For Educators

For Educators

DISCOVERING FLIGHT WITH THE
NATIONAL AVIATION HALL OF FAME

At the National Aviation Hall of Fame, we see the work to inspire and build the confidence of future aerospace innovators as an essential part of our mission. We are proud to share our new initiative, Discovering Flight with the National Aviation Hall of Fame, a multi-faceted curriculum program that enables us to support young learners and educators and engage our audience both remotely and in our Heritage Hall and Education Center.

Discovering Flight with the NAHF


According to the U.S. Department of Education, “In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it’s more important than ever that our nation’s youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know-how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions.1” The aviation and aerospace industry has a particular vested interest. Industry leaders have been working to find solutions to relieve an ever-growing shortage of trained technical graduates to fill their growing and increasingly complex workforce.

As educators, employers, and parents across the country explore strategies to fill the technology gap and equip students with the skills and knowledge they’ll need to be successful innovators in a 21st-century workforce, there has been a growing emphasis on STEAM — the educational discipline that engages students around the multidisciplinary subjects Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math. However, attracting young learners into an appreciation for STEAM concepts and pursuing technical careers is not simple.

Researchers have found that as children grow into teens, their interest and confidence in math and science often declines, especially among underrepresented groups. A situation exacerbated by the closure of schools and a move to remote learning by many districts nationwide in response to the COVID pandemic. Early reports show students in grades PreK thru 12 who lack the internet, technology, and support needed to successfully engage in online learning are falling further behind their more affluent peers, widening long-standing achievement gaps.

1. U.S. Dept. of Ed. (2020, February). Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, including Computer Science. ed.gov. Retrieved from ed.gov

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Why I Fly

Aviation Adventure is a new ThinkTV channel created for STEM World that celebrates the heroes of Aviation and their stories! Explore the wonders of Aviation through games, videos, and fun building challenges that kids can do at home!

Want to draw, color, and play some games? Print out the attached activity book and take off!

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Problem Solving with Wilbur and Orville

Problem Solving with Wilbur and Orville is a multidisciplinary curriculum for grades pre-K to 6 of state and national standards. It includes aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more that combines the mission the NAHF with the educational expertise of PBS/ThinkTV. The program shares the Wright Brothers as informal guides to lessons within the curriculum as they deliver fun, educational experiences for the classroom.

Problem Solving with Wilbur and Orville is designed to let students learn by doing. An array of hands-on activities encourages students to build, fly, and conduct experiments with kites, soda-straw gliders, rubber-band-powered balsa planes, and more. It challenges them to not only take on a task or experiment but then also reflect on the results of their actions. Interactive games for individual and group play and short video segments for PBS learning media help solidify learning by providing fun and necessary repetition.

Visit STEM World Kids to learn more!

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Why I Fly

Why I Fly is a web-based video series produced with content partners Emmy Award-winning Hemlock Films.  Why I Fly are a series of short videos that feature an individual who is engaged in an aspect of aviation or aerospace. The people featured are intriguing, relatable, and talented. They show the humanity of aviation and embody the fact that the field is attainable.

The central purpose of Why I Fly is to generate exposure of opportunities in aviation and aerospace by highlighting individuals with a connection to flight. In the past, careers in aviation were regarded as exclusive, inaccessible, and primarily male dominated. The NAHF seeks to share the complete realm of aviation and aerospace careers to a wide audience through Why I Fly. Whether as a career or hobby, the NAHF sees tremendous value in igniting interest of young and old in aviation, especially females and minorities.

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View Our Webinars

Our Aerospace and Adaptation: Webinar Series launched in 2020 as part of the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s pandemic response in partnership with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA).

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For Students

Help students discover flight with the National Aviation Hall of Fame. A wise person once said, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” We couldn’t agree more!

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How to Get Will and Orv for Your Classroom

Interested in getting Will and Orv for your classroom? For more information, contact us at [email protected]