Yesterday we took several hours out of the middle of our school day and went to see the Aerospace Museum on Hill Air Force base. It was something I just found on one of my 'free stuff to do ' google searches that I do at each new place we go to. And it was really amazing. We are well into the traditional school year by now and for one of my sons the SAT is looming ever more near, only three weeks away in fact, so one could make the argument that a field trip just now to look at a bunch of airplanes was unwarranted and perhaps unwise and definitely an interruption to our school day routine, but I think that field trips are always a great idea.
Our kids stood underneath a B-17 bomber while their dad explained where each member of the crew sat and what his job was. (Is it redundant to say B-17 "Bomber?" The B stands for bomber, doesn't it?) Fionnula asked why would someone fly a helicopter instead of an airplane and how did they fly anyway, and luckily Kris was there to competently answer that question because my knowledge on the topic is vague at best. They saw a reproduction of the Wright Brother's 1903 flyer. There was a detailed display about the Vietnam war and specifically POWs. We watched a short video about Gail Halvorsen, the Candy Bomber. We saw one plane that is in the midst of being reconstructed and watched as another that is on display outdoors was being repainted. Liam decided on a new favorite plane. Fionn decided she wanted to learn more about the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). And we all learned the name of the B-29 that did the weather reconnaissance over Japan and determined that the atomic bomb could be dropped. Now there is a fabulous piece of historical trivia for you. I know they also read and watched things that I missed.
If I was concerned about following a specific curriculum or scope and sequence, this short trip to a museum was definitely a bit all over the place. But we were mostly thinking that airplanes are cool and free museums are cool and taking a break from math on a computer is cool. The fact that Fionn came home and looked up articles and books on the WASP and that we started to put together a list of World War 2 movies to see was just a bonus.
If I was concerned about following a specific curriculum or scope and sequence, this short trip to a museum was definitely a bit all over the place. But we were mostly thinking that airplanes are cool and free museums are cool and taking a break from math on a computer is cool. The fact that Fionn came home and looked up articles and books on the WASP and that we started to put together a list of World War 2 movies to see was just a bonus.
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