Objectives:
- To formulate questions about and identify needs
and problems related to the properties of air and
characteristics of flight, and explore possible
answers and solutions (e.g., investigate whether
the shape of a plane affects its flight path);
- To plan investigations for some of these answers
and solutions, identifying variables that need to
be held constant to ensure a fair test and
identifying criteria for assessing solutions;
- To assess whether the materials in
student-designed projects were used economically
and effectively (e.g., decide whether paper was
wasted during the construction of paper
airplanes);
- To compile date gathered through investigation in
order to record and present results, using tally
charts, tables, labeled graphs, and scatter plots
produced by hand or with a computer (e.g., record
the flight distances of different styles of paper
airplanes, and present their findings in a
graph);
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Activity:
- Refer back to their list of questions compiled
before construction of the project. How were
their questions answered?
- Discuss the needs considered and problems
encountered while working on their project. How
did they solve their problems?
- Identify testing criteria and what variables need
to be held constant.
- Discuss safety issues regarding the testing of
their planes.
- Test planes.
- Record and graph distance each plane traveled.
- Graph according to criteria established by class.
- Assess whether the materials were used
effectively and/or economically.
- Vote on the model plane they would choose to
manufacture based on class results.
- Display models and invite other classes to view
them.
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