“Working with the Kenya Wildlife Service Air Wing has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Their excellent pilots appreciate the need for recurrent and aerobatic training and believe, as I do, that aerobatic lessons make all pilots more skillful, more confident and safer aviators, and gives them better tools to be able to combat elephant and rhino poaching in Kenya.” - Patty Wagstaff

Animals and aviation have been linked since 1783 when the Montgolfier brothers sent a duck, sheep, and rooster up in a hot air balloon to ensure that people could survive the ascent. Today, planes and satellites are used to aid wildlife conservation efforts, including tracking elephants and transporting animals from conservation centers to the wild for reintroduction.

Learning Standards

Standards: NGSS

  • 4-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
  • 5-PS3-1 Energy: Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.
  • MS-LS1-5 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
  • MS-LS2-3 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem

Teacher Tips

About STEM in 30

STEM in 30 is an Emmy-nominated program for middle school students produced by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. These 30 minute episodes are great for classroom use. New episodes are released every month, featuring hands-on activities, explanations of aviation and space topics aligned with national standards, and interviews with experts from the Museum and beyond.

STEM in 30 is made possible by Boeing and Hexcel.
 

Created:

September 10, 2024

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Courtesy of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

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Smithsonian Institution

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