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Daredevils of the Sky

Classroom Activity

Objective
To experiment with the size, shape, angle of the wings, rudder position, and weight of a paper airplane.

• copy of "Daredevils of the Classroom" student handout (PDF or HTML)

1. Copy and distribute the "Daredevils of the Classroom" student handout.

2. After folding the basic airplane together, have students experiment with the size, shape, angle of the wings, rudder position, and weight (add a paper clip).

3. Encourage them to try some aerobatic stunts such as spirals, loops, and stalls.

4. For a more complex challenge, ask them to try to design a plane that will pick up a "person" made of pipe cleaners with an open paper clip dangling from the plane.

To make a plane fly straight, make sure that its weight is evenly distributed from side to side and front to back. The more streamlined the design, the smoother the flight will be.

To make a plane fly in a loop, cut a flaps into the back of each wing. Experiment with folding the flaps up or down until the plane flies in a loop.

To make a plane that picks up a passenger, fold the plane out of heavy weight paper. Unfold a paper clip so that it forms a hook. Attach the paper clip to the bottom center of the plane's body.