Paper Drop Design Competition

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Using paper, paper clips, an index card, and tape, teams of learners design flying devices to (1) stay in the air as long as possible and (2) land as close as possible to a given target. Teams will use the engineering design process to guide them through the initial conception, evaluation, testing and re-design stages. The activity includes a scoring formula which learners can use to rank the different designs.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
45 to 60 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Game, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Aerospace Engineering
  • Mathematics
    • Algebra
      • Equations and Inequalities
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
    • Measurement
      • Units of Measurement
  • Physical Sciences
    • Motion and Forces
      • Gravity
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
  • The Nature of Technology
    • The Design Process
      • Invention and Innovation
      • Problem Solving
      • Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Informal Categories

  • Model Building
  • Toys

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Carpinelli, John ; Kimmel, Howard ; Rockland, Ronald

Source Collection

  • TeachEngineering

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Regents of the University of Colorado, 2014