The Wright Brothers


BOOKS:

Taking Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers (Ready to Read) 
by Stephen Krensky
Illustrated by Larry Day
Reading level: Ages 4-8

First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers
An “I Can Read” Chapter book
By George Shea
Illustrated by Don Bolognese
Reading level: Ages 8-12

The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of American Aviation (Landmark Books) 
By Quentin Reynolds
Reading level: Ages 8-14

How We Invented the Airplane: An Illustrated History 
by Orville Wright
Introduction and commentary by Fred C. Kelly
Additional text by Alan Weissman
Published by Holiday House
ISBN: 082341082X; Reissue edition (April 1994)

Wright Brothers:  How They Invented the Airplane 
by Russell Freedman
With original photographs by Wilbur and Orville Wright
Reading level: Ages 8-14

They Never Gave Up:  Adventures in Early Aviation 
Michael Wilkey
Reading level: 8-14
Victoria, BC: Orca, 1997.
ISBN 1-55143-077-0

The Wright Brothers: The Birth of Modern Aviation (Giants of Science) 
by Anna Sproule
Blackbirch Marketing 1999  ISBN:  1567113281
Reading level: Ages 9-12

Miracle At Kitty Hawk: The Letters Of Wilbur & Orville Wright 
by Fred C. Kelly (Ed.) 1996
Originally published in 1943

On Great White Wings: The Wright Brothers and the Race for Flight
 by Fred E. C. Culick and Spencer Dunmore
Hyperion Books, 2001
ISBN: 0-7868-6686-1

The Bishop’s Boys:  A Life of Wilbur and Orville Wright (biography)
By Tom Crouch
Norton & Company, 1989

Visions of a Flying Machine: The Wright Brothers and the Process of Invention (Smithsonian History of Aviation Series) 
by Peter L. Jakab, Tom Crouch

Picture History of Early Aviation: 1903-1913 
By Joshua Stoff
ISBN:  0486288366
Carefully researched text and over 250 photographs introduce such early pioneers of flight as Otto Lilienthal, Samuel Langley, Octave Chanute, Louis Bleriot, the Wright Brothers, Glenn Curtiss and many others.

VIDEOS:

This is America Charlie Brown:  The Wright Bothers at Kitty Hawk (age 8-11)
1988   Color  24 minutes
For more info, discussion questions and teaching notes see:
www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/ …

Wright Stuff-Wright Brothers & the Invention of the Airplane(1996)
Narrated by Garrison Keillor
Format: Color, Black & White, NTSC
HiFi Sound, 60 minutes

A&E Biography:  Wilbur & Orville Wright: Dreams of Flying
Format: Color and Black&White
NTSC
Vocabulary list, discussion questions and extended activities: www.aande.com/ …

Wright Brothers Controversy (The History Channel) 
History’s Mysteries
VHS Video
50 min.

KITS: (assembly required)

Wright Flyer Squadron Kite, by Coast Kites, Inc.
5 foot wingspan.
Flies as a glider or a kite
$ 23.95 at www.flightmodels.com

Wright Flyer Brass Sculpture 
Brass Model Kit
Requires a modeling knife, tweezers and glue to assemble your own museum quality display piece. Pilot figure and bicycle included.
6½” wingspan when complete.
$ 120.00 at www.historicaviation.com

Wright Flyer 
1/5 scale model kit
$ 1995.00 at www.historicaviation.com

POSTERS:

Miracle in the Sand Dunes 
Stan Stokes.
Aviation Art
This tribute to the Wright Brothers depicts their first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 16″x 11½” signed and numbered limited edition print. www.historicaviation.com

Printable posters and bookmarks (Adobe .pdf format) wright.nasa.gov

INTERNET WEB SITES:

www.centennialofflight.gov
sections for kids, educators, contains simulations, movies, image files lots of great info

wright.nasa.gov
another great site includes lesson plans for K-12, videos, images, printable posters, bookmarks (pdf files)

invention.psychology.msstate.edu/ …

Collection of 301 photographs – Library of Congress

www.yellowairplane.com/ …
resources and web links – offers an annotated list of books and videos, including approximate age/reading levels

TEACHERS:

Lesson plans
www.yale.org/ …

A skit for elementary and middle school children, written by Sandra J. Campbell, FAA
www.faa.gov/ …

Mock interview with Orville and Wilbur:
quest.nasa.gov/ …

Be sure to check these other online resources:

www.first-to-fly.com  (celebrating the centennial of flight)
www.wright-house.com/ …
www.hfmgv.org/ …
www.pbs.org/wgbh/ …
statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/ …
www.wright-b-flyer.org/