Free activities set for STEM Day at Air Force Museum

Students participate in a previous Home School STEM Day at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Students enjoyed the guided tours, scavenger hunts, hands-on classes and aerospace demonstration stations. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Students participate in a previous Home School STEM Day at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Students enjoyed the guided tours, scavenger hunts, hands-on classes and aerospace demonstration stations. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Home school students can explore the world’s largest aviation museum and learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) topics during Home School STEM Day April 1 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

During this event, home school children ages 3-18 can participate in a number of free educational activities, many focusing on STEM themes. There is no advance registration; however, there is limited seating capacity for some programs.

Five hands-on classes will be offered in the museum’s STEM Learning Nodes:

* “Storytime: Launching to the Moon” (9:45-10:30 a.m.) – ages 3-5

*“Be an Engineer” (11 a.m.-noon) – grades K to 2

* “Fun with Circuits” (9:30-10:30 a.m.) – grades 3 and 4

* “Rescue Mission Math” (11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) – grades 4 to 6

* “Intro to the Engineering Design Process” (11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.) – grades 6 to 8

* “The Holocaust Program: Prejudice and Memory” (9:45-10:45 a.m.) – grades 6 to 12

Due to limited seating in the Learning Nodes, free tickets will be distributed to students of the proper grade level at the classroom door on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 9:15 a.m. April 1.

In addition, there will be 15-minute presentations featuring the extensive collection of presidential aircraft between 1 and 4 p.m. in the STEM Learning Node in the Presidential Gallery and a special 45-minute presentation on little known facts about the Apollo missions in the STEM Learning Node in the Global Reach Gallery beginning at 1:30 p.m. These programs do not require tickets.

Guided tours, scavenger hunts and aerospace demonstration stations are also available for the entire family. Visitors may also watch a movie in the digital 3D theatre or ride the interactive flight simulators at a discounted rate. More information is available at http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Education/Home-School-STEM-Day.

Some materials for the program are being provided through the generosity of the Air Force Museum Foundation Inc. (Federal endorsement is not implied).

Lunch options include a picnic area available outside in the museum’s Memorial Park or two cafés to purchase food inside the museum.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world's largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year about one million visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.

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