created to fly on Day number five - Lesson 4

Manna moment

Job 12:7,9- "But ask the beasts, and they will teach you, the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;  Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

When the Wright Brothers gathered research on all the information available on flight, the one thing they consistently came back to was the birds.  God created birds with the ability to control their flight.  Studying birds as part of God's creation and how they controlled their ability to fly, Wilbur and Orville were able to make informed decisions about the design they used that ultimately led to the first human-controlled flight.  God's words for Job were just as true for Wilbur and Orville Wright in the 19th century as they are of us today.  Ask the birds of the air and they will tell you.  The Wright brothers were able to unlock the mysteries of flight only because there was a model engineered that they could learn from.  Let us never forget that everything we discover or uncover was made by our Amazing Creator.  He is worthy of all the glory and honor and praise for everything we, as mankind discover.

A little history and the birds

Orville Wright came down with typhoid in 1896.  While he was sick in bed, Wilbur would read to him.  One of the items he read was the newspaper.  There was an article in the newspaper announcing the death of Otto Lilienthal, the world famous Flying Man.  He had died from injuries sustained during a flying accident.  A gust of wind send his glider plummeting to the ground.  Otto wrote a book called Birdflight As the Basis of Aviation which the Wright brothers read to learn about ornithology, the study of birds.

Birds have some amazing characteristics that allow them the joy of controlled flight.
Characteristics of birds that allow them to fly:
1.  Hollow bones- these have the structure similar to struts that support bridges.  They are able to retain their strength without extra weight.  
2.  Air sacs fill the spaces between their internal organs-  most birds have nine air sacs that help them breathe efficiently and maintain their lightness for flight
3.  The shape of their wings- perfect for achieving lift
4. Feathers- creates a streamlined shape and air tight to help them fly.

Feather investigation

What are some key features of bird feathers?

Using hand lenses, I gave the students both real and fake feathers to observe.  On their investigation sheet, there is space for them to label the parts of a feather as well as draw what they see through the hand lens.

How do feathers behave in the wind?

A bird's wing and feathers bend at a natural curve that scientists and engineers called an airfoil.  The angle of attack of the feathers naturally create lift when you blow on them.  We took some of the feathers and blew above and below them to see how they acted.

Are bird feathers waterproof?

Oil and water do not mix.  When a bird rubs its beak across its feathers (preening) they are depositing and spreading oils on their feathers making them repel water.  Not all birds are able to oil their feathers to make them water-resistant though.  Owls, parrots, and pigeons don't have the uropygial gland that produces oil.
We used a pipette to place water on the feathers to see what would happen.  We then made a mixture of soap and water to see what the difference would be.

Observing, learning the parts, and drawing what we see of the bird feather.

How do feathers behave in the wind?

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Are bird feathers waterproof?

Videos about Birds and Flight

During class, we watched this short video about How Do Birds Fly.  I made a video guide to go along with it to pull out the main points.  You can grab it in our Lesson 4 Bundle.  

For the student's Flying High work at home, they will be watching Wonders of Creation: Flight
There is a video guide for this one too.
Neither one is very long but they have great information.

Other opportunities for learning involve a Birds in the Field Observation Guide.  This has sections where you can document what you observe when birds take off, climb higher, glide, and turn.  What are the bird's feet doing?  How are the wings moving?  What do the tips of the wings look like? and What is happening to their tail feathers?

Finally, we have made a flip animation book of a flying bird.  This is also in the Lesson 4 Bundle.