The Unit

The Intrepid Museum of Sea, Air, and Space will be a field trip to culminate a middle
school unit on aeronautics. The unit follows studies on mechanics and motion. The trip
will include a guided tour by a museum educator based on aviation.
Aviation Tour (grades K-12)
Exploring the restored aircraft collection, classes trace advances in flight, from
propellers to jets to early space vessels. Follow a visual timeline of the Intrepid’s
mission through Work War II, the Jet Age, the Space Race, Vietnam and beyond!
Due to the vast number of airplanes and helicopters on display in the museum, students
have many opportunities to explore using their knowledge of aeronautics. Students might
draw pictures of the wings of several planes and predict the airflow and buoyancy that
would result. In the Exploreum section of the museum, videos describe the skill and
technique involved in landing a plane on an aircraft carrier. The narrator describes the
landing of a commercial flight, where the pilot touches the rear wheels down first and
then lands the front wheel. A fighter pilot lands with all three wheels at the same time.
Different planes are designed differently for different purposes and the museum
eloquently provides information several different types of aircraft. In this field trip,
students will focus on the airfoil of the airplane and how it affects flight. The museum
has several exhibits regarding the development of airplane technology and materials.

Resources for activities and content:

1. How Things Fly - http://www.nasm.si.edu/education/pubs/howthingsfly.pdf
2. Lesson Plans, Labs, and Demonstrations for the Glider and Boomerang
-http://www.broadbentboomerangs.com/lessonplans/Glider.pdf
3. Rocket Educators Guide -
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/280754main_Rockets.Guide.pdf

Day 1 Objective: Activities: (in small group Outcomes:

Students will learn about
and experience Bernoulli’s
Principle.
Day 2 Objective:
Students will learn about
stations) Discover misconceptions
- Class KWL chart about and prior knowledge
aeronautics (planes and students have about flight.
rockets) Discuss possible designs for
- Class discussion of planes using Bernoulli’s
Bernoulli’s principle principle.
- Between the Balloons1
- Blowing in the Wind1
- Fool the Spool1
- Class discussion about
stations and activities
- Complete any aspect of
the ‘L’ in KWL
Activities: (independently Outcomes:
and in pairs) Students can describe how
airfoils and how they relate
to Bernoulli’s Principle.
Day 3 Objective:
Students will explore how
to make an airplane stable
in flight.
Day 4 Objective:
Review discussions and
content about airplanes and
flight.
Day 5 Objective:
Review Newton’s Law and
apply them to airplanes and
introduce rockets.
Day 6 Objective:
Students have opportunities
to experience rocketry and
learn how rockets work.
- Class reading about
airfoils
- Draw airfoils and airflow
independently
- Observe home-made
airfoil as a class2
- Design airfoil in pairs to
be tested by fan
- Complete any aspect of
the ‘L’ in KWL
Activities:
- Class brainstorm about
ways to stabilize airplanes
- Stability and Control1 in
small groups for small and
large paper airplanes
- Brainstorm list of ways to
stabilize commercial
airplanes
- Complete any aspect of
the ‘L’ in KWL
Activities: (Whole class and
small groups)
- Review KWL as whole
class
- Improving Flight
Performance2
- Wing Design2
- Center of Gravity and
Flight Performance2
- Complete KWL chart
regarding airplane flight
Activities:
- Whole class Jeopardy with
relevant vocabulary3, some
review and some new
- Students create individual
KWL for rocketry.
Activities: (small groups in
stations)
- Address KWL chart as a
whole class and add any
new ideas to the ‘W’ and
‘L’ columns
- 321…PUFF3
- Pop Can “Hero Engine”3
airflow and pressure helps
and airplane to fly and
design their own airfoil to
demonstrate understanding.
Outcomes:
Students will apply their
knowledge of Bernoulli’s
principle and center of mass
(from kinematics) to
airplanes and propose ways
to stabilize real aircraft in
order to demonstrate what
they have learned.
Outcomes:
Students will have a
complete understanding of
the basic aspects of flight.
Outcomes:
Students will activate prior
knowledge from Newtonian
unit and what they might
know about content to
come.
Outcomes:
Students build
understanding of rockets
and how they function
similarly or differently from
airplanes.

Day 7 Objective:
Students will be reminded
of Newton’s 3rd Law and
interact with related
phenomena experimentally.
Day 8 Objective:
Students will explore how
everything they have
learned about aeronautics
can be applied to lifting a
load.
Day 9 Objective:
Students demonstrate
understanding of
aeronautics.
The Trip
• Planning: you must complete the trip request form available on the Intrepid
website, selecting Educational Programs and requesting the Aviation Tour. A
museum representative will respond promptly:
- Introduce and plan for
next class activity
- Review and amend KWL
independently
Activities: Outcomes:
- Think Pair Share about Students will apply
Newton’s 3rd Law to active knowledge of Newton’s 3rd
prior knowledge from Law and predict its role in
mechanics unit rocketry
- Newton’s Car Experiment3
- Small group collages
about Newton’s 3rd Law in
relation to rockets
- Review and amend KWL
independently
Activities: Outcomes:
- Consult whole class and Students can apply
individual KWL charts Newton’s 3rd Law vertically
- Heavy Lifting rocket as well as horizontally
activity in pairs or small
groups.3
- Complete whole class
KWL in class and
individually for homework
Activities: Outcomes:
- Student teams race Students demonstrate
airplanes or rockets based learning and attainment of
on their own design knowledge from aeronautics
- Teams defend their plans unit.
in writing
- Data taken from trials as
to how far each plane/rocket
flies and how long the flight
lasts.
- Each plane/rocket is given
a load in the second round
of trials and must pass a
certain line in the room
 http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/Groups/Plan-Your-Group-Visit.aspx
• Travel: SUBWAY to 42nd Street station and then walk to Pier 86 (45th St and 12th
Ave)
• Cost: $9.75 per student and extra chaperone (each chaperone within the 1:10
teacher/student ratio is free)
• Food: Students should bring food. There is a very small Au Bon Pain at the
museum, but not large enough to accommodate an entire class. Cafeteria-style
eating space is available. At extra cost, the museum can provide lunch catering.
• Specific To-Do’s: I would want to make sure students get extra time on the Flight
Deck after the tour so they can study the different planes and analyze the designs
through writing/drawing/photography/etc.
• Tour/Speaker: Museum educator guided tour on aviation.
• Other Aspects of Museum: Small gift shop on premises. Growler Submarine and
Concord Jet available to visit.
• Basic Plan: Meet at school and travel together to museum via subway. Meet tour
guide and watch introductory video to the Intrepid. Participate in Aviation Tour.
Stop for a meal/snack and discussion time. Go to the flight deck and each group
will analyze a plane to present to the class next period. Groups can use the
remaining time to explore the museum furthur. Total time at museum =
approximately 4 hours (tour and video are two hours, leaving two hours for
eating, inspecting planes, and exploring).