Curated OER
Airplanes
Fourth graders experiment with gravity and lift by building paper airplanes. In this physics lesson, 4th graders compare the falling rate of a crumpled vs. flat sheet of paper. Then after class discussion and demonstration of Bernoulli's...
Curated OER
Paper Helicopters
In this helicopter activity worksheet, learners construct a paper helicopter and learn how weight, size and shape affect the way the helicopter spins. The activity outline includes background information, trigger questions, helicopter...
Curated OER
Paper Airplane Activity
Ninth graders select and build one of five different paper airplane designs and test them for distance and for time aloft. Part of this activity is designed to explore NASA developed software, FoilSim, with respect to the lift of an...
Curated OER
Fly Away With Averages
Learners study mean, median, and mode. They construct paper airplanes and test them to see how far they fly. They measure the distance and then find the averages of their throws. They use spreadsheet software to record the data in a...
Curated OER
Flying the Friendly Skies
Students 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.
Curated OER
How Do Airplanes Get Off the Ground
Students construct various types of paper airplanes, exploring action and reaction forces by conducting a paper airplane rodeo. Students then discuss how Newton's Third Law of Motion affected their planes.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Exploring Paper
Learn how new materials, new methods and new ideas are transforming traditional origami. Watch videos of a master origami folder create his unique pieces. Learn how to make your own paper and how to fold your own paper airplanes.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Hoopster
Students create their own airplane using straws and other materials and learn the principles of aerodynamics.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Spinning Blimps
Students create a blimp and then experiment with the design to improve its aerodynamics.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Roto Copter
Students can experiment with a home-made helicopter that lets them change the blades to see how real aerodynamics work.
Other
Ken Blackburn: Paper Airplanes
Information on paper airplane designs, history, and contests. Click on "Paper Airplane Aerodynamics" for an analysis of the world record holding paper airplane design.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Take Off With Paper Airplanes
This lesson introduces students to the art of designing an airplane through paper airplane constructions. The goal is that students will learn important aircraft design considerations and how engineers must iterate their designs to...
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Kids Web Japan: Let's Try Origami
Animated step-by-step instructions show how to make a paper airplane. Colorful graphics make it easy for even very young learners to follow along with this fun paper-folding activity.
Other
Up to Ten: Make a Fleet of Paper Airplanes
"With just a few sheets of paper and colored pencils (or pens), you can make a whole fleet of paper airplanes from these plans."
Michigan Reach Out
Reach Out!: Making Paper Airplane Gliders
Students learn the fundamentals of aerodynamics in this hands-on exercise.