Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Principles Of Flight: Wings That Spin

For Teachers K - 1st
Students discover how flight is possible.  In this physics lesson, students investigate the properties of a blimp and gyro-copter, comparing rotating wings and fixed wings of aircraft.  Students create their own model aircraft...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Principles of Flight: Bernoulli's Lift

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners discover how air pressure effects flight.  For this physics lesson, students create two types of airplane wings so they can observe the way air pressure creates lift.  Learners utilize a printout to create the airplane...
Lesson Plan
LABScI

Catapult: Flight of the Marshmallows

For Students 6th - 12th
Watch your marshmallows fly. The engaging STEM activity has groups create a catapult to launch marshmallows. After testing their prototypes, they consider improvements and redesign their catapults.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lift and Drag: Principles of Flight and the Soaring Imagination

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. In this balloon and glider lesson, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in flight, and put on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Aerodynamics

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore aerodynamics. In this aerodynamics lesson, students study the flight patterns of three paper airplanes and discover the underlying principles of aerodynamics. Resources and grade level modifications are present.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Testing and Refining Aircraft Design

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design and make a flying device. They work in small groups to brainstorm ideas for the design of their device. They choose an idea or combination of ideas to use for their design and create a sketch of their design. The students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parachutes: What a Drag

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders make 2 different kinds of parachutes and record and graph the time for each one for the different drag forces. In this parachute lesson plan, 6th graders compare the results to the rest of the class of each parachute and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Uplifting Experience

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the forces that affect the flight of airplanes through the use of paper airplanes. They conduct Internet research, conduct experiments demonstrating Bernoulli's Principle, and design and construct a paper airplane.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Flying Paperclip

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students investigate items that interrupt magnetic fields. In this physics lesson, students explain why the paper clip in the experiment seems to fly. They write a detailed explanation of what they did in this activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soda Straw Rocket Activity

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students construct a rocket using soda straw. In this physics lesson, students determine the nose cone length that produces the best rocket. They explain the importance of using a control in an experiment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balsa Wood Airplane Flight and Speed Correlation

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders calculate the average speed of their balsa wood airplane. In this physics lesson, 9th graders build their own airplane and make necessary modifications to to make it fly straight. They interpret distance and time graph...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Leaving on A Jet Plane

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students create an airplane by listening to directions. They also to measure the pieces for the airplane and compare and contrast their test flights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching the Bell Tetrahedral Kite

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students complete readings on kite making and kite flying. They analyze how the parts of a system interconnect and influence each other. Students identifies and uses color and form in a 3D artwork.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soaring With Air Power

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders view a Newton's Apple show that explores glider mechanics, explore the four forces, build and fly a glider to specific guidelines. They adjust the glider for greater accuracy and distance using four forces, and assess...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Up, Up and Away with the Montgolfier Balloon

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students construct hot air balloons. In this science lesson plan, students assemble their own balloon using tissue paper and glue. They time the duration of the flight, record data and calculate team averages.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Full of Hot Air

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students investigate technology and its many designs to make our lives easy. In this science lesson, students build a hot air balloon and answer specific questions about weight and rides in the hot air balloon. They analyze their data...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fling It

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the best design using technology. In this science lesson, students construct a freestanding object with specific materials to be able to shoot a ping pong ball and a marshmallow. They have to adjust and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Active Learner: "Dia's Story Cloth" Literature Guide

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Young scholars discuss pre-reading focus questions and complete a KWL chart. In this language arts lesson, students mark passages or words they are unsure of with post-it notes to discuss later and answer comprehension questions after...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Paper Dutch Kite

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students construct a Dutch Kite using simple materials. In this math lesson, students measure kite dimensions according to specified instructions. They also describe and define the different parts of a kite.