Curated OER
Physics of Flight
Students view a PowerPoint slideshow on the basic physics of flight. They build and operate Newton cars as an illustration of these concepts.
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...
Curated OER
Wright Again: 100 Years of Flight
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...
NASA
The Wright Quest
A very impressive lesson plan on the Wright brothers and their place in aviation history. Learners discover many fascinating facts about the Wright brothers and their trials and errors regarding flight. Best of all, they get to build a...
Curated OER
Model Rockets
Students build a model rocket. In this model rocket lesson, students explore a rocket launch cycle. Students investigate the laws of physics for each part of the launch. Students build model rockets and launch at school.
Curated OER
Forces in a Climb
Students use a NASA website to use a given formula to find acceleration and distance after a specific time and how it relates to engine propulsion.
Curated OER
Air Temperature and Kinetic Energy
Students use a NASA website do activities which help them better explain how air temperature and kinetic energy are related to aircraft propulsion.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Flying With The Wright Stuff
Students explore the history of flight, specifically the Wright brothers. Pupils create paper airplanes. They discuss considerations in building an aircraft such as drag, thrust, and weight. Classmates compare the Wright Brother's...
Curated OER
An Uplifting Experience
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.
Curated OER
The Shapes of Flight
Learners explore interaction between mathematics, science, and technology as they look at process of researching, developing, testing, and evaluating airplane design. They calculate glide ratio for model paper airplane by using data...
Curated OER
Newton's Third Law and Aircraft Propulsion
Students research propulsion, graph data, and interpret the results.
Curated OER
Raptor Force
Students observe a video about pilots, their desired traits, and explore the similarities between a bird and an airplane. Using paper, wood or foam, they design create an aircraft to be flown in a competition to see which plane will fly...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Build Your Own Hovercraft
Students construct a hovercraft following specific procedures. In this technology lesson plan, students explain the physics principles behind hovercraft. They compare and contrast this machine with the aircraft.
Teach Engineering
Just Plane Simple
It is plane to see that simple machines help reduce the force needed to perform a task. This resource introduces three of the simple machines--the inclined plane, the wedge, and the screw, and the formulas in order to be able to...
Curated OER
The Aspect Ratio of Wings
Junior engineers examine aspect ration in airplane wings. Using the length and width of two differetn wings, they calculate the aspect ratios and compare drag rankings. An engineering or space science class would benefit from this...
Curated OER
Assignment #10: Internet Scavenger Hunt
Test your learners' Internet research skills with this scavenger hunt. Of the twenty questions provided, scholars research ten and provide the answer, the URL, the search engine, and the keywords they used. While some of the questions...
Curated OER
Women in Space
Students read biographies of women who have made contributions to field of aerospace and aeronautics, choose one woman to research, and present their findings to classmates in form of essay, play, poster, or presentation.
Curated OER
Charles Lindberghs's Flight to Paris
Students practice map skills. In this map skills lesson, students locate the cities of New York and Paris on a map. Students read about the flight made by Charles Lindbergh in May 1927 from New York to Paris. Students answer 8 questions...
Teach Engineering
Let's Get it There Fast
Are planes the best shipping method? Using maps, pupils determine the fastest mode of transportation between two cities. Given a list of items to ship, groups decide the best shipping method to finish the 18th segment of a 22-part unit.
Teach Engineering
Windy Tunnel
Lift—it is about the wing's attack. Using a virtual wind tunnel, pupils investigate wing shape and angle of attack. Learners use worksheets to record their observations and to convert verbal relationships into mathematical equations in...
Teach Engineering
Egg-cellent Landing
The classic egg-drop experiment gets a new bounce with an activity that asks pairs to design a lander similar to one used to land a rover on Mars within a fixed budget. The activity provides a great introduction to the idea of terminal...
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Lou-Vee-Air Car
Who said teaching a STEM lesson had to be challenging? Incorporate a career and technology-centered car build into your upcoming force lesson plan, and your class will be moving down the road in no time! Pupils practice...