Grade 6 Flight Time Showcase - April 30

At Thaden School, Flight Time is a unique opportunity offered to Grade 6 students, designed to spark creativity, foster innovation, and cultivate intrinsic motivation. The goal of Flight Time is simple but powerful: when students want to learn something, they are more inclined to pursue it—sometimes even on their own time. 

"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning." —Fred Rogers, lovingly referred to as Mr. Rogers, “America’s favorite neighbor.”

Flight Time encourages students to explore topics they are curious about, deepening their learning beyond traditional classroom experiences.

Once a week, students have an hour dedicated to working on a self-directed project, equipped with access to tools, art supplies, research support, and more. They can dive into personal interests, tackle questions that excite them, and demonstrate their learning through hands-on projects. The benefits of this process extend well beyond Flight Time itself. Throughout the year, students develop essential, transferable skills such as:

• Productive collaboration
• Critical questioning and research
• Public speaking
• Evaluating credible sources
• Giving and receiving feedback

This approach nurtures a love for learning driven by intrinsic motivation rather than external rewards. Because Flight Time is about the process of discovery, students’ projects are not graded. Instead, they receive guidance and feedback to help them reflect on their work, focus on personal goals, and celebrate progress. Students begin to recognize that learning isn’t confined to a classroom—it’s a lifelong pursuit of curiosity.

Grade 6 students will show off their work during the Flight Time Showcase on April 30 from 4:30 to 5:15 pm in the Library. Once you are done exploring the showcase, be sure to check out the other Spring Fest exhibits around campus.