Kevin Mullins, a teacher at Redwood Shores Elementary School, has won a prestigious Math and Science Innovation Award for presenting California math and science content standards through aviation.
San Mateo County Supervisor Mark Church congratulated Mr. Mullins on his winning proposal to provide students with inquiry based aeronautic projects designed to peak student interest in flight, navigation, and engineering design. “It is through innovative programs like this that we hope to inspire and engage students to pursue math and science careers.”
Mr. Mullins plans to use the award for classroom and extracurricular activities involving the National Aerospace and Space Administration (NASA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Stanford University, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and San Carlos Airport (SQL).
Starting in mid January, his students and a few others will learn about the principles of flight (e.g., lift, gravity, thrust, and drag). They will also develop intuitive understanding of Bernoulli’s principle – the concept used in wing design. In addition, they will learn about mechanical movements that change flight path (i.e., pitch, roll, and yaw).
Later, in collaboration with NASA, they will learn to solve pre algebra problems involving proportional reasoning. They will calculate distance, rate, and time in their head, without a calculator, and be trained for the tasks of air traffic controllers directing inbound commercial flights from the east coast to land at SFO safely and in the shortest time possible. When they achieve accuracy and speed in mental calculation, Mr. Mullins will challenge them by creating obstacles such as thunderstorms en route which would require detour and recalculation with a new set of variables (distance, rate, and time).
As they become familiar with the math and science of flight, Mr. Mullins, with the help of volunteer pilots, will introduce them to the function of each control and instrument in the cockpit (e.g., air speed; altitude; atmospheric pressure; compass heading, magnetic v. true north; engine rpm, piston v. turbine; fuel consumption; wind direction and speed).
After they have mastered all of the above and with the written consent of their parents, they will make their own discovery flight from SQL in a real aircraft under the supervision of an FAA-licensed pilot (minimum age: 8 yrs). In addition to seeing their house at 3,000 feet, they will assimilate all the mathematical and scientific knowledge accumulated to date and make sense of their unique experience in the air.
As incentives for good attitude and behavior, Mr. Mullins will take exemplary students to visit the FAA control tower at SQL and/or SFO, tour NASA Ames on Yuri’s Day in April, and be part of the Parade of Planes in May.
Mr. Mullins hopes not to only encourage them to think math and science whenever they see an aircraft but to inspire them to pursue aviation as a career using the math and science skills they have acquired during childhood.
Mr. Mullins thanks Donna Marie Baldwin of Coldwell Banker, Kim Giang of Edible Arrangements®, and CLUB USA® for their sponsorship of these extraordinary learning opportunities.