This series, correlated to national and state education standards, guides students through the science and history behind the Wright Brothers’ invention of powered flight. Students learn key science concepts and processes by flying kites, testing gliders, and experimenting with helicopter propellers . . . then analyzing their results.

Curriculum Components

Multimedia Curriculum Inventing Flight for Schools combines multiple resources to bring to life the science and history behind the invention of powered flight by the Wright Brothers of Dayton, Ohio.

Inquiry-Driven, Activity-Based, Interdisciplinary and Standards-Aligned This curriculum has been carefully designed to let students learn by doing. It also challenges them to think and consider the results of their actions. It encourages students to observe carefully and measure correctly, just like Wilbur and Orville.

Modular Design Inventing Flight for Schools also has been designed to give you, the teacher, the greatest flexibility in your teaching approach. You are encouraged to use the material in any manner that best suits your needs and those of your students.

Curriculum Activities Students build, fly and conduct experiments with kites, soda-straw gliders, rubber-band-powered balsa planes, and paper helicopters.

Multimedia Components

Teacher’s Guide The Teacher’s Guide provides you with a “road map” for integrating all the components of the curriculum—Hands-On Activities, Videos, Student Worksheets, DVD Resource, and Inventing Flight for Schools Web Site—into a cohesive instructional package. The hands-on, active learning experiences described in the guide are listed under the heading “Exploration.” Each “Exploration” is followed by an “Explanation” section that gives students the guided opportunity to discuss and describe relationships among science concepts. Together, they will lead your students to discover how the Wright Brothers unlocked the mystery of flight.

Student Worksheets Worksheets provide students with concept and word definitions, activity instructions and templates, data collection tables, and Unit testing.

VHS Videos Two VHS tapes are provided with the curriculum. Within the Teacher’s Guide, you will find references to all video segments found on these tapes and suggested ways and places in the curriculum to use them. The Video Icon signals an appropriate place to include selected video segments in your lesson. The Curriculum Starter videos, Unit Introduction videos, Wrap-Up video and “How To” videos are also found on the DVD to allow for flexibility of use.

VHS Tape-1 contains:

• Two Curriculum Starter Video segments that explore humankind’s historical preoccupation with the idea of flight and the life and times of the Wright Brothers. These two videos are excellent introductions to the entire curriculum and give students an underlying appreciation and understanding of the challenges faced by the Wrights. They also are appropriate to use as stand-alone components for social studies and language arts activities. Closed Captioned
  • Visions of Flight (10 minutes)
  • Wright Time, Wright Place (10 minutes)

• Three Unit Introduction Video segments that introduce the science concepts: control, lift and propulsion. These video segments provide content overviews and important background for students. Each Unit Introduction Video segment introduces relevant vocabulary and describes how the Wright Brothers used scientific methods to help them design, test, and rework their flying machines. Closed Captioned
  • Total Control (10 minutes)
  • Wings That Work (10 minutes)
  • Power Plus (10 minutes)

• One Curriculum Wrap-Up Video segment that connects students with the evolution of the science of flight since the Wright Brothers. This video segment also is appropriate to use as a stand-alone component for social studies and language arts activities. Closed Captioned
  • After the Flyer (10 minutes)

VHS Tape-2 contains:

• Five Science Tutorial Video segments that provide science background information to help students understand important aviation concepts. Both teachers and students will find the Science Tutorial videos useful for either initial instruction or review. Closed Captioned
  • Four Forces (of Flight)
  • Newton’s Laws
  • Drag and Friction
  • Pressure on a Wing
  • Work, Power and Energy

• Eleven “How To” Video segments that show you, step-by-step, how to conduct each activity, build each model or demonstration, and where to acquire materials to be used in this curriculum. Arranged by Unit and designed for the teacher, they may be helpful for students as well. Closed Captioned

DVD Resource The DVD Resource disk contains the same “How To” videos found on VHS Tape-2 that show you, step-by-step, how to conduct each activity, build each model or demonstration, and where to acquire materials to be used in this curriculum. However, the DVD provides greater ease and flexibility in locating, reviewing, and pausing in and between segments. You may wish to preview each activity using this resource, or you may wish to share the segments with students to aid them as they build and experiment with kites, gliders, and rubber-band-powered planes. This disk will work only in a standard DVD player connected to a television or a computer with a DVD reader.

It is strongly suggested that you pre-assemble models and activity examples before starting the lessons in the classroom. The “How To” videos are located on both the DVD Resource disk and VHS Tape-2. These segments will help you understand what is to be built and how to do it successfully.

€ Lesson 1-1: How to Build a Sled Kite (8:53 minutes)

€ Lesson 1-2: How to Build & Trim a Soda-Straw (Canard) Glider (11:12 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-2: Demonstration of Camber and Efficiency (1:30 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-3: Demonstration of Angle of Attack (2:27 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-4a: Building a Rubber-Band-Powered Plane (6:30 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-4b: Flying a Rubber-Band-Powered Plane (10:40 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-4c: Center of Gravity (1:02 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-6: Weight (1:05 minutes)

€ Lesson 2-7: Drag (1:44 minutes)

€ Lesson 3-1: Demonstration of Thrust (3:52 minutes)

€ Lesson 3-3: Efficient Propeller (5:09 minutes)

The DVD Resource disk also contains Curriculum Starter videos, Unit Introduction videos and the Wrap-Up Video from VHS Tape-1.

Inventing Flight for Schools Web Site The Inventing Flight Web site www.inventingflightschools.org provides additional resources, links, and interactive activities that extend the content and scope of the materials described.

A Multidisciplinary Approach

In addition to science, this curriculum incorporates language arts, mathematics, and social studies into a multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning.

Language Arts Part of the Wright Brothers’ scientific process included recording ideas, hypotheses, and data, reflecting on results of experiments, and corresponding with others to share ideas. Journal writing is suggested as a means for students to bring this aspect of the Wright’s achievement to life. Additional language arts activities, such as playwriting, scriptwriting, short story assignments, and comic book development projects can found on the Inventing Flight for Schools Web site.

Mathematics The units contain many math connections and exercises, including opportunities for collecting and analyzing quantitative data and graphing data trends.

Social Studies The Starter Videos, Introduction Videos, Wrap-up Video, and information provided in the Connection to the Wrights section of each lesson are designed to create historical context by exploring the life and times of the Wright Brothers.

Assessment

An important component of any educational experience is assessment of learning. Both informal and formal assessments are built into this program.

• Exploration Assessment Found after each hands-on activity, these questions help you determine if students understood the data they collected.

• Explanation These questions help teachers evaluate students’ abilities to make the connections between hands-on experiences and science concepts.

• Summing Up and Assessing These discussion questions and formal written assessments help you determine what students have learned in each unit.

• Expansion Assessment You are provided a guide to make connections to broad themes and areas of science in order to help students develop an understanding of how science impacts society and the world around them.

• Summative Assessment Found at the end of this guide, this assessment provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate and apply their knowledge of flight.

Addressing National Science Education Standards One of the goals of the National Science Education Standards (NSES) is to spark interest and encourage learning through scientific inquiry. All the activities in this Inventing Flight for Schools curriculum have the same purpose and have been explicitly correlated to National Science Education Standards. A summary of the standards addressed is included in each Unit Overview.

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