Airplane Project at Marshall University STEAM Center – Children at the MUEE STEAM Center @ Explorer Academy have been interested in researching, exploring and learning more about various types of airplanes and helicopters. Through their work they have built an airport in the Studio space, analyzed and created their own boarding passes, compiled a letter to their families about their knowledge of airplanes, compared a Cessna airplane with an Airbus, created and explored the jobs on an airplane, traveled to the Huntington Tri-State Airport, and explored a helicopter. Throughout these months there have been experts either come in to talk with the children or email the answers to many of their questions. The children then worked with the Kindergarten crew to develop a video for Community Circle in March. The Kindergarten crew had been studying weather so we discussed how the weather impacts whether the airplanes can fly. They decided to do a news forecast. Through this work the children were able to take on a specific role on the airplane and become an expert. Using their imagination and our Natural Pod furniture, the children were able to transform their learning environment adapting it to all parts of their airplane and helicopter learning experience.
