Flight School Forces: Aeroplane

This resource is a the fifth of a set of five lesson plans with STEM activities based around a group of 10-12 year olds, wanting to get their ‘wings’ from Flight School, by completing activities on forces associated with flight.

**This fifth session combines the knowledge of the forces DRAG, LIFT, THRUST, and WEIGHT from the precious four sessions, to investigate aeroplane design in a comparative test. The learner self-evaluation and learning log which has also been included in this bundle.

In this lesson students can create their planes from a design focus combined with their learning so far during the previous four lessons. They will be able to really contextualise their learning while experimenting and creating their own aeroplane designs.

This bundle includes: extensive teacher notes bundle includes pdf and editable versions of the following:
• Teaching Notes - contents for each lesson includes:
• Science behind the lesson
• Materials best for the session
• Parachute shapes
• Plenary responses

List of resources specific for this lesson.
• Main Lesson Plan (as a PowerPoint Resource)
• Learning goals
• Overview
• Set Up
• Task
• Plenary and Feedback

Learning outcomes in the Curriculum for Excellence and associated benchmark
SCN 2-08a: I have collaborated in investigations to compare magnetic, electrostatic and gravitational forces and have explored their practical applications.

TCH 2-04b: I am developing dexterity, creativity and confidence when working with textiles.

TCH 2-04c: I can extend and explore problem solving strategies to meet increasingly difficult challenges with a food or textile focus.

MTH 2-16b: Through practical activities, I can show my understanding of the relationship between 3D objects and their nets.

LIT 2-02a: When I engage with others, I can respond in ways appropriate to my role, show that I value others’ contributions and use these to build on thinking.

This resource was created as part of the GeoScience Outreach Course, which is a 4th year undergraduate course in the School of GeoSciences aiming to provide students with the opportunity to develop their own science communication and engagement project.

Author: Joanna Barrie, adapted by Kay Douglas and Charlie Farley.

Unless otherwise stated, all content is released under a CC-BY-SA 4.0 license.