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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

B-29 Frozen in Time

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a video clip about members of a B-29 flying group. They complete a chart while viewing the video. They work together to develop ideas to help solve the crew's problems during flight. They share their ideas with the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glide Away

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design and construct a gliding aircraft. They use the Internet as a research tool to gain background information about specific flight principles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flight

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners are introduced to the four forces of flight--drag, lift, thrust, and weight--through a variety of fun-filled flight experiments. They "fly" for short periods and evaluate factors that might either increase or decrease their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gliders

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars design and build a small glider. They see how the flight of a bird is similar to the flight of a sailplane. They explain how birds get their thrust and how they control their direction of flight.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining Center of Gravity

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Learners complete calculations involving the structure and properties of matter. They engage in a variety of problem solving activities to help them determine the center of gravity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Woman on a Mission

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the July 1999 space shuttle mission while learning how to cite Web sites in correct MLA bibliographical format. They discuss the mission's goals and historic importance as the first American space flight commanded by a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soda Straw Rocket Activity

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students construct a rocket using soda straw. In this physics lesson, students determine the nose cone length that produces the best rocket. They explain the importance of using a control in an experiment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pilots

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Young scholars read books, learn about the letter p, and have 'p' snacks all to learn about pilots. Students also pretend to fly and draw what they would see if they were flying up in the air.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learn to Build a Rocket in 5 Days

For Teachers K - 5th
Students explore physics by participating in an engineering activity. In this rocket lesson, students define a list of scientific vocabulary terms such as "re-engineering" and "trade-off." Students identify the rocket creation process by...
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Lesson Plan
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Principles of Flight

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study flight and compare various flights.  In this measurement lesson students complete a lab activity and record measurements. 
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Lesson Plan
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Excited About Flight!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create flying objects by using materials given in 3 different flight centers. In this flight lesson plan, students go to each center and have a discussion about each one.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

One Two three Isaac Newton and Me

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders study Newton's Laws and apply these concepts to travel in space.  In this space lesson students complete several lab activities. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A New Century of Flight- Part 2

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars explore airlines and flight. In this flight lesson plan, students discuss the size of aircraft and how that impacts travel. Young scholars view online travel sites to determine fare pricing and record data in a chart. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Proportions in Flight

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders calculate wingspan and the body length of the birds and understand how they relate to how the bird flies. In this wingspan lesson plan, 6th graders also calculate their own "wing span" with their arms.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing Kites

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders sketch their own kites by creating a scale drawing of an original design.  In this designing kites lesson, 6th graders draw a rough sketch, then accurately draw their design on large paper with a ruler, measuring precisely...
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Lesson Plan
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Understanding Bernoulli's Principle

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explain why we fly. In this space science activity, 5th graders discuss Bernoulli's prinicple and its relation to flight.
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Lesson Plan
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What's A Mammal?

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine mammals understanding what a mammal is and reviewing the eleven mammal groups. In this science lesson, students play a game known as Mystery Mammal Game. Yet, first students research about the mammal and then give...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kites

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students build a kite while integrating math and science. In this kite building lesson, students construct a blueprint and apply mathematical formulas while constructing a kite. They use appropriate flight and kite terminology to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sled Kite

For Teachers K - 8th
Learners make and fly a sled kite out of plastic garbage bags, dowel rods, and more. In this kite lesson plan, students plan the kite to have symmetry and make adjustments as they test it.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celebrating 100 Years of Flight

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars practice reading comprehension, note taking and writing skills. In this literacy and writing lesson, students read about the invention of airplanes, women pilots and the space race before writing their own news article on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Four-Wing Paper Boomerang

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students build a four-wing paper boomerang. In this aeronautics lesson plan, students construct a paper boomerang and identify the forces at work during flight.
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Lesson Plan
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Finger Boomerangs

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Young scholars construct boomerangs. In this aeronautics lesson, students use a file card, scissors, and pencil to develop their own boomerang.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Airplanes

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experiment with gravity and lift by building paper airplanes. In this physics lesson, 4th graders compare the falling rate of a crumpled vs. flat sheet of paper. Then after class discussion and demonstration of Bernoulli's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Things Fly

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explain basic principles of aeronautics such as gravity and lift. In this How Things Fly lesson, students visit the interactive, hands-on How Things Fly gallery at the Smithsonian. Students perform three experiments that...