Project Overview
Curriculum Title:
STEAM Powered Flying Machines Grade Level: 10 -12
Subject/Topic Areas:
Principles of Flight
Biomimicry
Curricular Context Summary:
This curriculum is a portion of a semester long interdisciplinary elective intended to be offered by three teachers working collaboratively at my school. It may serve as a model, pilot program or testbed for a fledgling STEAM initiative where, in a true spirit of inquiry, students engage in multiple modes of learning about a theme. While the them may change from year to year, the approach will remain inherently inquiry driven, collaborative and interdisciplinary. Flight has been a lifelong passion of mine along with study of birds, so the trio of teachers embarking on this curricular endeavor do so with my leadership and determination to provide students with a dynamic opportunity to innovate using some high end technology while still in high school. My teaching partners bring considerable talent in the fields of creative writing and music. They intend to help students explore flight through those lenses as well. A modified version of this course may also be offered during our ‘Summer Enrichment Pilot Program’ with friend and colleague John Rue. Please watch this six minute video on Youtube for an overview of this initiative.
Rationale:
CA Standard(s) Addressed:
Please see appendix E
Big Idea / Concept:
New materials and manufacturing techniques continue to inspire innovation in flying machines.
Enduring Understanding(s):
What Essential Question(s) will be considered?
EQ1. Do opportunities for authentic inquiry based learning motivate students to pursue STEAM related courses and opportunities in high school?
EQ2. What are the effects of a STEAM infused elective on flight on the learning community (or, community of inquiry) at my school?
EQ3. How do these courses change or enhance the public perception of the school?
EQ4. How can the school increase partnerships with research institutions to help our students find connections for their learning outside of the high school experience?
Appropriate technologies and tools:
KNOWLEDGE = Content
SKILLS = Power verbs
DISPOSITIONS = attitude
ASSESSMENT:
What evidence is used to show that students understand?
Formative:
Summative:
Objectives from 6 Facets + Misconceptions:
As a result of immersion in this curriculum, students will be able to:
EXPLAIN:
Students will be able to explain how flight evolved on earth and how feathers aided dinosaurs and ultimately birds.
APPLY:
Students will apply their knowledge of the history of flight to the development of a timetoast timeline with visuals of key moments.
INTERPRET:
Students will identify optimal approaches to wind tunnel design from the internet. They will explore the many approaches used by living organisms to fly with the goal of translation to larger robotic fliers
EMPATHIZE:
Students will recognize the sacrifices made by the early pioneers of flight. Students will also develop a sense of mindfulness about the atmospheric carbon burden associated with air travel and the need to innovate in order to reduce this.
GAIN PERSPECTIVE:
Students will understand that we are still learning about flight through careful observation of flying organisms from bees to chukars to myotis bats.
GAIN SELF KNOWLEDGE:
Students will practice metacognition and see themselves as having a growth mindset.
Students will reflect, "How do my designs compare to the efficiency seen in nature?"
OVERCOME THE NAÏVE VIEW OF: (Misconceptions)
Curriculum Title:
STEAM Powered Flying Machines Grade Level: 10 -12
Subject/Topic Areas:
Principles of Flight
Biomimicry
Curricular Context Summary:
This curriculum is a portion of a semester long interdisciplinary elective intended to be offered by three teachers working collaboratively at my school. It may serve as a model, pilot program or testbed for a fledgling STEAM initiative where, in a true spirit of inquiry, students engage in multiple modes of learning about a theme. While the them may change from year to year, the approach will remain inherently inquiry driven, collaborative and interdisciplinary. Flight has been a lifelong passion of mine along with study of birds, so the trio of teachers embarking on this curricular endeavor do so with my leadership and determination to provide students with a dynamic opportunity to innovate using some high end technology while still in high school. My teaching partners bring considerable talent in the fields of creative writing and music. They intend to help students explore flight through those lenses as well. A modified version of this course may also be offered during our ‘Summer Enrichment Pilot Program’ with friend and colleague John Rue. Please watch this six minute video on Youtube for an overview of this initiative.
