STEM class

[cranialrectosis]

I started volunteering at the local high school last year and this year we are building an Electrohub.

Tonight would have been the maiden but one of the motors has the jitters and we need to re-solder the bullets between the motor and the ESC. It took months to get here and I donated 4 copters to the school to play with. The school is buying lipos (I make the school handle lipos on school grounds) and has 2 Taranis transmitters.

Once this flies, I will bring in a foam fighter.

I also just got an email from FliteTest on FliteTest curriculum for STEM teachers. I passed this on to the school and am researching it myself as well.

The biggest challenge so far is soldering irons at the school. I am bringing in my home station as the school irons are too weak and have too small of tips for prime time.

I can say that this has been rewarding and challenging in ways I could not imagine (I don't have children of my own). Tonight they gave me a T-Shirt with the school logo on it. I hope to continue doing this for years and thank you FliteTest for all the help getting here.

 

[PsyBorg]

Good work with this STEM stuff for all of you teachers as well as Fite test crew getting involved. I had an elective I took back in High school for model flight and rocketry which had a HUGE influence on my thought processes for thinking things thru and improvisational skills in regards to designing things. Having hands on experience makes all the difference in the world for success and ramping up the desire to do more. The class work was neat and interesting but the hands on was the icing on the cake for me. Granted we didn't have so many rules and stuff governing what we did or could do but common sense was part of that whole process and that is what I think is most lacking in our school systems today.

Just out of Curiosity... how will all this effort work with the new registration thing as well as the new government influences sure to come? I know the school has to carry insurance but if local laws governing our hobbies tack on some sort of licensing and most surely "insurance required" money grabs would that shunt the viability of this type of program?

 

[makattack]

My RC club helps run programs at schools (and outside of schools) to help promote the hobby and STEM in general. We've participated in STEM open houses at libraries, with boy/cub scouts, and after-school programs. In all the cases, administrators, etc all bring up the liability and insurance question and invariably, we fall back on the AMA insurance coverage we get as members. For school programs, we promote the free AMA membership for kids as a way to get them covered.

There's always some sort of regulatory requirement due to the risk averse nature of our modern society. Heck, before we even were able to help out at the after-school program, all those involved had to have CORI/SORI background checks (Massachusetts Criminal / Sexual Offense Records Investigation) made, which took about a month or more. Public school afterall, *is* government

Actually, the same applies for private schools... in my experience they are just as risk averse.

 

[The-One-Who-Never-Crashes]

I started volunteering at the local high school last year and this year we are building an Electrohub.

Tonight would have been the maiden but one of the motors has the jitters and we need to re-solder the bullets between the motor and the ESC. It took months to get here and I donated 4 copters to the school to play with. The school is buying lipos (I make the school handle lipos on school grounds) and has 2 Taranis transmitters.

Once this flies, I will bring in a foam fighter.

I also just got an email from FliteTest on FliteTest curriculum for STEM teachers. I passed this on to the school and am researching it myself as well.

The biggest challenge so far is soldering irons at the school. I am bringing in my home station as the school irons are too weak and have too small of tips for prime time.

I can say that this has been rewarding and challenging in ways I could not imagine (I don't have children of my own). Tonight they gave me a T-Shirt with the school logo on it. I hope to continue doing this for years and thank you FliteTest for all the help getting here.

Wow, that's awesome. Keep doing what you do! Good luck with the rest of the builds.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Good work with this STEM stuff for all of you teachers as well as Fite test crew getting involved. I had an elective I took back in High school for model flight and rocketry which had a HUGE influence on my thought processes for thinking things thru and improvisational skills in regards to designing things. Having hands on experience makes all the difference in the world for success and ramping up the desire to do more. The class work was neat and interesting but the hands on was the icing on the cake for me. Granted we didn't have so many rules and stuff governing what we did or could do but common sense was part of that whole process and that is what I think is most lacking in our school systems today.

Just out of Curiosity... how will all this effort work with the new registration thing as well as the new government influences sure to come? I know the school has to carry insurance but if local laws governing our hobbies tack on some sort of licensing and most surely "insurance required" money grabs would that shunt the viability of this type of program?

AMA membership comes with insurance and is free for kids under 19. If FAA registration becomes mandatory, I will register and be on hand for any flights until/unless school faculty chooses to do so.

 

[RAM]

I'm throwing my idea in here http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?25318-Connect-the-Dots-Airplane-I-need-a-volunteer-)

How nice it would be to learn about graphing and coordinate systems and drafting and get to walk away with a nice foamy when class is over

 

[RAM]

At least tell me why it's a stupid idea.

