TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Land! Water! Sky! Oh My!
This instructional activity focuses on the importance of airplanes in today's society. Airplanes of all shapes and sizes are used for hundreds of different reasons, including recreation, commercial business, public transportation, and...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Why Winglets?
Make a paper airplane and experiment with adding winglets to it to test its performance. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on terms,...
NASA
Nasa: Astronaut Biography:john Glenn
Extensive biographical information with personal data, education, special honors, aviation experience, NASA experience and space flight experience.
NASA
Nasa: Astronaut Biography: Alan Shepard
Biographical information with personal data, education, organizations, special honors, aviation experience, and NASA experience.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Fly Girls: Bessie Coleman
A biography of the first African American female pilot, Bessie Coleman (1892-1926).
Smithsonian Institution
National Air and Space Museum: Wright Brothers: The Invention of the Aerial Age
Beautiful, well-done site from the Smithsonian on the Wright Brothers: Who were they and what was the importance of the era they ushered in? Their roots are traced back to the Great Migration. Classroom activities and interactive...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Winglets in Wind Tunnels
Have you noticed the little wing projections on the wings of jets? This Science Buddies project helps you understand whether these fins help stabilize airplanes. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: How Things Fly: Activities for Teaching Flight
Through this series of three lessons, young scholars will gain an understanding of the basics of flight. They will learn about the four forces of flight and practice their observation skills through a number of fun experiments. In...
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute and Science Museum: First Flight
Experience the first flight, through words, pictures, and actual quotes from the Wright Brothers about their real life experiences prior to, during, and after the successful flight.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Balancing Ball
Experience the same lift that flies airplanes with this activity where you suspend a ball in a stream of air. This activity illustrates Bernoulli's principle.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Spinning Blimps
Students create a blimp and then experiment with the design to improve its aerodynamics.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Roto Copter
Students can experiment with a home-made helicopter that lets them change the blades to see how real aerodynamics work.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Engineer a Jetliner
In this interactive lesson, students will experience the engineering design process as an aerospace engineer assigned to design and test an airplane.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Whirl Y Bird vs. Whale Y Bird
Improve the design of a very simple aircraft, the whirlybird, and learn about hydrodynamics and biomimicry in this science experiment. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Flight Simulators: From Flaps to Flying
Before pilots ever step behind the controls of a real jet they've already logged thousands of virtual air miles. It might not qualify you to fly a real jumbo jet, but you too, can learn the logistics of aviation by experimenting with the...