+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flight

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students research flight and to try and put the events of Kitty Hawk into proper perspective. They look at kites, the lateen sail, flight toys (old and new), hot air balloons, propulsion units, hang gliders, and the men who made them.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Wrights' Flight: History Through Primary Sources

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students read primary source material about the Wrights' first flight such as a journal and a telegram. In this The Wrights' Flight lesson, students select the most reliable primary source and compare the pros and cons of using primary...
+
Website
Other

Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co.: The Wright Story

For Students 9th - 10th
A detailed look at the lives of Orville and Wilbur Wright, offering an overview of their childhood and career choices, their invention of the airplane, and the development and challenges of the airplane business. Provides embedded links...
+
Interactive
Smithsonian Institution

National Air and Space Museum: Wright Brothers: Engineering the Wright Way

For Students 5th - 8th
Great interactive provides students with an opportunity to use engineering skills to design and test airplane wings based on the methods of the Wright brothers. Step into the workshop and design a set of wings that will fly your glider...
+
Website
The Henry Ford

Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village: Wright Brothers

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information on the Wright Brothers, including their childhoods, the Wright Cycle Shop, the world's first airplane, a chronology, and links to more information.
+
Website
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of the u.s. Safe for Democracy Webisode 11

For Students 9th - 10th
Webisode 11 - Safety for Democracy. The history of the United States is presented in a series of webisodes, within each are a number of segments.Included are links to lesson plans, teacher guides, resources, activities, and tools.
+
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Stories of the Wrights' Flights

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan has students read primary materials from the Smithsonian collection written by the Wright brothers, and compare and contrast them to secondary sources, such as newspaper stories from the next day. There is background...
+
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Air and Space Museum: Wright Brothers: Invention of the Aerial Age

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical details about the Ohio-born Wright brothers, who ushered in the aerial age with their invention of the first powered 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.
+
Handout
National Inventors Hall of Fame

National Inventors Hall of Fame: Orville Wright

For Students 9th - 10th
This site honors Orville Wright for his invention, in collaboration with his brother Wilbur, of the airplane. Content includes a brief biography of the inventor, as well as look at how his invention has impacted our society.
+
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: North Carolina

For Students 3rd - 5th
Help discover more about "the story of the lost colony of Roanoke Island." Why did the Wright Brothers fly at Kitty Hawk? Learn more about North Carolina from the Library of Congress website.
+
Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Orville & Wilbur Wright

For Students 9th - 10th
This article briefly summarizes the Wright Brothers' scientific curiosity and ambitions which fueled their desire to create the first flying machine.
+
Website
NASA

Nasa: Biography of Wilbur Wright

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides an interesting biography of the life and accomplishments of Wilbur Wright. The highlight of this site is the terrific historic photos throughout the text.
+
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.
+
Handout
Other

Symposium Papers: Following the Footstpes of the Wright Brothers

For Students 9th - 10th
A compilation of symposium papers that have been presented on the Wright Brothers which includes details about their lives, invention, and historic flight.
+
Graphic
Smithsonian Institution

National Postal Museum: Art of the Stamp: Kitty Hawk (1903)

For Students 9th - 10th
View the artwork for a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1998 to commemorate the Wright Brothers first flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Includes a detailed paragraph about the famous flight.
+
Website
The Henry Ford

Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village: Wright Brothers

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief history of the lives and accomplishments of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Includes a chronology of major events from Wilbur's birth in 1867 to Orville's death in 1948.