Skip Top nav bar link group topnav end piece go to business section go to education section go to history section go to gallery section go to news section go to organizations section go to research section go to search engine go to site index topnav end piece
NASA Meatball Banner of Dryden Flight Research Center
white space
Image of gray corner
education banner with SR71 flying over Dryden

Aeronautics

An Educator's Guide with Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education

Welcome to the exciting world of aeronautics. Ther term aeronautics originated in France, and was derived from the Greek words for "air" and "to sail". It is the study of flight and the operation of aircraft. This educator guide explains basic aeronautical concepts, provides a background in the history of aviation, and sets them within the context of the flight environment (atmosphere, airports, and navigation).

This guide begins with education standards and sills matrices for the classroom activities, a description of the NASA aeronautics mission, and a brief history of aeronautics. The activies are divided into three chapters:

  • Air
  • Flight
  • We Can Fly, You and I

The activities are written for the educator. Each activity begins with (1) objectives, (2) education standards and skills, and (3) background material for the subject matter in the activity. The activity continues with by step-by-step instructions (and associated graphics) to help the educator guide students through the activity in the classroom. Each activity includes "student pages". The student pages are as simple as a graphic of the activity, and as advanced as a work sheet. They are meant to supplement the educator's presentation, serve as reminders, and inspire students to explore their own creativity. Activities requiring step-by-step assembly include student pages that present the project in a way that can be understood by pre-literate students.

Each chapter ends with a secion listing suggested interdisciplinary activities.

This publication is in the public domain and is not protected by copyright. Permission is not required for duplication.

The book is available for download either by sections or the entire document can be download.

TopicFile Size
K-4 Guide Cover page351 KBytes
Introduction36 KBytes
Aeronautics Background for Educators 112 KBytes
Air Engines135 KBytes
Dunked Napkin Excercise 74 KBytes
Paper Bag Mask Excercise 110 KBytes
Wind in Your Socks 146 KBytes
Air:Interdisciplinary Learning Activities 11 KBytes
Bag Balloons235 KBytes
Sled Kite Excercise102 KBytes
Right Flight150 KBytes
Delta Wing Glider125 KBytes
Rotor Motor138 KBytes
Flight: Interdisciplinary Learning Activities 11 KBytes
Making Time Fly1.2 MBytes
Where is North?126 KBytes
Let's Build a Table Top Airport 137 KBytes
Plan to Fly There167 KBytes
We Can Fly: Interdisciplinary Learning Activities 8 KBytes
Glossary40 KBytes
Suggested Reading48 KBytes
NASA Resources for Educators13 KBytes
Reply Card9 KBytes
Complete K-4 Guide2.8 MBytes


get plugin for acrobat reader Some of the documents on this page are being offered in Portable Document Format (PDF). To view these PDF documents you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader plugin installed in your browser. Click here or on the Acrobat icon to download the plug-in.
blank space image of gray corner

 

Last Modified: November 5, 2004
Responsible NASA Official: Susan Miller
PAO Webmasters

NASA Web Privacy Statement