Rationale:
- This effort should not occur in a vacuum, but be guided through collaborative work with peers in USD’s Med graduate program, professional scientists and engineers in the community (such as Soon-Jo Chung) and those at my school site.
- Ideally, the curriculum package will have transferable value for others who teach students about flight.
- The site will need little modification to ‘go live’ for students who may wish to learn about flight from anywhere on the planet.
- Teachers at other schools will be able to use the site as a comprehensive resource when planning their own lessons and units on flight
- The work will provide ‘cutting edge’ STEAM inspired plans that will captivate students with the process of design, 3d printing, and flight testing.
- The project may serve as a template for other teachers interested in developing STEAM labs of their own.
CA Standard(s) Addressed:
Please see appendix E
Big Idea / Concept:
New materials and manufacturing techniques continue to inspire innovation in flying machines.
Enduring Understanding(s):
- Evolution of flight occurred at least four separate times in earth’s history.
- Our human understanding of biological flight continues to evolve.
- Biomimicry seeks to emulate nature’s best designs and boost efficiency.
- Collaborative approaches rooted in design and systems based thinking continue to yield new insights and inspiring robots.
What Essential Question(s) will be considered?
EQ1. Do opportunities for authentic inquiry based learning motivate students to pursue STEAM related courses and opportunities in high school?
EQ2. What are the effects of a STEAM infused elective on flight on the learning community (or, community of inquiry) at my school?
EQ3. How do these courses change or enhance the public perception of the school?
EQ4. How can the school increase partnerships with research institutions to help our students find connections for their learning outside of the high school experience?
Appropriate technologies and tools:
- Pens/Pencils/Markers
- Student computers with internet connection
- 3D printer(s)
- Assortment of power and hand tools
- Video recording device (camera, tablet, smartphone)
KNOWLEDGE = Content
- Principles of flight including lift, drag, thrust, angle of attack, weight, and airfoil
- Systems thinking and engineering design process
- Fundamentals of biomimicry and bio-inspired design
SKILLS = Power verbs
- Collaborative inquiry driven approach to problem solving
- Multiple iteration product development / Prototyping
- Internet tools for meme spreading and content delivery
- Power and hand tool usage
- Written communication
DISPOSITIONS = attitude
- Growth oriented mindset / outside the box thinking
- Cooperative small group projects
- Intrinsic motivation
ASSESSMENT:
What evidence is used to show that students understand?
Formative:
- Whole group discussion around themes of each lesson.
- Online reflective journal posts, discussions.
- Multiple iterations of projects with twice weekly checkins.
Summative:
- Students will generate short content specific essays, online timelines, and Kahoots.
- Students will present projects to their peers for evaluation.
Objectives from 6 Facets + Misconceptions:
As a result of immersion in this curriculum, students will be able to:
EXPLAIN:
Students will be able to explain how flight evolved on earth and how feathers aided dinosaurs and ultimately birds.
APPLY:
Students will apply their knowledge of the history of flight to the development of a timetoast timeline with visuals of key moments.
INTERPRET:
Students will identify optimal approaches to wind tunnel design from the internet. They will explore the many approaches used by living organisms to fly with the goal of translation to larger robotic fliers
EMPATHIZE:
Students will recognize the sacrifices made by the early pioneers of flight. Students will also develop a sense of mindfulness about the atmospheric carbon burden associated with air travel and the need to innovate in order to reduce this.
GAIN PERSPECTIVE:
Students will understand that we are still learning about flight through careful observation of flying organisms from bees to chukars to myotis bats.
GAIN SELF KNOWLEDGE:
Students will practice metacognition and see themselves as having a growth mindset.
Students will reflect, "How do my designs compare to the efficiency seen in nature?"
OVERCOME THE NAÏVE VIEW OF: (Misconceptions)
- All questions about flight have been resolved.
- Current designs of flying machines represent optimal efficiency.
- Lift is generated purely from the downstroke of a wing.