This half term in History, Year 2 have been soaring through the exciting history of flight! We kicked off our learning by becoming history detectives, exploring a range of mysterious sources and objects to help us uncover our new topic. We examined a passport, photographs of people who served in the RAF during the World Wars, aviator licences and model aeroplanes. The children loved using their prior knowledge and new clues to solve the mystery!
We then travelled through time to discover how flight has changed over the years — from hot air balloons floating gently through the sky, to airships, biplanes, and the modern monoplanes we see flying today. We took a closer look at biplanes, researching their key features and spotting how they have changed from their first invention to the aircraft we know now. We also explored the clever technology that makes flight possible and learned how it helps planes stay up in the air.
Next, we learned all about the famous Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, and their incredible achievement in inventing the aeroplane. Did you know the very first flight lasted just 12 seconds? It then took two whole years before a flight lasted longer than 30 minutes! Today, aeroplanes can fly for hours at a time, even faster than the speed of sound!
This week, we discovered how the history of flight links to our local area of Bushey. We learned about Bentley Priory and its important role during the Battle of Britain as the Headquarters of RAF Fighter Command.
All this fantastic learning has made us extra excited for our upcoming trip to the RAF Museum. We can’t wait to see the aircraft up close and bring our learning to life in the real world! 🚀
Try This at Home! 🏠✈️
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Make Your Own Flying Machine
Create a paper aeroplane or a model using recycling materials. Test different designs to see which one flies the furthest or stays in the air the longest! -
Flight Fact Finder
Research a type of aircraft at home — this could be a hot air balloon, biplane, or modern aeroplane. Can you find out when it was invented and one interesting fact to share in class? - Sky Spotting
Look up at the sky when you’re outside and see what you can spot. Can you identify different types of aircraft? Draw a picture or write a sentence about what you saw and how it was flying.
4. Visit Bentley Priory Museum
