Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers
First Flight Through Primary Sources

SUBJECT/GRADE LEVEL:

Middle School History or Literature

FOCUS:

In this lesson students will find primary sources to support the Wright brothers claim to the first flight. Students will learn how to analyze and evaluate each source.

This project will be completed within the context of reading Up in the Air: The Story of the Wright Brothers written and illustrated by Brian Floca, serialized by Breakfast Serials in the Gazette or another suitable biography or historical fiction account of the Wright Brothers.

STANDARDS ASSESSED:

Information Literacy 2: The information literate student evaluates information critically and competently.

History 2: Students know how to use the processes and resources of historical inquiry. 2.2 Students know how to evaluate primary and secondary sources of historical information.

Reading and Writing 1: Students read and understand a variety of materials.

Adjust reading strategies for different purposes such as reading carefully…finding information to support particular ideas.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED:

Reading and Writing 4: Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Using reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing skills to solve problems and answer questions.

ASSESSMENT:

Students will find three or more primary sources using the listed sights that support the 100th celebration of the anniversary of first flight. They will determine whether these sources are primary or secondary. The sources will be analyzed as to importance. The sources may include photographs, letters, telegrams, sketches, notes, or other primary sources.

TIME:

Class time required approximately 3 periods of 45 minutes each.

TEACHER PREPARATION

Teachers will become familiar with the following sites and know what primary sources each contains. Notes are provided for review.

http://www.memory.loc.gov
The telegram sent by the Wright brothers to their father on December 17, 1903, letters from W. Wright to Octave Chanute 1900, letter from A.G. Bell to M.H.Bell 1906.

http://www.first-to-fly.com
Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company & Museum of Pioneer Aviation. Pictures of the first Flyer at actual site and in Smithsonian.

http://www.fi.edu/flights/index.html
Orville Wright left considerable artifacts to the Franklin Institute upon his death. Convincing the world section, telegram, original patent.

http://www.wrightexperience.com
The mission of this site is to preserve the legacy of the Wright brothers and other early aviators and aircraft inventors. Picture of propeller and fabric from original Flyer from niece.

http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu
A virtual museum covering the history of the invention of the airplane.

http://www.aero-web.org/history/wright/wright.htm
How we made the first flight by Orville Wright (in his own words.)

http://www.centennialofflight.gov
Pictures of experiments, diary entries, graphs and tables throughout Wright years and the history of flight.

MATERIALS

• Up In the Air: The Story of the Wright Brothers or another suitable account of the Wright Brothers history.
• Computers with internet access, one per student or per group of students
• The above sites bookmarked on the student computers or linked from the class website
• Questions for Analyzing Primary Sources, three copies per student

POSSIBLE PROCEDURES:

1. Students will have read Up In the Air: The Story of the Wright Brothers as serialized in the Gazette or another suitable account of the Wright Brothers history. (This would be a secondary source to be pointed out to students.)
2. Students will be introduced to primary sources and secondary sources using The Library of Congress, American Memory. Click on Learning Page, then lesson plans, then The Historian's Sources.

• Student Lesson Section 1: What are primary sources?
  
• Student Lesson Section 3: Types of Primary Sources.
  
• Student Lesson Section 2: Analysis of primary sources.

4. Using the sites, students will find 3 or more primary sources that support the Wright Brothers claim to first flight.
5. Students will complete the handout Questions for Analyzing Primary Sources for each source.
6. Students will order their sources as to importance in providing support for the Wright Brothers' claim to first flight.

-Jan McDonald, literacy specialist, Rocky Mountain Readers