Aviation Teacher Resources

Up, up, and away! Physics scholars learn the secrets to defying gravity through engineering. The video describes the forces acting on various parts of the plane and the designs that minimize these forces or increase opposing forces. The...

Why do airplane wings curve up at the ends? Here's a video that introduces viewers to winglets, the curved ends of airplane wings. It begins with an introduction to how airplane wings give both lift and drag then explains the vortex...

Discover seven of the most historic aircraft and spacecraft in the collections of the National Air and Space Museum. By research into the major milestones of aviation history your students will recognize features that enable flight,...

Which modification is the best? Using the scientific method, pairs determine the effects of each control surface on the distance of a glider's flight. The activity, section 16 in a 22-part unit on aviation, allows pupils to gain a better...

Change one variable and try again. Teams build basic balsa gliders and collect data on their flight distances and times. Through collaboration, the team decides on two modifications to make to the basic design and collect data for the...

Go fly a kite, then fly a plane! The 19th part of a 22-part unit on aviation looks at the way kites and gliders help aid in the understanding of flight. Pupils discuss how engineers used kites to influence airplane designs.

Bend it, but don't break it. Groups investigate the strength of different materials. Using a procedure in the seventh segment of a 22-part series on aviation, pupils determine how far a rod will bend. They determine the strength-to-mass...

Her is a instructional activity using the Ohio State Quarter. Pupils utilize beautifully-designed worksheets embedded in the plan, to study about the origins of aviation. Many of the pioneers of aviation were born in Ohio. They compare...

Reduce the pressure in the classroom. The second instructional activity in an Airplanes unit of 22 introduces the class to Bernoulli's Principle. Pupils demonstrate the principle by blowing between different objects causing a reduction...

Combine measurement, following directions, physics, and art with one fun activity. Learners read a set of instruction to create three different kinds of paper airplanes. They measure, fold, and fly the planes, and record data and answer...

Learners are introduced to the physics of flight through video and PowerPoint presentations. They construct and fly model gliders and compete for height, distance, time, etc.

In this aircraft avionics worksheet, science fans read about the first unmanned air vehicle that collects data about the Earth and is subject to damage by cosmic ray showers. Pupils analyze two graphs of data showing the neutron flux vs....

Young learners consider what flies and what kinds of sounds airplanes, animals, etc. make when they fly. They also get to generate a brainstorm list. Children discuss what the categories should be once the list is completed. Some really...

Young scholars investigate various careers in the field of aviation in this lesson. They watch and discuss a video, develop a list of careers in aviation mentioned in the video, and create a resume and cover letter for an entry level...

Students study the concepts of air pressure, air speed, and gravity as it relates to airplanes.  In this how do airplanes fly lesson plan, students study the basics of flight. Then reinforce their fine motor skills by creating...

For this aviation worksheet, students identify, explore and discuss forty-four key terms associated with aviation and then circle each key term in a word search puzzle.

In this word search activity, students solve a word search by locating thirty words related to aviation. The word list includes jet and landing.

Students investigate aircraft design to learn many concepts of physics. In this aircraft design lesson, students use balsa wood and styrofoam to build an aircraft based on their study of wing designs, aviation, and through the use of an...

Students investigate the physics of flight through various experiments. In this physics instructional activity, students construct different flying objects. They explain the dynamics that make these object fly.

Students identify the desired features of an aircraft and the limits that they, the Wright Brothers, or NASA scientists might face in designing one, and methods to solve these. They review parts of an airplane and what makes it fly. They...

Young scholars watch demonstrations of paper folded designs that do and do not fly and discuss their observations. They identify problems that they, the Wright Brothers, or NASA scientists face when designing an aircraft, and identify...

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a...hang glider? This ESL presentation is about vehicles that fly. From airplanes to rockets and blimps, the slides include vibrant illustrations that will help English learners identify common flying...

There are 600 crew members aboard USS George Washington; what do they do? Where do they live? Take a glimpse into the lives of several different officers, where they work, and what they do in their spare time. Part two of three.

Arguably one of the most perilous occupations in the world, pilots aboard these super carriers enjoy ready rooms, off-limits to anyone except aviators. What makes them successful? The training and high tech machinery kick in, even in the...