Within the scope of the Scientix Project, we, 30 Ağustos Secondary School, carried out a two-day project called Flight Mode on STEM Education Discovery Week between 22-30 April 2019 in order to encourage students to interrogate, investigate, produce and make inventions in European countries.

The general purposes of our project are; to instil the love of aviation to our students, to increase their knowledge about aviation and to have knowledge about the branches of aviation. In order to realize our goals, we have brought together the four important disciplines of STEM education by associating the developing aviation industry and technologies of our country with Science and Mathematics courses.

In order to bring together these four basic and important disciplines, we have collaborated with Alp Aviation, Anadolu University and also with Hezarfen Aviation and Space Club operating in Eskişehir Osmangazi University. Thanks to our collaborations, we had the opportunity to bring together engineers, scientists and university students who work in the aviation industry with our students.

On the first day of our project, paper planes, glider construction, model airplane design, basic parts of airplane and airplane electronics and aerodynamic applications were carried out by science teachers, mathematics teachers and Hezarfen Aviation and Space Club students with the participation of all our students. One of these activities “High Flyers: Building a glider with everyday materials (Aeronautic Engineering)” (http://www.scientix.eu/resources/details?resourceId=4129) Scientix was done using the Scientix lesson plans. On the second day of our project, we attended a technical tour of Alpine aviation facilities with our students. There, the engineers and our students exchanged ideas about the aviation industry and technologies. A trip to the facility was made and information was given about the production stages of the parts produced by the company. In addition, a discussion on career planning and career selection was carried out. After this technical trip we made an educational trip at Anadolu University Aviation Park and Museum. In this workshop, atmospheric pressure, air sticking balls, air ball hanging in the air, propeller plane, wing aerodynamics and 3D virtual flight experience activities were realized and airplane equipment was introduced.

Thanks to the activities and excursions realized in our project, our students; they have experienced all the steps of STEM education by following the same path as scientists, project developers, inventors and engineers who were always inquiring, investigating, producing. Students developed 21st century knowledge and skills (Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication and Creativity) because they had an active role in activities, group work and new products. As a result of the project, the students stated that information and technologies related to aviation were made more concrete by means of STEM activities. It was also observed that learning by experiencing fun during activities and trips increased the interest in science and technology.