Hi troops,
Extra, extra, read all about it! Dream Flight Adventures has been featured in the latest issue of the IN Shaler Area magazine. This may be old news for those living in the Shaler Area because the website version of the magazine lags several months behind the print version, but we finally have a shiny digital copy of the article available. And there was much rejoicing!
Riddle me this: How can one teach about comparative politics and radioactive decay at the same time? How can one illustrate the checks and balances in government while simultaneously teaching about space exploration? What about marine biology and nuclear isotopes?
Succession was the first Dream Flight Adventures™ mission, and it does a beautiful job at illustrating the unique way we blend STEM concepts, history, and crucial social issues. It’s a mix that you can’t find anywhere else, and the concepts we address in our missions stick with students for years.
Succession throws students into the middle of a crisis where several opposing views are vying for control of a world government. Students must learn about each side’s point of view, evaluate their positions, and decide what to do in order to save the world from civil war. And, as always, the clock is ticking, so the students must use their whole brains and every ounce of creativity they can muster to accomplish their mission.
Learn more about Succession and our other missions.
There’s been a lot going on lately, and it’s been a while since we gave you a solid update about the construction of the IKS Titan. We’re in the final stretch now, with only one section of flooring and a few minor odds and ends remaining to be installed. Bob Gasowski, our resident miracle worker, has done an amazing job. I’m excited to show off his handiwork:
This is the Security Guard station on the mid-level tier. The flooring on this level will be installed this week. Notice the amazing desktops, with the seamless black formica flowing directly to the edge of the iPads. Also notice the metal rivet details in the far wall. This is all Bob’s handiwork.
This is a view from the lower tier looking up toward the captain’s area. The Security Chief and two Security Guards sit behind the counter on left, with the Captain and First and Second Officers sitting on the raised platform behind. Notice the air conditioning unit on the side wall, which was installed especially for the simulator. The vast majority of Shaler Elementary does not have air conditioning. We are very fortunate.
Here’s the mid tier as seen from the revolving door of the airlock. The main viewscreen is beyond the left edge of the photo. We’ve ordered some nice durable chairs for the simulator, and they will be arriving soon. It will be nice to have some sturdy furniture to let the crew work together as a team in their mission.
This is a view of the revolving airlock from the raised captain’s tier. In the middle sits the Doctor’s station, where the Doctor can oversee the health and safety of the crew.
This is the Second Officer’s station, which sits on the raised Command Level next to the Captain. The Second Officer is in charge of making logs and shipwide announcements, setting the ship’s alert level, and controlling the ship’s coolant systems. Notice the realistic-looking diamond plate “metal” flooring.
The simulator seriously has top quality construction. Bob has gone well above and beyond the call of duty to make the simulator a sturdy and safe place for students to learn for years to come.
We can’t wait to start running missions in it!
Hot off the presses, Dream Flight Adventures is partnering with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to playtest its simulator control software. We are the inaugural project of what the museum hopes to become a staple program offered through their Makeshop, which is fantastic, by the way!
The Children’s Museum sees thousands of children each year, and we’re excited to connect with a small fraction of them to take our simulator software for some test drives. Stay tuned for announcements about the exact dates when you can find us at the Makeshop.
This program is made possible by the generous support of the Sprout Fund’s Spark Program and the Grable Foundation.
It’s been a busy week for the Dream Flyers. On Tuesday we were paid a visit by Gabriela Rose from the Math & Science Collaborative. We met inside the simulator, which is nearly complete. Only the flooring on the second tier and a few other small odds and ends remain to be installed.
We discussed the Next Generation Science Standards, the 5E instructional model, and the National Research Council’s latest findings on How People Learn. It was a very positive and productive day!
The strong emphasis our missions place on core concepts, and the way they enable students to form new connections between curriculum material in a hands-on way are all very well aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and the research on how people learn.
Most of us are deep in the trenches everyday, so this was a nice opportunity to step back and discuss how the latest research on learning and instructional models support what we’re doing.
Hello troops,
I’m excited to announce a brand new video that introduces all 16 stations in our simulators. This is a great resource to review prior to a mission with us.
Also, teachers, please note that this video goes great with the “Infinity Knights Job Application” activity that is included in the Instructor Packets that come with each mission.
Now, without further ado, this video:
The door chimed and Admiral Starblayze looked up from his work. “Come in,” he said.
Admiral Rigorious strode into the room and sat down. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, and I suppose you know why.” Admiral Starblayze slid his work to the side of his desk and leaned back in his chair slightly. A stern look covered his face.
Admiral Rigorious smiled knowingly. “The infiltration.”
“I don’t know what to say,” said Admiral Starblayze, shaking his head. “Obviously something has to be done about Security. We can’t have our cadets sneaking into the lower bunker, but I suppose that goes without saying.”
“You’re welcome.”
Admiral Starblayze raised his eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?”
“I said you’re welcome. You assigned me to train the cadets, to prepare their minds, to get them ready for the challenges that await them once we’re ready for launch. And I’ve done exactly that. You didn’t think that these sharp young minds would be the least bit fooled by the dummy off-limits zones and the training exercises, did you? These are our best and brightest young minds. Of course they’d see through it all and discover the truth.”
