The paper airplane interest is currently being investigated by Adriana, Paola, Kristin and Alejandra (Carla’s mom, EW).. After observing paper airplanes, the repeated tossing of white whiffle balls, soaring beads and baubles, it became clear that trajectory was a large interest. We met on Tuesday this week to discuss the perceived interest throughout the school and concluded that the paper airplane interest was most concerned with design’s effect on flight.
A core group of children have been called on as experts for making a short and a long paper airplane.
(see newspaper airplane video).
In the paper house in the front yard, there is now an intimate area for paper airplane design and construction, the focus group’s step by step folding instruction book, and multiple paper varieties and sizes to support the interest. Subtle inspirations including Da Vinci’s sketches of flying machines await discovery.
Adriana, Kris and Alejandra meet each Tuesday morning to design experiences in what we project will be a long term investigation.
What is important to remember during this long term investigation, is that our goal is not to teach accurate information about the physics of flight, but to offer opportunities to exercise critical thinking skills, foster the communication of ideas, and discover the value of working deeply in an area of interest with others. -Kris