Article
Art by Mark Fredrickson
Nonfiction,

Bessie Flies High

Pilot Bessie Coleman flew through the clouds and into history. 

By Monique D. Hall
From the February 2023 Issue
Lexiles: 520L (Bessie Flies High), 320L (Your Turn to Read)
Guided Reading Level: J (Bessie Flies High), J (Your Turn to Read)
Featured Skill: Main Idea, Key Details,
Vocabulary: brave, pilot, daring, parachute, stadium, wreck, copilot, transfer
Topic: Social Studies,
Common Core Standards
  • RF.1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text RI.1.4 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meanings of words RI.1.5 Know and use various text features to locate information SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults SL.1.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud L.1.4.A Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase
TEKS Standards
  • Social Studies
    (2) History. The student understands how historical figures helped shape the state and nation. The student is expected to: (A) identify contributions of historical figures, including Sam Houston, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr., who have influenced the state and nation. (12) Citizenship. The student understands characteristics of good citizenship as exemplified by historical figures and other individuals. The student is expected to: (B) identify historical figures and other individuals who have exemplified good citizenship such as Benjamin Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. (15) Science, technology, and society. The student identifies individuals who created or invented new technology and understands how technology affects daily life, past and present. The student is expected to: (B) describe how technology has affected communication, transportation, and recreation.

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Listen and Think

As you listen, think about times Bessie didn’t give up.

GEORGE RINHART/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES

The pilot flew the plane above the crowd. The wind whistled in her ears. She felt the cold air on her cheeks. 

She dove down, faster and faster toward the earth. Would she crash? 

No! She swooped back up into the sky at the very last second. The crowd cheered!

In the year 1922, airplanes were dangerous to fly. But this pilot knew what she was doing. Her name was Bessie Coleman.

She was the world’s first Black and Native American woman pilot, and she had always been a dreamer.

PAUSE AND THINK:  Who was Bessie Coleman?

PICTORIAL PRESS LTD/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Bessie Coleman and her airplane

Bessie’s Dream

Years before she became a pilot, Bessie’s brother had told her about women who flew airplanes. He had seen them in a country called France.

Back then, almost no women were pilots. The few women who flew were brave. Bessie knew that she was just as brave. She dreamed of being a pilot.

At the time, Bessie did people’s nails! It was going to take a lot of work to become a pilot. 

But Bessie was not afraid of hard work.  

PAUSE AND THINK:  What was Bessie’s dream?

Becoming a Pilot

Bessie Coleman wanted to go to flight school. She asked flight schools across the country if she could sign up. They all told her no. 

Bessie was Black, Native American, and a woman. Those schools did not want to give her a chance.

Still, Bessie did not give up. She had an idea. Maybe she could learn to be a pilot in France. She could be like the women from her brother’s stories. Bessie saved her money for a ticket to France. It took a year, but she did it. Off she went!

PAUSE AND THINK:  Where did Bessie go to learn to fly?

PAGE 13: FÉDÉRATION AÉRONAUTIQUE INTERNATIONALE/SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM VIA WIKIPEDIA 

Flying High in France

In November 1920, Bessie left for France. She got into flight school there. 

At the school, it did not matter that Bessie was a Black and Native American woman. What mattered was that she was brave. She had to be. Flying was dangerous. 

Airplanes did not have roofs back then. Pilots sat in the open air. They could get badly hurt when flying. They could even die. But Bessie didn’t quit.

A year later, Bessie became a pilot. She could now fly a plane anywhere in the world. 

PAUSE AND THINK:  What were airplanes like back then?

Bessie the Pilot

When Bessie came back to the United States, she was a star. She traveled around the country as a barnstormer. Barnstormers were pilots who did daring tricks in the air. 

People would come from all over to watch Bessie barnstorm in air shows. She did loop the loops! She walked on the wings of her plane! She even jumped from her plane with a parachute. People called her “Brave Bessie.”  