Admiral Rigorious sat forward in his seat, clearly proud of his students. He went on, “You see, we’re already deep into their training. It’s not a matter of drills and digital simulations… it’s a matter of honing their minds to think outside the box, to invent new solutions to problems they’ve never faced before. That’s what I’ve been putting these cadets through, so it’s no wonder they’d discover the ships in the lower levels. And now that they know the truth, they’re only working harder on their training. They can’t wait to step inside the ships and pilot them on their first adventure. They don’t know where it will take them, so they know they have to be ready for everything. Teamwork, communication, problem solving… their scores in all these areas have risen noticeably since this so called ‘infiltration.’ So, yes…. you’re welcome.”
He sat back in his chair, glowing with pride.
Admiral Starblayze shrugged and chuckled softly. “Then I guess they’ll be pleased to hear the latest news. We’re almost ready for launch.” He slid some images across his desk. Admiral Rigorious thumbed through them, looking at the latest construction progress.
Admiral Starblayze continued, “So, as you can see, the big day is almost here. I think it’s time we start taking her out for some test drives. Begin assembling your crews.”
Admiral Starblayze’s voice boomed across the PA system. “Cadets, attention!”
The cadets in training froze where they were and stood at attention. They had been working for weeks, learning new concepts and skills in hopes of being able to serve among the Infinity Knights. Silence filled the training facility while Admiral paused for dramatic effect.
“I’m sure you all know that Evaluations are right around the corner. Those of you who plan to pass are probably counting down the hours. Time is running out, and if the report that Admiral Rigorius just gave me is any indication, you all have a long…”
Suddenly Admiral Starblayze was interrupted by a sharp shriek of static that blasted across the PA system. The wallscreens flickered and the image of a cadet’s face appeared.
“Listen up, I don’t have much time! I’m not sure I’ll make it out of here before they track me down. I’ve tapped into the PA system because the world has a right to know. There’s more going on than they are telling us!”
The cadets throughout the facility glanced curiously back and forth at each other, not sure what to think. They shifted their weight back and forward on their feet, trying to look around while still standing at attention in case this was part of some elaborate drill.
The cadet’s voice continued over the PA. “These practices they’re putting us through, these Evaluations… they aren’t what they seem. They’re just the tip of the iceberg! All the construction materials, the welding drones, the off-limit areas… it’s all a ruse. It’s not just a renovation of the south wing. There’s an entire bunker below us! It’s huge! They’re building something crazy down here, and they’ve been keeping it under wraps, but now the truth is out.”
The wallscreens flickered to show some hastily-snapped photos.
“Look familiar? The training simulators they’ve been running us through… they’re real! They have real ships down here, and they’re almost done being built. These simulators aren’t just creative group exercises…. they’re training us for the real thing!”
The cadets perked up. Some of their hearts started pounding in their chest. Could it be true? As if in answer to their silent questions the young cadet went on.
“Take a look. Solid tritanium walls! These bulkheads are built to last.”
“And emergency lighting too! It looks like they expect these crafts to see some serious action.”
The cadets in training were stunned. Were their eyes betraying them? It was beyond their wildest dreams to embark on a real mission, and from the look of it the ships were just about ready for launch. All they’d need is a crew.
“But don’t get too excited,” said the voice. “It doesn’t look like it will just be fun and games. Check this out… a real emergency escape hatch. These ships won’t be going on any pleasure cruises—they look like they’ll be thrown into the depths of danger. Why else would they be installing emergency hatches?”
The cadets didn’t know what to think. They were thrilled, and at the same time their heads buzzed with questions. Was it real? If so, why all the secrecy? And how did this lone cadet infiltrate the lower bunker?
Before they could get any answers, a hiss of static blasted across the PA system and the wallscreen flashed back to normal. Admiral Starblayze’s voice was back. The exciting mystery hung in the air.
Today I had the honor of running two live demo missions at the Shaler Elementary. The first featured Mike Penn’s GATE students, and the second featured a joint crew of GATE and Special Ed students. We had about 35 kids in all, and both crews did a fantastic job. The enthusiasm was so thick in the air that we had to use snorkels to breathe. If the kids are this excited to run a 30-minute demo mission in their normal classroom, I can’t wait to see their faces when they enter the real simulator when it’s fully decked in all its glory of light, sound, and effects!
Here are some icky blurry photos of the kids in action. My apologies for the low-quality photos. Next time I’ll bring Vera, my shiny new Nikon D5100.
Throughout the day we were pleased to be visited by Dr. Shipley, the SASD’s superintendent, as well as a whole slew of enthusiastic teachers from throughout the school who wanted to see what all the mystery and buzz has been about. The time simply flew by (just ask the kids!), but there will be plenty of other demonstrations down the road for those who missed it. It was magical, to say the least.
Tonight I make two big updates, as I haven’t made many visits to this here watering hole in many a week. My apologies. I know this is the place that many curious minds gather to share rumors and whispers about the magic that’s going on behind the scenes. There’s been quite the rumble at Shaler Elementary lately, with the mighty Bobby G conjuring a magnificent creation by sheer force of will. But enough of the small talk… onto the juicy details:
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