In school, we learn the scientific method as a straight-line process. But asking questions and making discoveries in science and history is more active and complex. The image to the right shows this exciting process of science and inquiry. Notice that it's not a straight line but an ongoing cycle!
Sometimes things don't work out the way you think they'll work out.
Many times, you have to make a lot of mistakes in order to learn what will work.
Sometimes discoveries are made when you least expect it!
The activities below take you through the process of discovery, and highlights stories in air and space about surprising paths to discoveries and innovations.
How Science Works
When you slow down and look closely at things, you can make some interesting discoveries! Practice your observation skills by looking closely at some of our museum artifacts and scientific equipment.
Best for ages 4 to 8
Best for ages 10 and up
Think about it! While you were looking closely at these machines, did any questions pop up in your head about them? What can you do to find out more?
Best for ages 10 and up
Does your family have a photo album or family scrapbook?
Photo albums and scrapbooks are collections of pictures and or memorabilia (meaningful objects, newspaper clippings, tickets, or other things that let us remember people and events).
You can put any item into a scrapbook that reminds you of a place or experience you have had. Most importantly scrapbooks tell a story. Some aviators keep scrapbooks too.
When we look at scrapbooks from the past, the items in them are considered primary sources by historians. Primary sources are original objects made or written by people during the time of an event.
We will be looking at photographs from Rubye Berau’s scrapbook that were taken in the 1930s making it over 80 years old!
An aviator's scrapbook from the past can give us a snapshot of something that happened many years ago. It can also tell us a story or stories about a pilot's life.
Because we are looking at photographs from the past this activity will show you some steps that historians use to interpret primary sources. “Interpret” means to explain or tell the meaning of something. We wonder what it was like to be a woman in the Golden Age of Flight, a time when learning to fly was new and becoming popular. These scrapbook pictures are part of the story of Rubye Berau, one of the first female pilots in the United States.
An aviatrix is what people called women pilots in the early 20th century when Rubye learned how to fly.
Rubye's scrapbook has newspaper clippings and photographs that tell us about her flying experience. A newspaper clipping is an article cut out of a newspaper.
We can see a picture of a woman above the clipping.
The newspaper clipping tells us that Rubye was awarded her license at the same time as another student pilot, Dr. Ferguson.
Your Turn
Have a family member help you make an organizer like the one below in the brown box which you can use as a guide.
The text of the article reads:
"The name of Mrs. Rubye P. Berau of 21 S. Walnut st., and Dr. George A. Ferguson, 922 Mayfair rd, were added to Akron's list of licensed pilots Wednesday following the visit to Akron airport of Department of Comerce Inspector Charles L. Walker. Both received private permits.
Mrs. Berau began taking her training last November with Air Services school at municipal airport, R. F. Kitchingman, manager"
Click on the newspaper clipping to make it larger and grab a sheet of paper. Read "Mrs. Rubye Berau Gets Her Wings" in the newspaper clipping and write the information you find on Rubye in your organizer.
Describe what you see.
Example: I see a photo of a woman with short hair. She is smiling and looks happy. There is a flying plane above her head.
Your Turn:
Look for details on Rubye in newspaper clippings.
Example: There are large words that say "Rubye Berau Gets Her Wings." There is also a picture of someone with googles on their head and they are smiling. Under the picture it says Mrs. Ruby Berau.
Your Turn:
What did you find? Do you have questions? Can you answer these questions about Rubye?
Example: I found information that shows Rubye Berau was a lady who likes planes and flying.
Your Turn:
Great job! You just learned about one of the first woman pilots by interpreting photographs and articles from her past!
Once you have finished your organizer try answering these questions:
Rubye was awarded her license on August 23, 1932. We know this because of what Rubye included in her scrapbook and also from her original pilot’s license. You can see it here!
by Candy Dahl, illustrated by Maithili Joshi
Best for ages 5-10
Read about the adventurous life of Tiny Broadwick, and how her courage, daring nature and love of parachuting led to the unexpected creation of the parachute rip cord.
by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
Best for ages 5-8
Discoveries and innovation start with a curious mind and the question, "Why?" Meet Ada Twist, a 2nd grader with a head full of questions and the desire to learn more about the world around her.
by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Aimee Sicuro
Best for ages 6-10
Vera Rubin loved astronomy and decided to pursue her questions about the universe. Read about how she persevered to learn more about space and dark matter.
First woman engineer on NASA's Mission Control Panel
Large amounts of dust collected on the astronauts' space suits during excursions to the lunar surface. The dust, if deposited in the Lunar Module threatened to contaminate the cabin's environmental control system.
Following the Apollo 12 mission, astronaut Alan Bean noted that they had lacked a means to remove the dust from their suits prior to entering the Lunar Module. After that, all missions had these large brushes to brush lunar dust off of suits before entering the lunar module.
This brush was used during training and did not go into space.
When Neil Armstrong's space gloves began to develop mysterious spots on the cuff, Smithsonian specialists took a closer look, and what they found was surprising. When they looked at these spots under a 3-D microscope, they found lunar dust stuck in parts of the glove that were repaired with a softer material than the original suit material.
Grown-ups, to learn more about this story, watch this video.
This silk parachute belonged to Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick, the first woman to jump out of an airplane using a parachute. She made over 1,000 jumps - first out of balloons and then out of airplanes. She accidentally invented the ripcord during a parachute jump when her parachute didn't open correctly.
The ripcord is now an important part of modern parachutes.
Grown-ups, to learn more about Tiny Broadwick, listen to this AirSpace podcast.
Think about it! Do you have a memento or special object in your home that has a surprising story? Ask a family member the same question. You may discover a family story you weren't aware of! You can also share a story with a family member about one of your special objects.
Soar Together at Air and Space is made possible by the generous support of Northrop Grumman.
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