Curated OER
The Physics of Flight
Three activities allow young flight engineers to understand the 4 principles of flight (weight, lift, thrust, and drag), to construct a glider, and to create a propeller. Multicultural history and literature are integrated by reading...
Teach Engineering
May the Force Be With You: Drag
Do not let friction drag you down! The 11th segment in a series of 22 focuses on the fourth force acting upon an airplane—drag. Pupils learn about the effects and causes of drag.
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Airplane Wings
Students examine the aerodynamics of a wing and how it generates lift. In this flight lesson students complete several experiments including how to build a paper plane and how airfoils affect performance.
NASA
The X-1 Paper Glider Kit
After reading an interesting account of how the X-1 aircraft was designed, built, and utilized, young engineers try their hand at constructing a paper glider version of the airplane. They cut out the plane out of a nicely designed...
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The Wright Stuff
For this lesson, students design an exhibition on the history of aviation for a science museum. For homework, they write short stories envisioning the future of flight in the year 2014.
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Forces on an Airplane and Resulting Motion
Students read from a NASA Web-based textbook, then students demonstrate an understanding of the text by answering questions about the forces on an airplane and their resulting motions.
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Wind Tunnel
Students examine how wind tunnels are used for research and development. In this aerodynamics lesson students are given instructions on how to develop different types of wind tunnel.
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Airspeed Problem Set
Students demonstrate an understanding of aircraft launch airspeed requirements. They read a selection on relative velocities from a NASA Web-based textbook, then calculate airspeed launch requirement problems.
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Mach Number Problem Set
High schoolers read a textbook about aerodynamics. They find out the definition of Mach number. They complete problems designed to demonstrate their ability to solve Mach number equations.
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Meat Tray Airplane
Students discover what they can do working with their hands and common tools and materials. They create airplanes out of styrofoam meat trays.
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PHYSICS OF FLIGHT
Ninth graders study the basic principles of flight, including the Bernoulli Principle and Newton's Laws. They construct and study model aircraft
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The Invention of the Airplane
Students explore the history of the airplane and the Wright brothers. In this aviation lesson students examine the Wright brothers stories and kites.
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Flying the Friendly Skies
Young scholars investigate aerodynamics by comparing and contrasting the flight of two gliders. They make prediction and observation charts and test a variety of hypotheses using paper gliders.
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Angle Measurement of Aircraft Wings and Tails
Students measure the angles of wings and tails of various aircraft using a protractor. They estimate and check their measurements. They investigate aircraft being developed and tested at NASA Dryden.
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Aircraft Trajectory Problem Set
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by applying it to the calculation of speed, distance, acceleration, and time in simple aircraft motion.
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Aircraft Trajectory Problem Set
Students read text from a NASA Web-based textbook then demonstrate an understanding of the text by using it to complete an activity on aircraft trajectories.
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Mimicking Nature; Science, Aviation, Flight, Wings
Learners consider the relationship between form and flight and investigate the history of man made flight and how wing shape and flexibility affects the maneuverability of an aircraft.
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Aerospace Engineering
Students are introduced to aviation history and aerospace engineering achievements. They assemble a class aviation history timeline from individual student research on people and events.
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Dimensional Analysis Problem Set
Learners, after studying various pages of a NASA Web-based textbook, use dimensional analysis to verify actual aeronautic equations.
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Airplane Parts/Functions Problem Sets
Students label and describe the functions of the parts of an airplane. They access a NASA Web-based textbook and read a series of lessons before labeling the parts of an airplane.
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Center of Gravity Problem Set
Young scholars read a NASA Web-based text, then demonstrate an understanding of the text by using it to complete an activity on the center of gravity of a commercial cargo airplane.
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Energy Problem Set
Learners calculate the potential energy of a glider, the kinetic energy of a moving glider and the change in velocity when potential energy changes to kinetic energy.
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Bernoulli's Principle: Wind and Wings
Learners investigate Bernoulli's aeronautical discoveries. Working in groups they conduct simple experiments with paper that demonstrate how airplane wings work and how they are affected by air pressure.
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Trimmed Aircraft
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by applying it to the calculations involving the motion of an airplane.