Engineering Flight

Contributed By

Smithsonian Learning Lab

Resource Type

Classroom Material

Keywords

Proportions and Ratios Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science Design

Subjects

Mathematics Measurement and Data

Related Resources

Engineering Flight

This collection is designed to teach students engineering skills using methods similar to those that made the Wright brothers pioneers of aviation.

The first segment is a brief introduction to the forces of flight dynamics. The second segment is an online interactive, "Engineering the Wright Way", where students will develop engineering skills to design and test all the different components of an airplane based on the the Wrights' methodology. Students can write down a save code generated in the interactive to store their progress and return to finish the activity later. The final segment is an online interactive to test fly the original Wright Flyer in conditions similar to that cold December morning when the Wrights first achieved flight, using direct 3D scans of the original Wright Flyer made by the Smithsonian.

For a full, downloadable lesson plan, visit:
https://airandspace.si.edu/files/pdf/lesson-plans/wright-way-lesson.pdf

The "Engineering the Wright Way" lesson plan and activity were created by the National Air and Space Museum, courtesy of the Alcoa Foundation.
The Wright Brothers Flyer activity was created by the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access.

Author

Publisher

Smithsonian Learning Lab