Essendon Fields’ popular indoor skydiving centre iFLY has developed an innovative curriculum to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) studies for schools, allowing students a hands-on opportunity to experience what they are learning.

The immersive iFLY STEM curriculum, designed by teachers and leading STEM educators, aligns with Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core K-12, and TEKS. The course is available for students from grade 1 right up to year 12.

The highly trained STEM educators guide students through a comprehensive educational experience that includes an interactive presentation on real-world STEM applications, physics demonstrations in the wind tunnel and various creative experiments.

Indoor flying is the final part of the iFLY STEM curriculum, and this student experience is what makes it stand out from any other field trip.

“Our certified, highly-trained instructors provide one-on-one supervision every step of the way. The students get fired up about maths and physics when they see it come to life in our state-of-the-art wind tunnel,’’ said Michael Katz, General Manager of iFLY Melbourne.

“iFLY’s STEM program inspires and educates students through an immersive, educational program where they first learn science and technology, and then defy gravity by flying,’’ he said.

“It’s so much more than a lesson, it’s an enriching day of fun and learning for students that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. We work with the schools in what their goals are out of the program,’’ Mr Katz said

The aim of the program, which is proving to be popular with local schools with multiple groups coming through iFLY each week to complete the curriculum, is to empower students to “soar beyond their own expectations’’.

“Everyone, including students with physical or cognitive challenges, is encouraged to participate in our STEM program and fly. Students needing assistance will be helped by specially trained flight instructors and will be afforded proper accommodations based on each of their challenges,’’ said iFLY’s Michael Katz.

For more information on please contact iFLY at Essendon Fields on 1300 435 928.