The students in my K–1 multiage class at Skyline Elementary School in Ferndale, Washington, never doubted they could build the airplane. They knew all they needed was a little help from the community.
My students are accustomed to engaging their minds using The Project Approach (Chard 1994, 1992; Katz and Chard 1989), which involves applying academic skills to meaningful, real-life projects. So when they wanted to demonstrate the knowledge they had gained from their self-chosen, in-depth study of airplanes, my students decided to design and construct their own airplane. They didn't want to build just a small model airplane; they wanted one that they could actually get in and “fly” to far away places—a student-sized, four-seat, high-wing airplane.
The students agreed that they needed help with the actual construction of their plane, so they decided to tap the community work force for expert help. They hired Carl Mattson, a local building contractor. Dear Carl,We are Inviteing you to are Classroom because we need help on an airplane. So Pleaese come in. We will give you Some worms for your garDen in trade of your bilding.From, the KiDs in room 4. After negotiating to pay Carl by the hour with 50–100 red wriggler worms from the class compost bin, the students kept close track of the minutes he visited class—they didn't pay him for coffee breaks. With Carl's simple instructions and gentle guidance, the students enthusiastically designed, helped build, and painted their airplane.
Working Together
From Carl, the students learned about tools, materials, management, and safety. They collected, sorted, and classified screwdrivers and sandpaper. They measured, estimated, and drew plans. And they hammered, sanded, primed, and painted. The students also formed committees to take on some of the more important jobs, including interior and exterior safety inspection, supervision of materials, and quality control. The students were fascinated as Carl used his professional chalk line to draw lines on the plywood where he would cut with the saw. They invented their own method of making chalk lines, using baggies, rocks, pieces of chalk, and string—even Carl was impressed. The students were constantly asking and finding answers to questions, while Carl broadened his knowledge of airplanes and aviation.
The biggest obstacle to building a student-sized, realistic airplane was our lack of real airplane parts. The Boeing Company, one of the country's largest airplane manufacturers, was instrumental in providing the students with access to “spare parts” for the airplane's interior. The students wrote a letter to the corporate manager of the company's educational relations: Dear Mr. Tobolski,We are doing reserch and are going to bild an airplane. Do you have any parts you don't need that we could have for are classroom? Or ideas that you could share with us? thank you, room 4 K–1P.S. Please writ us back. They received a $500 voucher to use in Boeing's warehouse, where they obtained interior seating materials and parts of instruments that were incorporated into the airplane cockpit.
The Boeing Company also displayed the completed airplane at the Paine Field Air Fair in Everett, Washington, as part of an educational exhibit. The students attended the air show as exhibitors, free of charge, and had a memorable opportunity to share their knowledge of airplanes, aviation, and related topics with a very large, eclectic audience.
Destination Anywhere
One of the students' favorite things to do was to “fly” to various parts of the world. The students ran a travel and ticket agency, and created travel brochures and flight simulation posters illustrating the areas to which they were flying. They recreated the total flying experience by issuing tickets, weighing passengers and baggage, and keeping a close watch on arrival and departure times. They continued to apply the skills they learned as they studied clouds, weather, airports, and control towers. Posters of their destination decorated the walls around the flight area; clouds, of all kinds, hung from the ceilings. The students left no detail untouched.
In their quest for information, students contacted and received materials, hands-on experience, and other information from a local flying club, a retired airline pilot, a building supply store, an airport's control tower and crew, and airport personnel.
Making Connections
The connections that my students formed with the world outside their classroom became very real and meaningful to them and added much depth to their research. We found that the community was very willing to share expertise and be a part of relevant education. The project was a study in collaboration at its finest.
Making connections between school and community is necessary if educators are to facilitate real-life learning in their classrooms, engage our students' minds, make education relevant, and prepare our students to be lifelong learners. We must always be on the lookout for ways to bring the community into our schools. As Carl Mattson stated, “This was one of my most rewarding jobs—I learned as much from the students as I'm sure they learned from me.”
Oh yes, Carl's contractual payment—500 worms.
