Panic and Ad Lib

This morning I gave a presentation for the Bunker, MO, Library summer reading program. The chosen topic was flying.
For the last couple of weeks I have been writing down and amending plans. The expected audience was younger school age children. Perfect for an easy lesson about flight.
Lift is easy to show. Tape a wide strip of heavy copy paper to a pencil. Blow over the top of the paper and it rises.
Thrust is easy to show too. Blow up a balloon and let it go. Air shoots out propelling the balloon around.
Weight is harder to do I found. The idea was to use different weights hanging under a parachute. My parachute refused to open consistently.
An activity was practiced. I can now fold seven kinds of paper airplanes.
A wide variety of books were gathered together. Supplies for the demonstrations and activity were ready.
I arrived at Bunker Library. The children were waiting. They were preschoolers.
My plans were too old for them. My books were too old for most of them.
Try not to panic. Try to think, rethink.
A couple were kindergarten age and looked at the flying insect pictures. They tried to understand lift, weight and thrust.
The balloons were a big hit.
I had to fold the papers for the most basic, simple paper airplanes. The airplanes were big hits.
A teacher's greatest asset: the ability to ad lib whenever plans fall apart.