The Paper Airplane Challenge

What makes planes fly?

Explore the following websites to find out what makes planes fly. Be sure to focus on these important terms: Lift, Drag, Thrust, Gravity.

http://www.fi.edu/flights/own2/forces.html

http://teacher.scholastic.com/paperairplane/airplane.htm

http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal109/NEWHTF/HTF030.HTM

http://www.planemath.com/activities/pmenterprises/forces/forces1.html

http://www.planemath.com/activities/liftoff/liftoff_home.html

Now that you have explored several web sites and read about aerodynamics, define the following important words. Lift, Drag, Thrust, Gravity.
Write the defininitions on a sheet of paper.
You may also draw a picture to help you explain.

Now, let’s explore and learn more about what makes planes fly…
Open and read:
http://www.zurqui.com/crinfocus/paper/airplane.html

Learning about air and flight: (you will need ONE sheet of paper before you begin.)
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~flight/airtext.html

Build an Experimental Glider: (you will need 2 sheets of paper, tape, a stick, string, 4 paper clips, a ruler,and scissors.)
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~flight/build1.html

Airplane design engineer: (visit each of the training and design departments)
http://www.planemath.com/activities/pmenterprises/index.html

How to fly a paper airplane:

http://www.workman.com/etcetera/games/fliersclub/

Now that you have learned all about what makes airplanes fly, it's time to make your OWN airplane!!! Think about gravity, lift, drag and thrust as you decide what type of plane would fly the best. You will be making one plane and trying to improve your flight results by changing one variable for each test flight.

Below are a few websites to help give you ideas and directions on how to fold your plane.

http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/planes.php

http://www.amazingpaperairplanes.com/

http://www.bestpaperairplanes.com/

http://www.josephpalmer.com/planes/Airplane.shtml

Open Attachment 1 (Investigation) and Attachment 2 (Data Collection). Predict how your plane will fly, fill in the data, and decide on one variable to change. PRINT A COPY.

Repeat the same steps for your second and third flights, changing one variable with each flight. (change the words Airplane #1 to 2 or 3 on the sheet)(Fill out and PRINT A COPY of all 3 flights.)