlechildrens.org/safety-wellness/bike-helmet-safety/
• Get back to basics: foot transportation. http://www.foothealthcare.com/shop/walking_sport_and_outdoor_activities provides tips for the family.
• Not only people but most products are transported. http://food-hub.org/files/resources/Food%20Miles.pdf discusses how food is transported, and health issues associated with these processes.

CAREER:

Transportation is a moving career…. From creating and manufacturing to driving and maintaining transportation, as well as supervising transportation, there’s hardly any job that doesn’t involve transportation. Here are some starting websites about such jobs.

• http://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/home.htm
• http://www.khake.com/page44.html
• http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/516
• http://wings.avkids.com/  a guide to careers in aeronautics.