Have you ever tried to jump off of something and fly?  I'm sure you've watched birds and realized that you don't have wings, but it was by studying birds that scientists worked to invent a different approach to help humans be able to fly.  Though we still cannot fly like birds, we can now fly with them:  in airplanes!  However, airplanes and jets weigh thousands of pounds.  They carry people, luggage, and food too!  How do they fly?

Orville & Wilbur Wright	Amelia Earhart	John Alcock Arthur Whitten Brown
thinkers who made the first sustained, powered flight	first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean	first people to fly an aircraft non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean

When they were children, do you think that these pioneers knew that they were going to be an important part of history?

You have been invited to speak at the First Annual Kids Conference as an expert to speak to young children who want to be scientist when they grow up.  As a third grade expert, you will use this WebQuest to investigate either more about how airplanes fly, experiment with the principles of flight, learn about a famous pioneer of flight, or invent a flying object to present at the Kids Conference.
 
 

Part of your job in this WebQuest is to complete some research on your presentation topic.  You will select a topic of interest to present at the Kids Conference.  You will then explore Webpages that provide information about the principles of flight or pioneers in aviation to help you prepare for your presentation.  Some of these sites are interactive books of which you will need to select a chapter to read.  A few of the sites are timelines of "Firsts in Flight" which you will need to select an event to learn more about.

You'll begin by getting some information which will help you prepare either a report or informational poster to summarize your research.  You will then use your report or poster to present your topic to the students at the Kids Conference.

Getting Started - Research:

 

Browse the topic page to read the descriptions of the Internet sites you may use to complete your research. Select which site you would like to work on to gather research. Sign up for your research topic on the classroom sign-up poster. Working with other students who have signed up for the same research topic, you will click on the site to visit and begin searching for your information.  REMEMBER:  WHEN YOU WANT TO RETURN TO THIS WEBQUEST, YOU SHOULD CLICK THE "BACK" BUTTON UNTIL YOU SEE THE CLOUDS. You should take notes on the information you gather using the dangling boxes organizer that your teacher will give you.  Make sure that you write your topic in the box at the top and use each dangling box for each detail you find on your topic.  You may "copy" and "paste" information or illustrations from the research site into a Claris Works document to be used later in your report or poster. Be sure to use the "additional resources" at the end of the Internet site list to support your research. When you have found and recorded atleast 5 details from your research site, you may begin your project.

 

Review what you have learned about creating helpful information posters and writing paragraphs/reports to inform.  Your teacher will provide you with a some helpful information to use. Review your research findings and decide which final project would better show your research. Sign up for your project selection on the classroom sign-up poster. Visit the Evaluation page of this WebQuest to see your project rubric to help you make your project the best! Make a rough copy of your poster or report using the research you have gathered. Revise and edit your work with a partner. Publish your project to share at the Kids Conference.

	How Things Fly Learn about what makes an airplane fly, a spacecraft stay in orbit, or how balloons float in air.  There are cartoon activities to help you see flight in action.
	National Air and Space Museum - How Things Fly Exhibit Visit an interactive exhibit where you will see the physics of flight in action.  Try some neat experiments so see how you can demonstrate the principles of flight.
	Flights of Inspiration Read about either the Wright Brother's flight by clicking on "First Flight" or John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown's first non-stop transatlantic flight by clicking on "Long Flight."  You could choose to read about the forces of flight and the challenge of flight to make your own flight by clicking on "Your Own Flight."
	Principles of Aeronautics Select a chapter to read about how the physics of flight relate to vehicles, sports and recreation, history, animals, or myths.  There are some great pictures to click on to see the actual objects.
	The Wright Brothers Read the biography of the Wright Brothers.
	Amelia Earhart Read the biography of Amelia Earhart.
	Milestones of Flight Visit the National Air and Space Museum "Milestones of Flight" gallery to see some of the major "firsts" in aviation and space history.

Your Kids Conference project will receive two grades.  Your first grade will be based on your WebQuest research.  Your second grade will be based on your report or poster project.  Click on the rubrics below to see them.
 
 

revisit resources page

back to beginning

    In preparing students for this WebQuest, you may wish to walk your students through the entire WebQuest first as a group.  I also suggest previewing the homepage and a brief navigation of each of the resource sites prior to having students begin selecting their topic.  This should help students to select their research site that they wish to revisit during the WebQuest.  In addition, the group sign-up sheets can be used to aid grouping and computer usage in the one-computer classroom or manage cooperative groups in a computer lab.

    The following are the resources and handouts that will help students to plan and complete their projects.  Print them out, duplicate, and distribute to students as they complete this WebQuest.