I can take it

I just thought it would be a great alternative way to transfer plans and it also demonstrates some basic skills.

 

[cranialrectosis]

We replaced a bad motor and the school copter flew!

We had our maiden voyage of a high school Electrohub tonight.

RAM what you said sounds great but I don't understand what you said.

The school just got a laser cutter and is showing interest in scratch building foamies (out of my league). I'm going to have to up my game to keep up with the kids.

 

[mikeporterinmd]

Have any teachers had trouble with school rules limiting flight? A student in my daughter's class wanted to use a balloon to raise a weather station and was told no by the school. I don't know the exact details. I'm hoping to volunteer next year, and have gotten a friend with a commercial license to oversee flights if that helps.

Mike

 

[cranialrectosis]

I recommend you have a plan and a timeline for your presentation. Keep it under 20 minutes plus time for flying. Know the law for your area and where the school sits relative to the local airports. Dress like someone who can be taken seriously. Talk safety and STEM. Bring in an example of what you can build and a harmless toy that anyone can fly that's too small to cause damage in a crash. I chose to leave the toy with the school. The Syma X1 is cheap and harmless and is great advertisement for your program.

Have a neat proposal with the costs outlined, what you can donate and what the school or students would have to bring. This proposal demonstrates your commitment and ability to present so make it look good, like a resume. You will leave it with the school. Outline what skills the students will have to have and what skills they will learn. Soldering was a biggie here (no laughing jhitesma). Troubleshooting complex electronic machines is another because nothing ever just works the first time.

Put some links on your proposal to FliteTest forums and RCGroups, the airport area map and AMA safety rules. You are representing the community of hobbyists, not just yourself. If you succeed, the school is joining our community and should know where to go with questions when you are not available.

You have to up your safety game. Lipos in a school are no joke. Test Failsafe EVERY TIME. Don't ever allow a lipo to be connected to a copter with its props on in the classroom, particularly when testing failsafe or synching ESCs. Wear eye protection in the shop and while flying.

FliteTest STEM is a new resource for teachers and schools. Great things are happening and our community is engaging now in ways we never did before. It's going to get better from here so long as we don't burn down a school by leaving a lipo unattended over night.

Good luck!

 

[cranialrectosis]

Have any teachers had trouble with school rules limiting flight? A student in my daughter's class wanted to use a balloon to raise a weather station and was told no by the school. I don't know the exact details. I'm hoping to volunteer next year, and have gotten a friend with a commercial license to oversee flights if that helps.

Mike

There have been questions. I met the principal on day one. My approach wasn't 'Hey wouldn't it be cool?'. My approach was 'Drones are coming to your students. I can help you prepare them to be safe and sane and ahead of the curve.' I doubled down on safety by explaining lipo fires and why batteries will be the purview of faculty. I think it was my having planned it out and detailing what my responsibilities are and what the school's are in a written proposal they could think over that made the deal.

It is illegal to fly in ANY parks in the city or the county here and has been for a decade. If kids are going to learn to fly safely/legally in this town, it won't be at the parks. The schools are the only real option left to most kids in this town and if we can do it right and well, our school will set the standard in the city. We only fly with faculty in attendance. I make faculty handle the lipos on school grounds.


It's a sales pitch. You do the research to find the need and demonstrate how you can fill that need and how it can benefit the students and the school. Have numbers, and leave them with a proposal with parts lists and costs and safety rules/benefits/links they can think about.

They thought about it for almost 8 months. There was interest but no sale for a long time. The school had to have time to budget for transmitters, lipos, soldering tools, and probably also a background check on me. Don't expect an immediate sale. You are not selling a product. You are selling a relationship with the school and with children and you may be required to demonstrate not just your capability but your willingness and stability over time.

I recommend you start early. Springing this on a school well before the start of the semester shows that you can plan and have a concept of the larger picture.

 

[Captain Rob]

stem in the classroom

Start with model rockets. They are about the cheapest thing you can build and fly. When I was teaching physics, I used them to demonstrate the laws of motion and then made calculations of force, mass, and acceleration. I had my students build the rockets out of soda cans. A little hot glue or CA and one C6-3 or C5-3 Estes rocket engine and you are in business. I have the build plan for the soda can rocket if you are interested. Following the rocket unit, you can then progress to launching r/c foam board gliders using a drone. I use my DJI phantom for the glider launches. (I can also supply you with the glider build plans) Check out our club web site to see photos of students building and flying the r/c gliders at......... www.cor-mac.com Good luck!