A challenge for students to build a lightweight wing structure that is 12 inches long and can hold up a heavy load without deflecting. This site contains the challenge, a lesson plan, tips, and a place for students to document their...

Airplane wings do not all have the same design. With this Science Buddies project you can design your own wings to see which offers the greatest lift. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract,...

The effects of forces exerted on an airplane wing are discussed both conceptually and mathematically. Illustrations and sample problems and solutions are provided.

Learn about the Bernoulli effect by building an airplane wing, or airfoil, and making it fly.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about the science behind flying an airplane and play this simulation game to see the effects of wing profile, thrust, angle of attack, and airplane size.

Great interactive provides students with an opportunity to use engineering skills to design and test airplane wings based on the methods of the Wright brothers. Step into the workshop and design a set of wings that will fly your glider...

This lesson plan provides a brief demonstration of how airplane wings lift a heavy airplane into the air. This activity would be an excellent example of how science and technology have positively impacted our lives. Prediction and...

In this lesson plan students can make a flying wing and trouble-shoot until the wing glides smoothly.

How does an airplane stay aloft when upside down? This media-rich essay from the NOVA Web site offers an explanation based on Newton's third law of motion.

An explanation of the role lift plays in airplane take-off and flight.

The airplanes unit begins with a lesson on how airplanes create lift, which involves a discussion of air pressure and how wings use Bernoulli's Principle to change air pressure. Following the lessons on lift, students explore the other...

Make a paper airplane and experiment with adding winglets to it to test its performance. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on terms,...

Learners revisit Bernoulli's Principle (Lesson 1 of the Airplanes unit) and learn how engineers use this principle to design airplane wings. Airplane wings create lift by changing the pressure of the air around it. This is the first of...

In small groups, students will experiment and observe the similarities and differences between human-made objects and nature. The students will compare the function and structure of hollow bones with drinking straws, bird beaks, tool...

Use this fact sheet to find out what makes things fly with this fact sheet on aerodynamics.

This lesson plan teaches the engineering method for testing wherein one variable is changed while the others are held constant. Students compare the performance of a single paper airplane design while changing the shape, size and...

Information on paper airplane designs, history, and contests. Click on "Paper Airplane Aerodynamics" for an analysis of the world record holding paper airplane design.

Students create their own airplane using straws and other materials and learn the principles of aerodynamics.

Based off of the hit television show NUMB3RS, this "fun" lesson has students creating paper airplanes and testing different variables (weight, wings, etc.) to see what type of plane flies the best. Data Analysis and imagination are both...

Think about the challenges that faced the Wright Brothers, then see if you can design and fly your own model aircraft. There are other sources provided to help you along the way.

This comprehensive and informative site looks at the history and principles of flight.

Collection of articles ranging from basic to advanced on aerodynamics theory.

The basic theories of aeronautics are explained through several airfoil activities and animations. Click on Level 2 or 3 for an easier reading level.

Are you studying or teaching Aerodynamics? This page acts as an index to all the terminology related to this topic. Clicking on any title will open a page with a colored slide and a scientific explanation of the contents. Animated,...