This proposal seeks funding to break new ground in the field of science education. The Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is the former home of the National Warplane museum. When the museum went out of business, the aircraft collection was assumed by the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center. Now- the Center wishes to embark on the expansion of the Flying Start Middle School Science Academy which ran a very successful pilot program in July of 2005.
The curriculum is based on aviation and space science. It does not duplicate what is being taught in public schools. This is a middle school proposal that will focus on the following student groups; at-risk students, special education students, poverty students, gifted students or general education students interested in aviation or space science.
All program goals and objectives are bases on the pilot programs that have run during the 2006-2007 school year. Staff have collected qualitative and quantitative research to develop the 2006-2007 programs. Staff meetings have been designed to review all research for the sole purpose of bettering the service provided to students at all Wings of Eagles programs.
We have two middle schools in the area that have been flagged by the NYS State Education Department for low test scores. This proposal seeks funding to help with that problem. Again, these programs are designed to build skills in the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking. All programs are under the umbrella of science education.
The next goal of the Science Academy is to include students from surrounding school districts: Watkins Glen Central School District, Waverly Central School District and Odessa-Montour Central School District.
Potential Impact
The Wings of Eagles (Flying Start) Education Program has tremendous impact due to a number of characteristics:
1. This program has already established a number of community partnerships who are committed to education. Partners realize that the middle school students targeted for this experience represent a diverse group who are in need. Again, two of our local middle school schools have received notice from the State Education Department that their math scores are in jeopardy. This program seeks to work with local middle schools to help with that problem.
2. In terms of diversity, recent studies indicate that females are not going into the field of science education. The staff of the Wings of Eagles Science Academy seek to recruit female students from the regional population. The local middle school principals are active partners in this venture.
3. Poverty is an area of concern. Research indicated that students who are not performing at grade level are from families that are located in the poverty areas of Elmira, New York. In addition, the poverty area has an at-risk component
4. We are using the many resources at the Wings of Eagles to develop an intensive learning experience in the area of science education. We have a collection of World War II airplanes, we have a veteran staff to assist in learning and we provide an educational experience that the local schools can not provide.
Strategy
Constant supervision and communication with students, parents, staff and Wings of Eagles partner organization will help meet all goals and objectives. This proposal represents a risk taking opportunity to form community partners with educational institutions in an effort create educational opportunities for students interested in aviation and space science. The curriculum for the Wings of Eagles (Flying Start) Education Programs is a skill building program for middle school students.
It should be noted that this curriculum is designed to supplement what is being taught in the public school arena. All activities are lined up with the New York State Learning Standards in Math, Science and Technology with skill building areas in reading writing listening and speaking.
This proposal seeks funding to expand the aviation and space science curriculum that was piloted in 2005. Through conversations with members of the educational community (qualitative research) it has become clear that the educational needs of our students can not be met with an 8:30 AM to 2:30 schedule. The New York State Education Department has imposed higher learning standards for all middle school students and Wings of Eagles, through the designed activities, want to build better critical thinking skills at the middle school level.
In addition to our WOE/Flying Start curriculum being in line with New York State Learning Standards, all of our activities will use a "multiple intelligences" approach to learning.
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence activities will build critical thinking skills and be lined up with the New York State Math, Science and Technology Learning Standards.
Visual/Spatial activities will build observational and thinking skills.
Body/Kinesthetic activities will build skills related to aviation science. Musical/Rhythmic activities will build enrichment skills.
Interpersonal activities will build person to person student skills. These skills will be documented in a Wings of Eagles Science Academy student portfolio.
Intrapersonal activities will teach students the art of self-reflection by writing in a science journal.
Verbal/Linguistic activities will enhance written and spoken student skills.
1. This proposal is innovative in that in uses the aviation resources at the Wings of Eagles Science Academy.
2. This project established intellectual sharing between many worlds; the Wings of Eagles Science Academy, all local and regional middle schools and community partners like the Ernie Davis Community Center.
WOE Project Plan for 2010
Evaluation for the Wings of Eagles (Flying Start) Science Education Programs will be multidimensional. They include the following:
1. Authentic Assessment. All students involved in any one of these programs will create an evolving education and career portfolio. The portfolio will be graded by a "portfolio rubric" and will contain a student created career plan which will follow student from middle school to high school.
2. Projects. Students will use hands on skills to create projects that will build skills in the areas of reading writing, listening and speaking, Project rubrics will be used to evaluate each project presentation.
3. Science Journals. Each student will be responsible for creating a science journal. This journal will take the form of a "reflective thought" journal. A specially constructed science journal rubric has been created for this purpose.
4. Digital pictures. Throughout the course of this experience, students will take digital pictures to prove to community partners that they have participated in hands on science activities separate from those provided by the local school district.
5. Teacher evaluation. In addition to all of the above, staff at the Flying Start Science Academy will be observational notes on all students. These notes will be reviewed at each faculty meeting. For special education students, it may be necessary to ad to the already constructed Individual Educational Plan.
6. All activities will be in line with the New York State Learning Standards in Math, Science and Technology
a. Standard 1 - Analysis, Inquiry and Design. Students will be actively involved in critical thinking activities that involve airplane design and rocketry.
b. Standard 3 - Mathematics. Through experimentation, students will record the math involved in all problem solving activities.
c. Standard 4 - Science. What is Flight is a universal topic that will explore the scientific process.
d. Standard 5 - Technology. Students will be actively involved in flight simulation and computer science.
e. Standard 6 - Common Themes. Nutrition and Careers in Aviation will also be topics of both programs.
f. Standard 7 - Problem Solving. Students will not be told how to solve problems. The Wings of Eagles instructor will serve as a facilitator to assist the student in problem solving.
Activities and field trips.
Chemung County Airport Fieldtrip. Students from the program will be exposed to all of the integrated resources of the Wings of Eagles Science Academy. One of those resources is the Chemung County Airport. Students will be exposed to career opportunities that are available within the field of aviation.
The MIT Bridge Project. This lesson will also be integrated with a science lesson focused on the science of stress points. Students will construct popsicle bridges and then test the strength of each bridge. Spatial Intelligence.
Wings of Eagles Science Academy Science Journals. As part of the student portfolio at the Wings of Eagles Science Academy, students will keep a reflective thought science journal which will cover all activities and field trips. Intrapersonal Intelligence.
Glenn Curtiss and His Times. Students will view a PBS biography on Glenn Curtiss the aviation pioneer from Hammonsport, New York. Students will also develop an awareness of the aviation history here in the southern tier of New York State. Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence and Logical/Mathematical Intelligence.
Aviation through Pictures and Images. Students in the Wings of Eagles Science Academy will have an opportunity to research the history of aviation from pre-World War I to the present. Pictures and artifacts are readily available for students to examine. Students will be producing a visual timeline for presentation to other Science Academy students. Visual/Spatial and Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence.
The Wings of Eagles Walking Tour. In addition to research opportunities, students will be engaged in a walking tour that include the Wings of Eagles Plane Collection, the Chemung County Airport, the Wings of Eagles Restoration Center and Corning Aircraft. Logical/Mathematical and Body/Kinesthetic Intelligences.
