Books for Teaching about Wind and Flight

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From Unit Plan: Let's Go Fly A Kite!

These books will provide students with information about wind, kites, and paper airplanes with beautiful illustrations and text. There are experiments, art projects, and models presented in these books that students will have fun making. Some of these books are good for reading to the class, while others are better for having in the library for the students to browse at reading time.

Books About Wind:

Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round by Terri Sloat
A twister goes through Farmer Brown's farm and changes the sounds and activities of the animals. The twister comes back through and changes everything back to normal.

Classroom Tip: Students write what their favorite part is, then illustrate it.

Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros
This book defines wind, what causes wind, and the ways people use wind. It is written in very easy language. There are directions for making a weather vane.

Classroom Tip: After reading and discussing the story make the weather vane.

Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall
A young boy who lives in Rio de Janeiro finds and plays with the wind. He learns that wind can fly kites, sail boats, and turn umbrellas upside down.

Classroom Tip: A great read-aloud.

One Windy Wednesday by Phyllis Root
The wind blows so hard that the animal sounds are blown out of the farm animals and attach to other animals. Bonnie reattaches the sounds to the correct animals.

Classroom Tip: This is a great read-aloud.

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
Wind snatches away possessions of the townspeople. It took Priscilla's scarf and the judge's wig.

Classroom Tip: Students write what other things the wind blew away. Make into a class book.      

The Windy Day by Brian Karas
Wind blows through a very neat and tidy town and turns the town into a colorful town. After the wind blows, the illustration style changes.

Classroom Tip: Students illustrate various ways a town can look after the wind blows.

Books About Kites:

Ben Franklin and His First Kite by Stephen Krensky
Ten-year-old Ben Franklin likes to experiment. His latest experiment is his kite.

Classroom Tip: Read, discuss, write about favorite part. What would you like to discover?

Curious George Flies A Kite by H.A. Rey
Curious George tries to fly a kite by himself and it carries him away. The man in the yellow hat has to rescue him.

Classroom Tip: Read aloud.

Kites: Magic Wishes That Fly Up to the Sky by Demi Hitz
In ancient China, kites were used to send messages and wishes. A mother has a special kite made for her son with wishes that he be big and strong. Her wishes come true for her son.

Classroom Tip: Students write what wishes they would write on their kite.

Let's Fly A Kite (Mathstep 2) by Stuart J. Murphy
Bob and Hannah want to build a kite but learn about symmetry when other kites they make fail to fly. The story also discusses symmetry of everyday objects.

Classroom Tip: Discuss symmetry. Find symmetry in objects around the room.

The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen
This is a Chinese story about a princess who rescues her father, the emperor, by using a kite.

Classroom Tip: Read, discuss, write about favorite part and illustrate.

The Story of Kites by Ying Chang Compestine
The Kang brothers invent kites to chase birds out of their rice fields.

Classroom Tip: A great read-aloud

Books About Planes:

Flying by Gail Gibbons
Gibbons talks about the first flight and different uses of planes, such as crop dusting, freight, passenger, etc.

Classroom Tip: Chart different type of planes.

Guinness Book of World Records by Guinness World Records
This book holds records from all over the world.

Classroom Tip: Look up the world record for the longest paper airplane flight.

Kids' Paper Airplane Book by Ken Blackburn and Jeff Lammers
Ken Blackburn holds the world record for paper airplane flight. The book gives directions for students to fold and fly.

Classroom Tip: Send home some of the designs so parents can help students make one of the planes for a plane show/competition.

Up, Up, and Away!: The Science of Flight by Barbara Taylor
This book introduces the science of flight of animals and planes using several experiments

Classroom Tip: Complete several experiments

Create a Homemade Weather Book
Craft a homemade book about weather with your mini meteorologist. This project teaches about different types of weather, builds vocabulary, and encourages observation.

Let's put some "SPRING" into our step!
Students celebrate spring with seasonal activities and parent participation.

5 Easy Crafts for Bad-Weather Days: Quick Click
5 easy kid's crafts ideas to do when the weather is bad. Children can make and play with puppets. Other ideas include scrapbooking and making a treasure box.The only supplies you'll need are everyday household items.

LESSON PLAN	Discovering Flight Students talk abour flight and make flight books using both invented spelling and the word wall. They also make kites.
UNIT PLAN	New Creations from Six Simple Machines Students explore simple machines and their importance in the development of modern technology.