The Grade 6 students have been studying Air and Flight during their Science blocks with M André and Mme Crouchman.

Today, they got to put some of their newly acquired knowledge to the test, all while learning new information and consolidating some of the more challenging content. How you might ask?!? They participated in a virtual field trip to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex in New York City.

What made this visit so incredible is the fact that the museum itself is centered on the aircraft carrier Intrepid…

Thanks in part to Skype in the Classroom, students met curator Mr. Frantz Lucien Jr., who walked them through the carrier. Students were amazed by the location and by its size: three full-size football fields in length and a crew of 3200!

Lucien was a wealth of knowledge, and his enthusiasm for the topic and ability to make connections allowing our students to understand and relate their own experiences in aviation to the forces of motion were second-to-none!

Students discussed the parts of a plane and how nature influences shape and design. Given the unique nature of aircraft carriers, they also learned of the importance of foldable wings!

Throughout the tour, Mr. Lucien introduced students to all different types of machinery that makes flight at sea possible. They were able to easily able to see the four forces of flight at play: lift, thrust, drag, and weight. The curator ensured to present different types of aircraft, allowing students to examine their wings, and learn about the difference between jet powered engines and single or multi-engine pistons.

The Grade 6s are looking forward to completing their own experiments based on the content of this trip, and will be creating their own simple flying machines. These will focus on the physics of flight and enable students to gain a better understanding of how those forces interact with one another.