Kenan Fellows
Weight and Balance of an Airplane
A career in aeronautics might be calling your class members. Building from the previous two lessons in the series, learners continue analyzing the mathematics of aeronautics. Groups create a paper airplane using paperclips for balance....
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
Curated OER
Kite Experiments and Building Information
Students build their own kite following certain procedures. In this physics lesson, students explain the aerodynamics concepts involved in flying kites. They trace the development of aviation.
Curated OER
Forces of Flight - Lift
Students 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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Junk Mail Airmail
Third graders explore how to make a contribution to end the junk mail problem. In this junk mail lesson students collect junk mail, identify the resources used and construct junk mail airplanes.
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
Make a Model of a Wright Flyer
Students recreate a model of the 1903 Wright Flyer out of Styrofoam. Students practice following instructions, and discover information about the Wright brothers' engine-powered glider.
Curated OER
Controlling Flight: Rudders, Ailerons, and Elevators
Fifth graders create paper gliders and check for flight distance and time. In this flight lesson plan, 5th graders create a paper glider from the attached worksheet and adjust the rudder, aileron, and elevator. They see how these...
Curated OER
To Spread or Not to Spread
Students explore the difference between the three types of contrails. In this contrails lesson, students make observations of contrails and record them. Students identify the three types of contrails and complete an experiment activity.
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One Plus One Makes New
Students discover the properties of matter and how they change when composite materials are produced. In this informative lesson students write up a question and procedure to an experiment then analyze and draw conclusions based on the...
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Principles Of Flight: Wings That Spin
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 and...
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Understanding: Flight
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...
Curated OER
Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. In this magnet activity students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.
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Proportionality: The X-Plane Generation
Students meet NASA researchers who describe the relationship between force, energy and motion. They discuss how NASA's experimental X-plane is being tested to make space travel more reliable and show how proportionality and ratios are...
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The Art of "Green" Flying
Students create an airship that doesn't use fossil fuel. In this flying lesson, students research different types of flying machines that only use wind power. They discuss invention designs by Alexander Graham Bell and Leonardo Da Vinci...
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Understanding Bernoulli's Principle
Fifth graders explain why we fly. In this space science lesson, 5th graders discuss Bernoulli's prinicple and its relation to flight.
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From Pirates to Pilots to Spies
Sixth graders enjoy this introduction to the world of map projections, globes, aerial photographs, and satellite images. This lesson instructs students on the advantages and disadvantages of each earthly representation.
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Classify Machines that Fly!
Eighth graders explore flight and the dichotomous key. In this flight lesson, 8th graders gain understanding of the dichotomous key and create one of their own. Students then use their dichotomous key to classify types of aircraft.
Curated OER
The Periodic Table of the Elements
Students research the elements used to create fireworks. In this periodic table lesson, students discuss common metals, their characteristics, and their places on the periodic table. They work in small groups to research the elements...
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Environment: Wild Wind Direction
Students examine the different types of wind patterns. Using common materials, they construct weather vanes to measure and record wind direction over a two-week period. After analyzing the data, they draw conclusions about the...
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Banana Man Glider
Students incorporate technology into the classroom as they investigate force and motion. For this science lesson, students construct a glider to be able to safely take a banana to the ground without dropping it. They investigate flight,...
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Aerodynamics And Me
Seventh graders design, construct, refine, and test cars that they build on the computer screen. They find the density of several objects using the techniques used to find volume. They measure various common objects to become more...
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Rain On
Fourth graders study the water cycle and clouds. In this water cycle and cloud lesson, 4th graders determine the definition of condensation and watch a demonstration in which the teacher makes a cloud in a bottle. They discuss the water...
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Machines Rice Farmers Use
Second graders investigate rice farming. In this farming equipment activity, 2nd graders discover what type of equipment is needed to get rice farms ready to plant. Students gain knowledge about what a combine does and how it is...