I am really, really excited to launch this project today. My friend Becky of For This Season and I have been collaborating over the last several weeks to bring you a fun project called Alphabet Activities for All Ages. This year long project will cover two letters each month. We have printables, book lists, and activity ideas to help your homeschool explore the alphabet.

Today we start at the beginning, of course. Then each Thursday you can come back for either more ideas for the current letter or a brand new letter. We are going in order, I will tell you that so you aren’t waiting in suspense too long.

A is for Airplane Book List

We got all of our books at the library, so you may want to check them out there. I’m including the Dewey decimal number so you can check for them that way. It’s the number in parentheses after the title and author.

Books About Airplanes & Flying

Most of these books are geared for younger kids, but my elementary students enjoyed them, too. They read them to the toddler and preschooler.

• How Do Airplanes Fly? A Book About Airplanes by Melvin and Gilda Berger (j629.13334 B496 1996)
• Airplanes and Balloons by Howard Kanetzke (j629.13334)
• Good Times with Gregory, Airplanes: A Visit to a 747 by Helen J. Davis (j629.1 D262 2008)
• Airplanes: Soaring! Diving! Turning! by Patricia Hubbell (Easy, Hubbell)
• The World’s Fastest Military Airplanes by Michael Burgan (j623.746 B954 2000)
• Angela’s Airplane by Robert Munsch (Easy, Munsch)
• Airport by Byron Barton (Easy, Barton)

Books About Pilots & People

Most of these books are longer books, though most are still picture books that younger readers would enjoy having read to them.

• American Profiles: Aviators by Robert A. Rosenbaum (j629.13092273 R813 1992) – This book is marked Biographies in our library, so you might have to check that if your library has a biography section. This book profiles 11 fliers, with lots of facts, dates, and a few black and white photos. The back of the book says it is geared for middle and high school student, but I am using it with my older elementary students (4th & 5th grade).
• The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman (j629.1300922 qW952Zf 1991) – This book is a hefty one and has a LOT of information and photographs.
• The Wright Brothers by Pamela Duncan Edwards (j629.130092 W952Ze 2003) – Another biography, this time in color and would be suitable for all elementary grades (K-5).
• Amelia Earhart: More Than a Flier by Patricia Lakin (Easy, Lakin) – This is a Level 3 reader from the Childhood of Famous Americans series. For readers who are reading proficiently.
• Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tanaka (j629.13092 q E12Zt 2008) – Lots of photos and artwork in this book. A great read for all ages, though a bit long for the toddler set.
• Fly High! The Story of Bessie Coleman by Louise Borden and Mary Kay Kroeger (j629.13092 qC692Zb 2001) – The story of the first African-American to earn a pilot’s license. Lots of great artwork in this book.
• Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero by James Cross Giblin (j629.13092 qL742Zg 1997) – Another hefty biography suitable for older students.
• Flight by Robert Burleigh (j629.1309111 qB961 1991) – Follow along on the flight that made 25 year old Charles Lindbergh a hero.

A is for Airplane Activity Ideas

We haven’t had much time for activities this past week, we are dealing with sinus infections. Here is a list of ideas that I will be pulling from for our next week.

Making paper airplanes. My kids love doing this. I picked up a some books from the library to give a try:

• The Kids’ Guide to Paper Airplanes (j745.592 H255 2009)
• Making Origami Paper Airplanes Step by Step (j736.982 qL168p 2004)
• Paper Airplanes Level 3: Pilot (j745.592 H255p3 2011)
• Paper Airplanes Level 4: Captain (j745.592 H255p 2011)

Drawing airplanes. My kids also love to draw. We each have a sketchbook. Yes, even Mom has one. We have several how to draw books on our homeschool library shelves. I did pick up Draw 50 Airplanes, Aircraft, and Spacecraft by Lee J. Ames (j743.8) from the library. Our library has an older copy than what Amazon has listed, but I think it is jut a cover difference.

Airplane coloring pages. For the kiddos in our homeschool that do not draw or simply prefer to color, I will be printing out some coloring sheets for them to color. I found a collection of airplane coloring pages to choose from. Dover also has a nice collection of coloring books featuring airplanes you could choose from for older students. We love Dover coloring books because of the real life detail.

Sensory Bin. I need to get more materials to put this together, so this is one that you will have to stop back next week for.

Airplane Memory Game. You get this next week, too. So be sure to check back.

Check back next week to see which ones were our favorites and how our A focus went. Since there are a lot of things for you to check back for, you might consider signing up to receive the Vicki Arnold blog posts directly in your email so you don’t miss a thing.

Pre-Writing Practice Worksheets

I have something else for you today! for you to print out and use with your little ones that need practice with tracing lines. You can laminate these and use dry erase markers or crayons. Or you can print them and have your little one get pencil grip practice.

Download or print your today!