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Social studies activity

Ohio's Story: Presidents, Moon Walkers & the Underground Railroad

When Neil Armstrong flew to the Moon in 1969, he brought a tiny piece of cloth from the Wright Brothers' very first airplane — the same plane that flew for just 12 seconds in 1903! The cloth that first flew 120 feet traveled 238,855 miles to the Moon. Two Ohio inventions, connected forever. Let's make a moon scene!

Hands OnAbout 25 minutesScreen-freeParent help expected

Materials and setup

How this changes by age

Pre-K (ages 3–4)

When Neil Armstrong flew to the Moon in 1969, he brought a tiny piece of cloth from the Wright Brothers' very first airplane — the same plane that flew for just 12 seconds in 1903! The cloth that first flew 120 feet traveled 238,855 miles to the Moon. Two Ohio inventions, connected forever. Let's make a moon scene!

Difficulty 1 of 3

Steps

  1. Look at a picture of Neil Armstrong on the Moon in his spacesuit. He is from Wapakoneta, Ohio!
  2. Draw a big round Moon on black paper with white or gray crayon.
  3. Add craters — little circles — all over the Moon's surface.
  4. Draw a tiny astronaut with a flag. Next to the astronaut, draw a tiny piece of cloth — the Wright Brothers' fabric he brought with him.
  5. Say together: 'The first Ohio flight was 12 seconds. The next Ohio flight went to the Moon!'

Learning objectives

  • Wonder at the connection between the Wright Brothers' first flight and Neil Armstrong's Moon landing
  • Recognize that Neil Armstrong was from Ohio and deliberately brought a piece of the Wright Brothers' plane
  • Notice how one invention can lead to something unimaginably bigger

Kindergarten (ages 5–6)

Neil Armstrong carried a piece of cloth from the Wright Brothers' 1903 airplane TO THE MOON in 1969. Ohio's two greatest achievements — first airplane flight and first Moon walk — were literally connected by that tiny scrap of fabric. Ohio also gave America 8 presidents — more than any other state! Draw your 'Ohio Hall of Fame'!

Difficulty 2 of 3

Steps

  1. Fold paper into three sections.
  2. In section 1, draw the Wright Brothers' biplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (they were from Dayton, Ohio!). Write: '1903 — First flight ever.'
  3. In section 2, draw Neil Armstrong on the Moon holding a tiny piece of cloth. Write: '1969 — Moon landing. He brought a piece of the 1903 plane!'
  4. In section 3, draw Ohio's outline with a big star for each of the 8 presidents who came from Ohio. Write: '8 US presidents from one state!'
  5. Write or dictate: 'Ohio gave America ______, ______, and ______!'

Learning objectives

  • Retell the specific connection between the Wright Brothers' 1903 flight and Neil Armstrong's 1969 Moon landing
  • Name at least two famous Ohioans and their specific contributions
  • Connect individuals to the historical moments they shaped

Early elementary (ages 6–8)

Ohio sits on the Ohio River — the boundary between states to the south and the free state of Ohio. For freedom seekers traveling the Underground Railroad, crossing that river was the turning point. Brave Ohioans helped freedom seekers travel safely to the North through safe houses in Cincinnati, Ripley, Oberlin, and Cleveland. Ohio had more Underground Railroad routes than almost any other state. Map the journey north and write about the people who showed courage helping others.

Difficulty 2 of 3

Steps

  1. Draw a map showing the Ohio River as a key border. Mark the free state of Ohio on the north side.
  2. Mark four key Underground Railroad stops: Cincinnati (crossing point), Ripley (John Rankin's hilltop house — he helped over 2,000 freedom seekers), Oberlin (the first US college to accept Black students), and Cleveland (last stop before crossing Lake Erie to Canada).
  3. Draw a dotted 'freedom path' north from the river through these cities to Lake Erie.
  4. Research John Rankin: he kept a lantern burning in his window on the hill above Ripley so freedom seekers could see it from across the river. Write 2–3 sentences about why that lantern mattered.
  5. Add a legend to your map. Ask: 'Why did Ohio have so many Underground Railroad routes?' (Think about geography.)

Learning objectives

  • Explain WHY Ohio's geography made it central to the Underground Railroad — the river boundary
  • Locate specific Underground Railroad stops and describe what happened at each
  • Describe John Rankin's work with specific detail (the lantern, 2,000 people helped)
  • Write evidence-based sentences connecting geography to historical significance

Upper elementary (ages 8–10)

Ohio gave America something strange and specific: it produced 8 US presidents, the Wright Brothers, Neil Armstrong — AND was home to some of the most active Underground Railroad conductors in the country. Meanwhile, Ohio's Rust Belt cities (Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown) rose to industrial dominance in the early 1900s and declined dramatically after 1970. Here's the connecting thread: Neil Armstrong carried cloth from the Wright Brothers' 1903 plane to the Moon in 1969. Should history remember Ohio most for its scientific achievements, its moral courage helping freedom seekers, or its economic rise and fall?

Difficulty 3 of 3

Steps

  1. Research Neil Armstrong's specific connection to Ohio (born in Wapakoneta) and the piece of Wright Brothers' muslin he carried to the Moon. Find one specific quote from Armstrong about Ohio or the Wright Brothers.
  2. Research Ohio's Underground Railroad: specifically, why John Rankin's house in Ripley was so important. Find out how many people he helped (approximately 2,000) and over how many years.
  3. Research the Rust Belt story: what industries made cities like Cleveland and Youngstown prosperous from 1890–1960, and what caused the decline after 1970. Who was most affected by the decline?
  4. Create a timeline from 1850 to 1980 with all three stories running in parallel: Underground Railroad activity, aviation/space milestones, and industrial rise and fall.
  5. Write a 4-paragraph essay arguing which contribution most defines Ohio's legacy. Use specific evidence. Acknowledge the strongest counterargument to your position and respond to it.
  6. Final sentence: 'Ohio's legacy proves that one state can change the world through _____ — and that legacy is complicated because _____.' Fill in both blanks with your own reasoning.
  7. Akron, Ohio was the rubber capital; Goodyear started there in 1898. A single car tire uses about 7 gallons of oil to make (estimate). If tires sell for $120 each and materials cost $40, calculate the profit on 1,000 tires. Then design a sign advertising a new tire brand a kid CEO could launch.
  8. Ohio sent 7 astronauts to the Moon, including Neil Armstrong. Build a small paper rocket and test 3 different fin shapes (triangle, rectangle, rounded). Launch each 3 times and record which flies straightest. Draw your best rocket and label the nose cone, body, fins, and engine area.

Learning objectives

  • Identify the specific artifact connecting the Wright Brothers' first flight to the Moon landing and explain its significance
  • Research and compare three distinct types of Ohio contributions: moral, scientific, and economic
  • Construct a multi-paragraph argumentative essay with a clear thesis and a response to counterarguments
  • Analyze how Ohio's industrial rise and fall affected ordinary people, not just famous figures

Safety and evidence note

Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.

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