Millions of school children will visit the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum on Oct. 21 without ever leaving their desks. This "Electronic Field Trip (EFT)," made possible by Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., will showcase the museum's new exhibit, "The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age."
Electronic Field Trips are a dynamic combination of live, interactive broadcasts and online curriculum that meet national teaching standards developed by teachers and content experts. They inspire children to explore new learning concepts and consider future career possibilities.
During the virtual visit on Oct. 21, museum curators and education staff will explain and demonstrate the Wright brothers' unique approach to solving the mysteries of flight. Teachers at participating schools will have classroom materials and online activities to make the learning experience even more interactive. In addition, audience members can send in questions via e-mail or telephone.
"We are pleased that this program allows us to educate and inspire so many students that we would otherwise not reach," said Gen. J.R. "Jack" Dailey, director of the National Air and Space Museum.
The Ball State University EFT program is made possible by the Best Buy Children's Foundation.
The National Air and Space Museum's Wright brothers EFT is geared toward grades 3-8. Each 90-minute live EFT, airing at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (EDT) on Oct. 21, is $75 per school. The Best Buy Children's Foundation will pay the fee for any school that requests it. To register, go to http://www.bsu.edu/eft/. The deadline for registration to participate in the live broadcast is Friday, Oct. 17.
One of the additional benefits of registering is that the shows are archived on the Ball State Web site for future viewing. In partnership with the National Air and Space Museum, teachers from the Ball State lab school have created a rich Web site filled with classroom lessons and an array of primary source materials related to the Wright brothers. This Web site can only be accessed by registered schools.
A second EFT, "The Future Takes Off" visits the National Air and Space Museum's new companion facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. It will be held on April 20 2004. For more information, go to the above-mentioned Ball State Web site.
"The Wright Brothers & the Invention of the Aerial Age"features 170 artifacts, such as the original propeller from the 1903 Wright Flyer, one of the remaining five Wright brothers' bicycles, and the letter that Wilbur Wright wrote to the Smithsonian requesting information about aeronautics. In addition, visitors can watch video re-enactments of the flights taken by Wilbur and Orville Wright on Dec. 17, 1903.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the original 1903 Wright Flyer, displayed at eye-level for the first time since the Smithsonian acquired it in 1948. The exhibit concludes with activities that center upon the music, art and writings that reflect the cultural response to flight during the first decade after its invention.
The National Air and Space Museum, the most visited museum in the world, commemorates and presents the history, science and technology of flight through artifacts, exhibitions, programs and publications. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will open Dec. 15, two days before the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers flight.