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Balsa Glider Competition Lesson PlanBalsa Glider Competition Lesson Plan
Publisher
Teach Engineering
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
5th - 7th
Subjects
Math
5 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
1 hr
Instructional Strategy
Hands-on Activity
Year
2004
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Lesson Plan

Balsa Glider Competition

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Balsa Glider Competition lesson plan also includes:
  • Balsa Glider Competition Worksheet
  • Balsa Glider Competition Worksheet
  • Class Data Blank Table Overhead
  • Activity
  • Activity
  • Join to access all included materials

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 two new gliders. The activity is the 20th segment in an aviation series of 22.

49 Views 46 Downloads
CCSS: Designed

Concepts

flight, lift, thrust, aviation, drag, airplanes, aeronautics, design, engineering design, technology resources

Additional Tags

airplanes, flight, lift, thrust

Instructional Ideas

  • Allow teams to collaborate and build a glider that combines the best designs from each team

Classroom Considerations

  • Each team needs four balsa glider kits 
  • The activity requires a large space to test the gliders and measure distance and time

Pros

  • Contains ideas for extensions
  • Includes a template to capture each team's data

Cons

  • None

Common Core

6.NS.B.2 6.SP.B.5.a 6.SP.B.5.b 6.SP.B.5.c 6.SP.B.5.d

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