Lesson Plan - History Makers: Bessie Coleman

Watch a Video: History Takes Flight
Discuss how each advance in aviation has built on the ones before it. Then ask the question posed at the end of the video: Where do you think flight will take us next?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

• aviator
• pioneer

1. Why is Bessie Coleman described as a pioneer? 
A pioneer is someone who goes before others and prepares the way for them to follow. Bessie Coleman is an aviation pioneer because she was the first Black American woman to get a pilot’s license.
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2. Why did Coleman move to France as a young woman?
Coleman moved to France because none of the U.S. pilots she contacted would accept her as a student. Coleman’s brother had told her about the female pilots in France. She was accepted into a French flight school, where she earned her pilot’s license.
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3. What happened to Coleman in 1923? What does her reaction reveal about her?
In 1923, Coleman was badly injured when her plane crashed. But she did not let it stop her, and she got back to flying as soon as she could. This reaction shows that Coleman was determined and brave, and that she loved flying.
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FEATURED SKILL: Synthesize Information
Use the Skill Builder “All About Bessie Coleman” to have students use details from the article to complete a profile of Coleman. 
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