Amelia Earhart: Courage in the Clouds
On July 24, 1897, Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. Growing up near the bluffs of the Missouri River, she spent her childhood exploring the outdoors, climbing trees, and watching birds glide on wind currents. In the early 1900s, society expected young girls to wear frilly dresses and pursue quiet, indoor activities. Earhart rejected these rigid expectations. She preferred sturdy overalls, collected insects, and built a homemade roller coaster using wooden boards and a pair of roller skates. Long before she stepped foot inside an airplane, she displayed an adventurous spirit.
In 1920, Earhart attended an air show in Long Beach, California. She paid for a ten-minute flight that took her several hundred feet above the ground. By the time the small plane touched back down, her life had changed forever. She knew immediately that she needed to learn how to fly. To pay for expensive flight lessons, Earhart worked several odd jobs, including serving as a telephone clerk and truck driver. She made her first solo flight in 1921 and bought a bright yellow Kinner Airster nicknamed "The Canary" in 1922. In 1923, she received her official international pilot’s license.
- currents:
- Flowing movements of air or water in a definite direction.
- aviation:
- The operation, design, or production of aircraft.
- skepticism:
- An attitude of doubt or disbelief toward something.
- altitude:
- The height of an object above ground or sea level.
- navigator:
- A person who plans and directs the course of an aircraft or ship.
- conclusive:
- Serving to settle a question or put an end to doubt; decisive.
- pioneer:
- A person who is among the first to explore a new area or field.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What childhood activities showed that Amelia Earhart resisted traditional gender roles?
- 2What specific event in 1920 inspired Earhart to pursue a career in aviation?
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About this biography passage for Upper Elementary
“Amelia Earhart: Courage in the Clouds” is a biography reading passage about Amelia Earhart, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (582 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.