Lesson Plan
Yale University

Airplane Mathematics

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The history of aerodynamics is rich with experimentation and international collaboration. Author Joyce Bryant relays this dynamic past and provides math word problems using the formula of lift, the force that makes airplanes fly. She...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Wright Stuff

For Teachers 6th - 12th
In this instructional activity, students design an exhibition on the history of aviation for a science museum. For homework, they write short stories envisioning the future of flight in the year 2014.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mankind's Fascination With Flight

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners read various novels and articles about the contributions of the Wright Brothers. Individually, they are tested on their comprehension of the material and discuss. In groups, they research the role of the people in their life...
Article
A&E Television

History.com: The History of Flight: From Breakthroughs to Disasters

For Students 9th - 10th
From hot-air balloons floating over Paris to a dirigible crashing over New Jersey, here are some of the biggest moments of aviation history. Below is a timeline of humans' obsession with flight, from da Vinci to drones. Fasten your...
Website
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: The Wright Stuff

For Students 9th - 10th
Companion website to the PBS documentary on the Wright Brothers and their contributions to aviation.
Interactive
Smithsonian Institution

National Air and Space Museum: Wright Brothers: Interactive Experiments

For Students 9th - 10th
Three interactives in an online exhibition about the Wright Brothers. The first is an engineering activity on the forces of flight, and is accompanied by a lesson plan for Grades 6-8. The second is a gallery of original artifacts related...
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Events That Led to the Invention of the Airplane

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover the history of the first airplanes and flying machines, and how the Wright brothers constructed their first successful airplane.
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers

For Students 9th - 10th
Over 49,000 digitized primary documents having to do with the Wright brothers and their work with flight. A timeline of the brothers' work, a family tree, and other special presentations are offered.
Website
PBS

Pbs Nova: Pilot the Wright Brothers' Flyer

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this interactive, find out how the Wright brothers' design of the first flyer provided lift and speed, and allowed the pilot to make adjustments in response to changes in wind speed and direction.