Introduction:

Dear 5th grade students,

Our school has been chosen to participate in the 100th international “Paper Airplane Challenge” in Maui, Hawaii. Ten students from the 5th grade will be flown to Hawaii, all expenses paid, for this competition.  Fifth graders are you willing to take up this challenge? Are you ready to send our school flying into the wild blue yonder? If so, read on!

Sincerely,

Your Principal
 

Task:

Your task, using the listed resources, is to complete the following:

o Make a qualifying paper airplane
o Be one of ten 5th graders whose paper airplane meets the qualifying criteria of paper airplane making
o Be one of ten 5th graders whose paper airplane wins the qualifying competition
 

Process:
 

PAPER AIRPLANES - QUICK AND SIMPLE!

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
• 8 1/2" x 11" paper (approx.)

OPTIONAL:
• cellophane tape
• paints
• markers
• crayons
• cardboard box
• thread spools
• cardboard roll from paper towel or bathroom tissue
• cardboard
• scissors

USING THE ABOVE MATERIALS MAKE THE FOLLOWING:
 
 
 

 

VOILA!
 

To make your airplanes really special, you can paint a picture on the paper before you fold it..

Resources:
 

http://www.onenorthpole.com/ToyShop/Paperairplanes.html

http://www.flex.com/~edynray/museum/museum.htm

http://www.cln.org/themes/paper_airplanes.html

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/paper.htm

Evaluation:

o All students will submit a paper airplane for the competition.
o All students will develop an understanding and ability to make and fly a paper airplane

Have students fly their planes in the gym or hallway or other large indoors area (to eliminate wind effects) five times, each time trying for maximum distance. Stress trying to duplicate the same launch angle and speed. Now do another five trials, this time trying for maximum time aloft. Students should record their

distances and times and average the three longest distances and the three longest times.

Excellant:  All required have been taken to create a compertition quality airplane as per instructions and test flight scores

Good: Most required have been taken to create a quality paper airplane as per instruction and test flight scores

Unsatisfactory: Did not follow correct outline instructions resulting in failure of flight test score

Conclusion:

Ten qualifying students will be sent to the international competition in Hawaii.based on the ten best rating scores which would be determined upon the completion of the test flight(distance and time aloft).