Flight in Birds and Dragonflies

This unit focused on flight, with a comparison of insect flight with bird flight. Students were provided with a mounted dragonfly and the wing of various duck species. Lecture topics included the physics of flight and bird wing shape, feather adaptations, and behavior during flight. A slow-motion video of dragonfly flight provided by Prof. Olberg showed the intricate movements of the flat wings of this insect that was flying over 300 million years ago. Artwork included all the techniques used previously but with increasingly complex specimens.

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