August 19th: National Aviation Day - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
August 19 is National Aviation Day and the 139th birthday of Orville Wright of the Wright Brothers. Proclaimed as a national observance by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1939, National Aviation Day is a day to make tribute to the Wright Brothers and all other pioneers, heroes and heroines aviation (National Parks Service 2006). The following two poems celebrate Orville and Wilbur Wright and Amelia Earhart. Prepare for reading these poems by collecting a series of books and facts (complete with photographs) about some of the famous pilots, lesser known but also important pilots, and pioneers of aviation, like The Wright Brothers: First Flight by Tara Dixon-Engle and Up in the Air: The Story of Bessie Coleman by Philip S. Hart. The first poem, "The First Airplane," is perfect for reading in two voices. Invite volunteers to help read the poem, one individual/group as Orville and another individual/group as Wilbur.

POEMS

The First Airplane
by Bobbi Katz

I'm Orville.
.................................................I'm Wilbur.
I'm younger
.................................................I'm older Two brothers...........................Two brothers.
One team.................................One team.
We both love mechanics.........We both love mechanics.
Even as boys............................Even as boys.
we made pocket money
.................................................by inventing toys.
And always one question:.......And always one question:
What makes it tick?.................What makes it tick?
Then we worked together........Then we worked together.
Two brothers............................Two brothers.
One team..................................One team.
Bicycle builders
..................................................Self-taught engineers Our minds seemed to fit...........Our minds seemed to fit
like a set of oiled gears..............like a set of oiled gears.
When I caught typhus
...................................................I feared you might die. We grew even closer,
Perhaps that is why
We both were possessed............we both were possessed.
Two brothers
One vision...................................One vision
.....................................................Two brothers
One quest:...................................One quest:
A machine to defy
.....................................................the whims of the sky.
A machine with control
.....................................................and the power
to fly!............................................to fly!
A machine that was light
......................................................but weighed more than air.
A mechanical puzzle....................A mechanical puzzle.
with the question we share:.........with a question we share:
What makes it tick?......................What makes it tick?
I'm Orville
.......................................................I'm Wilbur
Two bodies....................................Two bodies.
One mind......................................One mind.
Thoughts merging
.......................................................thoughts meshing
new answers..................................new answers
to find............................................to find.
Building gliders
.......................................................becoming sky riders.
not resting
just testing.....................................just testing
and testing and testing..................and testing and testing...
and testing and testing..................and testing and testing...
designing...
........................................................combining...
rethinking...
........................................................refining...
then building the Flyer...................then building the Flyer
exactly to plan.................................exactly to plan
and known for certain.....................and knowing for certain
it would carry...................................it would carry...
a man!..............................................a man!
And we were.....................................And we were
both right.........................................Both Wright.
Yes, we were.....................................Yes, we were
Wright!.............................................right!
I'm Orville.
..........................................................I'm Wilbur.
Two brothers....................................Two brothers.
One team..........................................One team.
I'm Orville.
..........................................................I'm Wilbur.
Two brothers....................................Two brothers.
One dream........................................One dream.

Amelia Cramped
By Monica Kulling

......................Amelia Cramped

..............................inthe
............................cockpit
......................likeabirdinabox
theicecakedwings...........theicecakedwings
.....................shebringsjuice
...................toothbrush&comb
......................couragethewill
..........................tofly15hrs.
............................without
...............................stop
...................throughdarkdanger
................................the
............................Atlantic
................................sky

BIBLIOGRAPHY
These poems are from:
Katz, Bobbie. 1998. We the People. Illus. by Nina Crews. NY: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins Publishers). ISBN: 9780688165321.

Janeczko, Paul. B. 2005. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Form. Illus. by Chris Raschka. Cambridge, Mass. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 0763606626.

EXTENSION
Invite the children to explore the many well-known and not-so-well-known pilots of American History. Have them write a poem, concrete poem, or a bio-poem about their favorite pilot and what they love about airplanes and flying. As a fun craft have them make paper airplanes of different shapes and sizes like the ones found in the book Making Paper Airplanes that Really Fly by Nick Robinson.