Bessie was also brave in another way. Once, she was going to fly over a big stadium. There, Black people and White people had to enter through different gates. She knew that was wrong. Bessie said she would not fly unless everyone could use the same gate. 

She almost lost the job. But she did not back down. And she won. Everyone came in through the same gate that day. 

PAUSE AND THINK:  What kinds of tricks did Bessie do?

Crash Landing

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM 

People still honor Bessie long after she died. In 1995, she was put on a stamp!

In 1923, Bessie was practicing for an air show. But something went wrong. She lost control of the plane. It crashed. Bessie was pulled from the wreck. She had a broken leg and some cracked ribs, but she lived.

It took months for Bessie to get better. Later brave Bessie Coleman flew again! 

In her life, Bessie followed her dreams to flight school. And she stood up for what was right while doing daring tricks high up in the sky. 

Your Turn to Read!: How to Be a Barnstormer!

What if you were a barnstormer? Here is how you would do the tricks. 

NATACHA BUSTOS

  1. Do a Loop the Loop Fly up, up, up. Then make a loop in the sky.
  2. Do a Wing Walk Stand on the wings. But who is flying the plane? Don’t worry. You have a co-pilot.
  3. Do a Transfer The transfer is tricky! Go from a fast car to your plane as it flies by.
  4. Do a Jump 3, 2, 1, and jump! Open your parachute. Now float down to the ground.
What does your class think?

Would you be a Barnstormer?

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More About the Article

Science Focus

Engineering and technology

Social Studies Focus

History

Vocabulary

brave, pilot, daring, parachute, stadium, wreck, copilot, transfer 

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

IMPLEMENTATION SUGGESTIONS

Read-Aloud

  • Nonfiction read-alouds give children access to more complex written text that is on their listening level. Use it to develop children’s comprehension, knowledge, vocabulary, and understanding of nonfiction text.

Paired Text: Background Builder

  • Pair your read-aloud with “Background Builder: The History of Flying” (p. 8). This is a lower-level nonfiction article that gives children background knowledge before they encounter the Big Read-Aloud.

Technology Time: Video Read-Aloud

  • Kids can hear the article read aloud and see the imagery come to life. This online resource models fluent reading. The real-life footage helps solidify comprehension—and kids will be fascinated!

1. BEFORE READING

Preview Vocabulary (3-5 minutes)

  • Play the online vocabulary slideshow. This article features rich vocabulary including pilot, brave, daring, parachute, stadium and wreck. Vocabulary in the sidebar on page 15 includes copilot, transfer, and parachute.

Preview the First Pages and Set a Purpose for Reading (5-10 minutes)

  • Now tell students they are going to read the story of an amazing pilot from long ago. Open your magazines to “Bessie Flies High.” Children will be intrigued by the images! Let them take a picture walk. What do they see in the pictures? How can they tell that some of the photographs are from long ago?
  • Review the title and the Listen and Read question on the first page, “As you listen, think about times Bessie did not give up.”
  • You can also review some of the nonfiction text features in the story so children can follow along. Point out the headline, subheadings, and photo captions.

2. READ ALOUD (15-30 minutes)

  • Read each article section, modeling expressive, fluent reading. Check comprehension as you read together with the Pause and Think questions.
  • Turn to the sidebar at the end of the article, “Your Turn to Read: “How to Be a Barnstormer!”. It is written at a lower level, so children can practice reading text on the same topic as the main article.
  • Extend with a discussion. Children can turn and talk with a partner to answer this question: “Would you want to be a barnstormer and do these tricks? Why or why not?”. Give them a sentence frame to start the discussion: “I would/would not want to be a barnstormer because ________.”

3. AFTER READING: FOCUS ON SKILLS

ELA Focus: Key details (10 minutes)

  • The Reading Checkpoint printable provides an opportunity to assess students’ understanding of key concepts from the article.

ELA Focus: Key details (15 minutes)

  • This version of the Reading Checkpoint activity allows children to engage with key details of the article at a lower skill level.

Text-to-Speech