American Institute of Physics
African Americans in Astronomy and Astrophysics
A two-part lesson focuses on the contributions to the fields of astronomy and astrophysics of two African Americans: Benjamin Banneker and Dr. George Carruthers. In part one, scholars learn about Benjamin Banneker by examining his...
Curated OER
Orville and Wilbur Wong and the Fantastic Flying Machines
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the role of Chinese immigrants in America. They investigate literature, history and cultures of Chinese-Americans. This ambitious plan takes two weeks to complete, and it brings in elements...
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Art to Zoo: Kiting Up The Sky: The Vehicles of Understanding
Students gain perspective on the importance of kites by reading about and discussing how kites have been used throughout history. In this kite exploration lesson, students follow instructions to construct a kite to assist them in...
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Practice: Word Problems
Congratulations, you've just hit the word problem jackpot! Covering an incredible range of topics from integers and fractions, to percents, geometry, and much more, this collection of worksheets will keep young mathematicians...
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Controlling Flight: Rudders, Ailerons, and Elevators
Fifth graders create paper gliders and check for flight distance and time. In this flight lesson, 5th graders create a paper glider from the attached worksheet and adjust the rudder, aileron, and elevator. They see how these adjustments...
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"ART ZOO 'Blacks in the Westward Movement', 'What Can You Do with a Portrait', and 'Of Beetles, Worms, and Leaves of Grass'"
Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black...
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Situation of America, 1848
Students explore 19th century American artwork. In this cross curriculum New York history and art appreciation instructional activity, students view a reproduction of the painting "Situation of America, 1848," and identify visual...
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Jews in America at the Time of Growth and Change: Forging New Frontiers
Tenth graders examine the role of Jewish Americans in the 1900s. They examing the changes in industry and inventions. They also identify how Jewish Americans changed society and religious organization.
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The Science of Flight in Relationship to Birds and Gliders
Students study man's first form of flight which truly imitated the free-flight of birds--the glider. They examine such important contributions to the invention of the glider, such as Sir George Cayley, Jean Marie LeBris, Otto Lilienthal...
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100 Years of Flight
Learners investigate Bernoulli's principle of air pressure and how it
relates to the lift of an airplane. Students identify various Aeronautical vocabulary terms. Learners construct a paper glider and experiment with the control surfaces...
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Beginnings of Flight
Students are engaged in a variety of activities depending upon grade level and is accessed using the lesson plan resource links. The activities focus upon the history of flight and the historical figures Orville and Wilbur Wright.
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How Things Fly
Learners will examine the physics of flight through using experimental inquiry. In this instructional activity, you'll introduce your students to the four forces of flight--drag, lift, thrust, and weight--through a variety of fun-filled...
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Almost Famous: Three People Who Aren't in the History Books
Enrich your history lessons with books about three little known figures: Thomas Banning, Annie Taylor, and Tony Sarg.
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Happy 100th Birthday Airplane
Students research the Wright Brothers and their plane. In this airplane history lesson, students use a hotlist of sites to research and create an airplane. A question is provided for each site.
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9/11: The Flight That Fought Back
Who is the al Qaeda and what happened on September 11? Older high schoolers will explore the political objectives of al Qaeda and possible reasons for the September 11 terrorist attacks by watching a video program and working through...
DocsTeach
Landing a Man on the Moon: President Nixon and the Apollo Program
Take the small step for man and giant leap for mankind with the Apollo astronauts using primary sources. Young historians explore the documents related to the American space program up through the lunar landing, including presidential...
Smithsonian Institution
Students’ Response to 9/11—A Documentary Report
Young historians research the devastating attacks of 9/11 and use that information to script their own documentaries. The follow-up activity includes recording the documentary and conducting classmate interviews,
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The Wright Stuff
In this lesson, 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.
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"The Missiles of October": The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
Students investigate the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962 and how that presence triggered an international crisis. The options available to the president as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each are articulated in...
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New Perspectives
Eighth graders imagine they are getting ready to "take off." They may imagine themselves in any type of aircraft or spaceship. They may then sketch themselves as passengers anticipating this moment.
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Introduction to Flight: A Math, Science and Technology Integrated Project
Seventh graders review graphing procedures and practice locating points using x,y coordinates. Students calculate the areas of the top and bottom surfaces of the airfoil. They construct a test model of the airfoil.
NASA
Let's Investigate Mars
Take your science class on a hypothetical field trip to Mars with an engaging astronomy lesson. After first learning about NASA's Mars rover missions, young scientists plan their own scientific investigations of Earth's...
Curated OER
Things That Fly
Students locate images of two things that fly on the Internet and print them. They develop graphic organizers to compare and contrast the two images and exhibit the images along with the organizers in a classroom gallery.
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African Americans in Aviation: The 1940s- A Decade of Change
Students investigate African Americans in aviation. In this primary resources lesson, students examine primary resources to research the history of African American in aviation. Students answer two research questions and write an essay...