Sail to the ground with a parachute activity! Kids construct parachutes out of household items and a toy figure, after brainstorming the best way to reduce drag. Once they test their parachutes, they can adjust their projects to optimize air travel.

Concepts

parachutes, engineering, variables, gravity, nasa, technology resources

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Instructional Ideas

• Assign as an activity for kids to complete at home with their parents and siblings, and report on the results
• Split your class into small groups and take to the second floor balcony of your school, with one member of each group on the first floor marking their parachute's time
• Have kids conduct a research project about women in science, based on the short biography of NASA engineer Laurie Carrillo

Classroom Considerations

• Doesn't provide a worksheet to record results

Pros

• A fun activity for science learners of all skill levels
• Great for STEM, GATE, or other extension classes, as well as mainstream classes
• Provides a teacher worksheet for reference

Cons

• None