Learning to Fly & Flying by Wire - Level 25-26

Learning to Fly and Flying by Wire offer students a compelling blend of personal aspiration and technological advancement. In the fiction title, Learning to Fly, Dallas dreams of becoming a trapeze artist but must overcome emotional setbacks after a frightening dream. The first-person perspective and rich, descriptive language allow readers to connect with Dallas's internal journey. In the non-fiction Flying by Wire, the marvel of modern aviation is explored in an exciting and informative report about how wire-controlled aircraft operate, including the safety features that make them reliable. This title integrates diagrams, maps, and technical vocabulary to enhance understanding. Together, these texts invite students to examine how human ambition and technological innovation intersect and evolve. The contrast between personal growth and scientific advancement encourages rich classroom discussion and cross-text analysis.

Educational Benefits:

• Encourages empathy and emotional insight through personal narrative.
• Introduces complex science concepts through accessible non-fiction.
• Develops inferencing skills and narrative comprehension.
• Builds vocabulary through contextualised technical terms.

Classroom Ideas:

• Discuss fear and resilience by creating a class œOvercoming Obstacles wall with students' own stories.
• Use diagrams from Flying by Wire to explain forces in flight in a science lesson.
• Create a glossary wall featuring new vocabulary from both texts.
• Compare the personal risks in Learning to Fly with the calculated risks in aviation.

Safety & Information:

• Ages: 8-10
• Book size: 200mm x 210mm
• Text type: Fiction (realistic narrative), Non-fiction (report with diagrams and glossary)
• Ideal for STEM-themed literacy lessons