September 5, 2023

Today, the National Museum of World War II Aviation announced the return of its highly successful K-12 Education Program.  As in the past, this one-of a kind education program will be offered by the Museum at no cost to students or their schools.

The Museum was forced to suspend the K-12 Education Program in early 2020 during the COVID 19 shutdown.  Scheduling for the program will resume on September 11, 2023, with the first sessions in the Museum planned for late September.

Prior to the shutdown, the K-12 Program was focused solely on STEM education.  The Museum has taken advantage of the shutdown to update and expand the K-12 Program and will now offer two separate tracks—one focused on STEM, the other on Social Studies.  Both tracks are designed to convey contemporary concepts consistent with Colorado Academic Standards while immersing the students in the extraordinary history of World War II Aviation.

Each track includes modules targeting four academic levels—K-3^rd grade, 4^th-6^th grade, 7^th-9^th  grade, and 10^th-12^th  grade.  The modules are taught in the classroom by teachers who receive training and support from the Museum.  Once the modules are completed, the students are brought into the Museum for a capstone experience led by the Museum’s education team.

THE K-12 PROGRAM—STEM TRACK

The STEM Track will be introduced first, with four modules phased in throughout the Fall Semester.  Modules 1 and 2 will be available for scheduling on September 11.  Modules 3 and 4 will be rolled out in October and November respectively.  Descriptions of the STEM Track modules are as follows:

STEM Track Module 1 (K-3^rd Grade)   In the classroom, students are introduced to aviation through the story of humankind’s fascination with flight and how the earliest aircraft designers imitated birds to create the first airplanes.  Students study how a bird flies and then explore the relationships between the bird’s physical characteristics and the structure and control surfaces of an airplane.  In the Museum, these concepts are reinforced through hands-on activities and interaction with real aircraft that the students can closely examine and actually touch.

STEM Track Module 2 (4^th-6^th Grade)   In the classroom, students gain an understanding of the basic physics that make flight possible.  Students explore the Four Forces of Flight—Thrust, Drag, Lift and Weight— and how the wings and tail section of an airplane interact with the forces to lift the airplane into the air.  Students then study the three axes of movement and how an airplane uses control  surfaces to change its position so it can maneuver through the air.  In the Museum, students build a model airplane of their own and test the effectiveness of its control surfaces.  Then they explore the Museum to compare their model with the control surfaces of an actual World War II airplane.

STEM Track Module 3 (7^th-9^th Grade)  Building on a basic understanding of flight, students learn how humans physically interact with an airplane to make it fly.  In the classroom, students learn about the flight controls in the cockpit of an airplane and how those controls are connected to the control surfaces on the wings and tail section of the plane.  Then they learn how pilots use the flight controls to lift and guide the airplane through the air.  These concepts are reinforced in the Museum through a demonstration in the Museum’s flight simulator and a hands-on tour of the cockpit of an actual World War II airplane.

STEM Track Module 4 (10^th-12^th Grade)  The final module in the K-12 STEM Track introduces students to the possibilities of a career in aviation.  In the classroom, students are given a broad perspective of the aviation career field, including commercial and private flight crew operations, dispatch, air traffic control, ground operations, aircraft maintenance, design, manufacturing, airport management and a myriad of other aviation related technical and professional jobs.  At the museum, students interact with pilots, aircraft mechanics and technicians, and are given an opportunity to hear from aviation industry professionals who will share their experiences and provide guidance on how to prepare for a variety of aviation careers.  Finally, students who express an interest are given resource materials on aviation educational and career opportunities.

THE K-12 PROGRAM—SOCIAL STUDIES TRACK

The Social Studies Track will be introduced this coming Spring.  This new element of the K-12 Program will explore specific aspects of World War II history and its lasting social and economic impacts on our nation and the world.  Module 1 and 2 of the Social Studies Track will be available to book beginning in early January, followed by Modules 3 and 4 in early March.  A full description of the Social Studies Track and each of its modules will be released in mid-October.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND SCHEDULING CONTACT:

k12programs@worldwariiaviation.org