1
Revised 1983
Aviation Science Activities
for Elementary Grades
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
GA-20-30-30
Office of Public Affairs
Aviation Education Programs
Washington, D.C. 20591
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
For the compilation of the material in this book and the research required,
the Civil Air Patrol is indebted to the earnest, fair minded teachers who were a
part of the Curriculum Laboratory at the National Aviation Education
Workshop held at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. From their own experience
they knew the needs of the classrooms and willingly and happily gave of their
experience as well as of their time from school vacations. No one regional need
is recognized above another, for on this small committee alone are represented
the States of Hawaii, Indiana, Ohio, and New York, and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico.
The ideas for illustrating the demonstration aids are theirs also, but certain of
the drawings as they appear in the manual are the work of A/2C James E.
Tapp, Headquarters Civil Air Patrol, and to him also is offered here our
appreciation. Appreciation is also due Juanita Hilton for editing and combining
into one book the several basic manuscripts prepared by the committee.
Introduction: FROM TEACHER TO TEACHER
This manual is meant to be a springboard toward your own ideas for
demonstrating concepts of the Air Age to your children, whatever the grade
level. Even little children can learn scientific principles through simple teaching
aids; older pupils can benefit by a review using the same demonstrations. In
some instances, these aids may be set up by the teacher; in others, by the
children as a group project; in still others, by each child with a minimum of
teacher direction.
Many of these suggestions we have used in our own classrooms. All of them
we feel to be of value in illustrating the principles involved. They are not new.
Similar demonstrations and experiments may be found scattered throughout
numerous books, but we have tried to assemble in one manua