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Activity
Exploratorium

Balancing Ball

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Demonstrate lift to the class that is studying aerodynamics. In the stream of air produced by a blow dryer, little physicists place a wad of tissue paper and a spherical figure to compare. Or, if you have a vacuum cleaner and beach ball,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wright Again: 100 Years of Flight

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Aspiring aeronautical engineers demonstrate different forces as they construct and test paper airplanes. This lesson plan links you to a website that models the most effective paper airplane design, an animation describing the forces...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Balsa Glider Competition

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Change one variable and try again. Teams build basic balsa gliders and collect data on their flight distances and times. Through collaboration, the team decides on two modifications to make to the basic design and collect data for the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Computing the Net Force

For Students 4th - 6th
Adorable little stick figures push and pull a cart of blocks to explain the push and pull of forces. Future physicists then define force and identify it in different situations on the worksheet that follows. Concepts covered include...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graphing the Four Forces

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Using the Cartesian coordinate system, future flight experts plot points to determine whether or not an airplane will fly. With the four forces of weight, lift, drag, and thrust represented in different quadrants, your physics learners...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rescue Mission Game

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners conduct probability experiments.  In this rescue mission lesson, sudents play a game and collect statistical data.  They organize and interpret the data and determine the probability of success.  Students plot points on a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Physics of Flight

For Teachers 4th - 6th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forces of Flight - Lift

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners design and test paper airplanes to understand the concept of lift and how it affects flight. This technology-based Science lesson is excellent for use with upper-elementary and middle-level learners and uses spreadsheet software...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes Airplanes Fly?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine force and conduct activities that model parachutes and helicopters.  In this airplanes lesson plan students identify the forces that make airplanes fly higher and land. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Aerodynamics

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

Applied Science -Technology (6B) Pre Lab

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders discuss how simple machines overcome friction. In this simple machine lesson, 6th graders review the parts of a plane and how they make up for gravity and friction. They roll different objects down an inclined board...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Boomerangs Keep Coming Back

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate the flight of paper boomerangs. In this flight lesson, students examine the flight variables of paper boomerangs, which they make, by investigating the concepts of lift and drag. They examine what happens when an...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Understanding the Four Forces of Flight

For Students 4th - 5th
In this four forces of flight worksheet, students read a 1 page article on flights, answer 5 questions with multiple choice answers, draw a line to connect the four forces to their definitions and answer 1 short answer scenario.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding: Flight

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review the principles of flight before performing a series of simple experiments. Working in small groups, they complete hands-on activities that demonstrate the principles that make it possible for an airplane to lift into air...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kite building activity

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore how a kite flies; this lesson is a precursor for the windmill activity. By exploring how a kite flies, the students explore the power of the wind; particulary how drag, lifft and gravity enable objects such as kites and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Causal Patterns in Air Pressure Phenomena Section 3

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore lift and Bernoulli's Principle using a relational causal model. Using paper and straws, they investigate lift and relate Bernoulli's Principle to everday occurences.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lift and Launch Angle

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners engage in a hands-on experiment to determine how launch angles affect airflow around the wing of an aircraft. They view a series of photographs and read information describing the Wright Brothers' experiences. They complete a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flight

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students are introduced to the four forces of flight--drag, lift, thrust, and weight--through a variety of fun-filled flight experiments. They "fly" for short periods and evaluate factors that might either increase or decrease their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes Thing Fly?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders study lift, drag and thrust from a real flight instructor.  In this physical science lesson students build and fly paper airplanes and experiment with variations and design. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frisbee

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the history behind the frisbee and how Bernoulli's principle and Newton's law plays a role.  In this flight lesson students complete an experiment on how the rim of a frisbee effects flight. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hot air Balloons

For Teachers K - 12th
Students study how hot air balloons were created and the different types there are.  In this density and lift instructional activity students build their own hot air balloon.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magnus Effect

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the Magnus effect and its history.  In this forces lesson students investigate the lift of a rotating cylinder.      
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Structure of Flight

For Students 9th - 12th
In this flight worksheet, students will review the structures found in organisms that allow them to fly. The function of these structures will also be explored. This worksheet has 10 crossword, 5 true or false, 5 multiple choice, and 1...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Worksheet 4

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this math worksheet, students define the details of a definite integral and how it is used. They also apply math to physics to compute how work for lift is calculated.