Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the basic principles of how a paper aeroplane flies.
Materials and Prep
- A piece of paper
- Scissors (with adult supervision)
No prior knowledge is required for this lesson. Just come with an open mind and a willingness to learn!
Activities
Start by folding your piece of paper into a paper aeroplane. You can use any design you like, but make sure it has wings and a pointed nose.
Once your aeroplane is ready, find an open space, preferably outdoors or in a large room.
Hold your aeroplane by the body (the middle part) and throw it gently forward, like you would with a real aeroplane.
Observe how the aeroplane moves through the air. Does it fly straight? Does it go up or down?
Experiment with different ways of throwing the aeroplane. Try throwing it higher or lower, faster or slower. Observe how these changes affect its flight.
Kindergarten Grade Talking Points
- "A paper aeroplane is a toy that looks like a real aeroplane, but it's made out of paper."
- "When we throw a paper aeroplane, it moves through the air."
- "The wings of a paper aeroplane help it stay up in the air. They are like the wings of a bird or a real aeroplane."
- "The pointed nose of the paper aeroplane helps it cut through the air, just like the beak of a bird or the front of a real aeroplane."
- "When we throw the paper aeroplane gently, it usually flies straight. But if we throw it too hard or too soft, it might not fly straight."
- "When we throw the paper aeroplane up, it goes up in the air. When we throw it down, it goes down. We can make it go higher or lower by changing how we throw it."