Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply arithmetic skills to solve problems related to airplanes.

Materials and Prep

• Pencil
• Blank paper

No prior knowledge or preparation is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Activity 1: Airplane Speed

   Think about how fast airplanes can fly. Research and find the average speed of a commercial airplane. Write down the speed in miles per hour.

   Now, imagine you are on an airplane that is flying at that speed. Calculate how far the airplane can travel in 3 hours. Show your work and write down the answer.

2. Activity 2: Airplane Altitude

   Research and find the average cruising altitude of a commercial airplane. Write down the altitude in feet.

   Now, imagine you are on an airplane that is flying at that altitude. Calculate how many feet the airplane would travel in 1 minute. Show your work and write down the answer.

3. Activity 3: Airplane Fuel

   Research and find the average fuel consumption rate of a commercial airplane. Write down the rate in gallons per hour.

   Now, imagine you are on an airplane that consumes fuel at that rate. Calculate how many gallons of fuel the airplane would consume in 5 hours. Show your work and write down the answer.

Third Grade Talking Points

• "Did you know that airplanes can fly at different speeds? Some airplanes can fly faster than others. We can use our math skills to calculate how far an airplane can travel in a certain amount of time."
• "Airplanes also fly at different altitudes. Altitude is how high an airplane is above the ground. We can use our math skills to calculate how many feet an airplane would travel in a certain amount of time."
• "Airplanes need fuel to fly. Just like cars need gas, airplanes need fuel to keep going. We can use our math skills to calculate how much fuel an airplane would consume in a certain amount of time."