Flight–groups

• Students can observe and record the range of materials used in aircraft to establish that early aircraft were made from materials such as wood and cotton, which over time these were replaced by metals and plastics. 
• Students can think about the advantages and disadvantages of using certain materials, and why they think these materials were chosen.
• Students can classify the materials they’ve seen according to properties such as mass, colour, texture, hardness, flexibility and strength.

Students can observe and record information about how the shape of flying machines and their components affect how well they fly:

• Wings—shape, number and position
• Propellers—shape and number of blades
• Body of aeroplane—becoming more streamlined
• Tail—shape and position
• Balloons—hot air and barrage shapes

Students can explore how the design of aircraft has changed to help steering and control direction:

• Fixed and adjustable tails
• Pulley systems to move flaps
• Fixed wings and adjustable flaps
• Position of mass of the aircraft (suited to older or more able students)

Students can explore how clothing and footwear were adapted as aircraft were developed to fly higher and faster:

• Purpose of the clothing e.g. headwear such as earmuffs and headphones
• Materials used
• Colour of the clothing

The exhibits can also be used to think about the different ways that aircraft were and are powered, and the impact of the World Wars on aircraft developments. 

The gallery can also be used to find out about the inventions and achievements of aviation pioneers such as the Wright brothers, Amy Johnson, and Alcock and Brown.

Across all these themes students can:

• Observe and record changes over a period of time, and discuss reasons for these changes.
• Focus on similarities and differences between two or more exhibits.
• Discuss the reasons why they are the same or different.
• Record their observations using tables, lists, timelines, drawings, writing poems or describing what they see verbally.