1. History of the airship

Jules Henri Gifford was the inventor of the world's first passenger-carrying ariship known as the Giffard Dirigible.

Read all about his invention below

Then have a go at drawing an airship and labelling it.

2. Flying Cruise Ships and Zeppelins

As air ships developed, they became the fastest way to travel across the Atlantic ocean, much faster than ships.

During the First World war Zeppelins (as they were known then) were designed by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century.

They were used by the German Military to carry bombs over to Britian in bombing raids.  This video describes what it was like during the War when a Zeppelin appeared.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/z-is-for-zeppelins/z7rvrj6

Make a "Lift the flap" picture

Using what you have seen un the video on Giant Flying Cruise ships, make a "see-inside" picture

to show what is inside a passenger air ship, a little bit like this one of a ship.

3. Blimps

A blimp is an airship without an internal structural framework or a keel. Just like party balloons get their shape from the air you blow into them, Blimps rely on the pressure of the lifting gas (usually helium, rather than hydrogen) inside the envelope and the strength of the envelope itself to maintain their shape. 

Now have a go at making your own Balloon Blimp

You will need

• balloons
• straw
• string or wool
• Tape

4. Design your own fantastical airship

Remember the airships in 'Journey' ?

There was even a "Lift the flap" look inside part

If you could design an airship of your own, think about what it would look like. What would be inside it? How many floors would be in it, what different rooms?

Your airship can be as magical as you like.  

I have attached some sketches of other airships to give you some ideas. You might want to use one and adapt it, or create your own!