Paper Airplane Flight Forces

Taylor·

Aviation

Preview

At a Glance

SubjectAviation

Original Prompt

Goal: Families design and test paper airplanes to explore the forces that allow aircraft to fly. STEM Connection→ Airplanes fly because of the forces of lift, thrust, drag, and gravity. Engineers test different wing shapes and designs to improve flight performance. Bessie Coleman became the first Black woman pilot and helped inspire future aviators and aerospace engineers.

This resource focuses on the fundamental principles of flight through a hands-on project where students design, test, and modify paper airplanes. The learning objective is to help students understand how the four forces of flight—lift, thrust, drag, and gravity—impact the performance of an aircraft. It incorporates historical context by introducing students to Bessie Coleman, a pioneering aviator, highlighting her achievements and how they inspire modern engineering. The document outlines steps for constructing a paper airplane, making flight predictions, conducting tests, and reflecting on the results to understand the impact of design modifications on flight performance.