Celebrating Amelia Earhart ~ A Unit Study

July 24th is Amelia Earhart Day.

A Kansas-born female who was interested in women’s rights, Amelia kept a scrapbook of women who were successful in male-dominated fields, and she would later go on to become one of these women herself.

Who Was Amelia Earhart?

Amelia Earhart was a female pilot born on July 24th, 1897. A pioneering aviator and inspirational figure, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932 and set many other records throughout her career.

One of Amelia’s ambitions was to fly around the world. The first attempt in March 1937 ended prematurely when her plane crashed on takeoff in Hawaii.

A second attempt began two months later, now following a west-to-east direction. On July 2, 1937, during the hardest leg, a 2,556-mile segment from New Guinea to a tiny speck in the mid-Pacific called Howland Island, Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared.

The United States government spent $4 million looking for Earhart, which made it the most costly and intensive air and sea search in history at that time.

You can learn more about her life and flights by using this interactive timeline of her life and by reading some of these books:

• Who Was Amelia Earhart?
• Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
• Amelia Earhart: Young Aviator (Childhood of Famous Americans)
• Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator 

You can also visit the official website for tons of information, photos, videos and more.

Who Was Amelia Earhart?

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Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

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Amelia Earhart: Young Aviator (Childhood of Famous Americans)

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Watch the Movie – Amelia

This movie is a look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.

{Note: This movie is rated PG but as with any book, websites, or materials, please be sure to screen for your family to decide if it is the right fit for you.}

Unit Activities about Amelia Earhart

• Free Printable Activity Books from NASA include a timeline of her last flight, coloring pages, word activities, a quiz, and more.
• This Time for Kids article offers information about Earhart’s upbringing and history, geared for children.
• I am Amelia Earhart Unit Study from Surviving a Teacher’s Salary is an extensive unit study including crafts, games, snacks, and more. This is geared toward preschool-early elementary. The unit study series is based off a children’s book I Am Amelia by Brad Meltzer. You can find links to each post broken down by day, craft, activity, etc. This series is geared for preschool students through age 6.
• Here’s an Airplane Toilet Paper Roll craft that kids can make. It will help them bring to life the story of Amelia in a hands-on way.

Interesting Snippets about Amelia Earhart

• First Woman to Fly Solo Across the Atlantic: Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly by herself across the Atlantic Ocean. She did this amazing feat in 1932!
• Love for Adventure: Amelia loved adventure from a young age. She kept a scrapbook of newspaper articles about successful women in male-dominated fields.
• Nickname: She was often called “Lady Lindy” because people thought she looked like Charles Lindbergh, a famous aviator who flew solo across the Atlantic before her.
• Early Flight: Amelia took her first flight in 1920, and she knew right away that she wanted to be a pilot. She said, “As soon as I left the ground, I knew I myself had to fly.”
• Record Setter: She set many records throughout her career, including being the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
• Disappearance: Amelia Earhart mysteriously disappeared in 1937 while trying to fly around the world. Despite many searches, her plane was never found, and her disappearance remains a mystery.
• Fashion Designer: Besides being a pilot, Amelia was also a fashion designer! She created a line of clothes for active women, which included practical and stylish designs.
• Books: Amelia wrote several books about her flying adventures. Her books inspired many people, especially young girls, to follow their dreams.
• Pilot License: In 1923, Amelia Earhart became the 16th woman in the United States to get a pilot’s license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
• Flying Laboratory: Amelia’s plane for her world flight attempt was called the Lockheed Electra, which she referred to as her “flying laboratory.”

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