The jet engine was invented by a chap called Frank Whittle from Coventry. He was a fighter pilot. Whittle realised that piston powered flight was old technology. He designed the gas turbine ‘turbo-jet’ in 1930. Thwarted by the military it wasn’t until 1941 that his jet idea took off in the form of a Gloster E28/39 for a 17 minute flight.

Reading: Students should now read the article aloud, swapping readers every paragraph. --- Article quiz: 1) Who came from Coventry? 2) What is a jet? 3) Name the Frenchman. 4) What happened in 1851? 5) What does ‘to spend a penny’ really mean? --- Roleplay: In pairs - Student A is a reporter. Student B is an inventor of whacky/crazy things! Student A is talking to Student B - 3 mins. --- Gap fill: Reading and Grammar; Homework; Spelling; etc.