From a day-long activity to a year-long course, K-12 instructors can use FT STEM to address a variety of standards by utilizing DIY aircraft and drones to acquire 21st-century career skills.

Home-based Educators

The flexibility of scope and sequencing is perfectly suited to the home educator. Combined with the wealth of online, family-friendly resources, FT STEM is a fun and engaging part of the home-based educator’s instruction. An individual student, a family, and large groups can all enjoy learning through DIY model aircraft and drones.

Independent Student Learners

DIY aircraft can be an educational experience for independent learners of all ages when using FT STEM and Flite Test resources. Modular lessons are written for students, and the vast wealth of resources from Flite Test videos, articles, and online community will challenge and inspire students to soar, both figuratively and literally.

CLASSROOMS

FT STEM lesson modules can be used at any grade level and adjusted as needed. For example, an elementary classroom may need to have several modules to work up to Lesson 1.5 EZ Space Shuttle, whereas a high school class could start with that same module as an introduction to basic concepts and move on to a glider module (such as Lesson 3.1) or trainer aircraft module (such as Lesson 4.1). Evaluation methods range from quizzes to performance tasks to Engineering Design.

Elementary

Using a variety of hand-thrown gliders and our popular EZ aircraft platform, elementary students will learn foundational aerodynamic and design skills…and have tons of fun in the process. Older elementary students can use those foundational skills and progress on to airfoil gliders and micro drones. Basic design skills and Engineering Design Briefs can be taught and used to promote problem solving techniques with gliders and EZ aircraft. Most elementary students will utilize lessons between Unit 1 (Project Chuck Glider) and Unit 5 (Project Micro Drone).

Middle School

Students can use hand-thrown gliders, airfoil gliders, and EZ aircraft to learn the basics of aerodynamics and progress on to trainer aircraft and design, as well as micro drones, intermediate-level aircraft, and DIY drones. Both introductory and intermediate FT STEM Engineering Design Briefs can be used. Some classrooms or students may be able to progress to more advanced lesson modules. Most middle school students will utilize lessons between Unit 1 and Unit 7 (Project Gremlin Drone).

High SCHOOL

From students with no prior experience to seasoned remote control aircraft and drone pilots, high school students can engage with challenging FT STEM curriculum using EZ aircraft, gliders, trainer aircraft, drones, advanced aircraft, and original aircraft designs. The full range of FT STEM Engineering Design Briefs can be utilized to document the design process in various degrees of complexity, and also to differentiate instruction for those with different needs.