TE Activity: Design a Flying Machine
Contributed by: Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder
Summary |
Engineering Connection |
| The key to successful engineering is to bring together knowledge of the science, creative ideas, productive brainstorms, design/test/build cycles and scientific testing. When all these elements come together, an engineer is likely to come up with a successful design. So, even though an engineer needs to know a lot about airplanes to design a new one, teamwork, communication and testing is required for the new aircraft to be a successful design. |
Contents
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| Grade Level: 5 (4-6) | Group Size: 2 |
| Time Required: 45 minutes |
Activity Dependency  :None |
Expendable Cost Per Group
:
US$ 1 |
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| Keywords: invention, brainstorm, airplanes, flying machine | |
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Related Curriculum
:
| subject areas | Physical Science |
| curricular units | Up, Up and Away! - Airplanes |
| lessons | Future Flights! |
Learning Objectives (Return to Contents)
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Work in a group to brainstorm an idea.
- Use the invention process to design a futuristic flying machine.
- Discuss and list several factors affecting the flight of an airplane.
- Draw lines of symmetry on various geometric shapes.
- Use principles of geometry (including surface area, shape and symmetry) in their designs.
- Apply the forces of flight to a model design and justify their design in terms of those factors.
- Predict cause and effect relationships of the materials within their models.
- Share their design with the class and explain the important features to their peers.
Materials List (Return to Contents)
Each group should have:
- 1-2 sheets of construction paper per student
- A variety of media: crayons, colored pencils, markers, etc.
- 4 or 5 kitchen or household utensils ("odd" shapes if possible, like a whisk, a pastry cutter, a wire coat hanger, and tongs)
- A brown paper bag
- A protractor, ruler or compass, if desired
- Assorted craft construction or recycled materials
Introduction/Motivation (Return to Contents)
How many students like to doodle? Many inventions were "doodles" before they became reality. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), was famous for his notebook doodles and sketches of ideas for "futuristic" things that today are realities, such as helicopters, parachutes, and airplanes. When you doodle an idea down on a piece of paper, you are really starting the invention design process — generating ideas.
Brainstorming is another way of coming up with ideas. It is when a group of people get together and try to answer a problem by thinking of any idea (even wild!) and building upon it as a team. Have you ever heard the phrase "Two minds are better than one?" This is because each unique person has a different, unique way of answering a question, and sometimes when you are stuck on the answer to a question or problem, a little help from a friend or neighbor can help make the solution easier. Brainstorming generally occurs in the first part of the invention design process, which involves the generation of ideas, selection of one idea, the design, build and re-design of a product.
Procedure (Return to Contents)
Before the Lesson
- Gather materials and household objects. Put several kitchen/household objects in a brown paper bag, and repeat for the number of student groups in the class.
- If time allows, make a sample invention (e.g., a rocket ship powered by water) to give students a model of what they will be doing.
- Make copies of the Flying Machine Worksheet.
With the Students
- Ask the students what inventions they think were important in the history of flight. (Examples: Sir George Cayley invented a glider in 1804. The Wright brothers invented the first powered airplane in 1903. Seaplanes were invented in 1912, and in 1933, the Boeing Company designed the first modern airliner, the Boeing 247. The jet engine was patented in 1930 by Frank Whittle in Britain. Later, in 1983, the Stealth fighters — planes that are difficult to detect using radar — were made public.)
- Display the Brainstorming Overhead. Go through the brainstorming steps with the class. Explain SCAMPER as a way to think differently about an object. (Example: The first step is to substitute: can you substitute another shape or material for a coat hanger?) Describe brainstorming as a component to the inventing process, and bring up the point that engineers invent all the time.
- Hold up a paper bag and ask students to guess what it contains. Let them take a few guesses, and shake the bag once or twice. Then, pull out one item and have the students brainstorm other uses for the object. List ideas on the board. Then give each group of students one brown bag and have them pull out ONE item. Have them brainstorm uses of their particular object. When the students' ideas are exhausted, have each table share a few of the more creative ideas.
- Explain that now each student group will get to design a flying machine. They will need to incorporate the ideas and concepts covered in lessons 1-9, especially drag, thrust, lift and weight. Make a word web on the board, with "Flying Machine" in the center, and those four forces of flight as branches around the outside. Have the class brainstorm ways to incorporate those concepts into their flying machine design. Add the students' ideas under each component on the web. Then add "Fuel" and "Materials" to the web. Ask them what types of fuel might be used in the future. Also, discuss materials that students have learned about in the unit and might use to design their flying machines. The web can be referred to as they work.
- Have the students dump their bag onto their desk or table and begin to brainstorm ideas for their new flying machine. Remind them of the rules of brainstorming. Roam around the groups to help them with brainstorming and to hear their creative ideas. Note: Let students know that their flying machines do not have to actually work!
- Explain to students that engineers use many geometric ideas when they design planes. Airplane wings can move at different angles, some shapes are more aerodynamic than others (thus reducing drag), and a rocket ship or airplane usually has a symmetrical design.
- Encourage students to complete a rough draft in pencil. Once a student has decided on a plane design, encourage them to use a variety of materials for the final design.
- Pass out any extra art materials and paper, and let the students work on their flying machine.
- Have students complete the Flying Machine Worksheet. (Note: some shapes have several lines of symmetry. Encourage students to find as many as they can for each shape.)
Attachments (Return to Contents)
Troubleshooting Tips (Return to Contents)
Some students love to create and will want to start before you are ready, or before you have even finished explaining the directions. Other students will complain that they cannot think of anything to draw. They may need to start with your model, or a basic airplane, and add unusual components, or may need to make a web with their ideas to help their creativity. If they need to, students can refer to the web made in class.
It may be helpful to put "tubs" with the art media at each table with various pencils, crayons and markers in them so that each team has ready access to art supplies.
Assessment (Return to Contents)
Pre-Activity Assessment
Discussion Question: Solicit, integrate, and summarize student responses.
- Ask students what inventions may have helped with modern flight and airplanes.
Activity-Embedded Assessment
Brainstorming: Have students generate a number of possible ideas about a lesson or activity. Encourage wild ideas and discourage criticism of any ideas.
- Have the students brainstorm uses of an object from their brown paper bag.
Word Web: Make a word web on the board, with "Flying Machine" in the center, and drag, thrust, lift and weight as branches off the center, around the outside. Have the class brainstorm ways to incorporate the four forces of flight into their flying machine design. Add the student ideas under each component on the web. Then add "Fuel" and "Materials" as branches to the web. Ask them what types of fuel might be used in the future.
Post-Activity Assessment
Show and Tell: Have student groups show off their futuristic flying machine to the rest of the class. Have them explain how they considered the four forces of flight (drag, thrust, lift and weight) in their design. Then have them explain what they think is the best part of their design and what could possibly go wrong with it (i.e., what could be fixed in future models of their flying machine). Remind students that engineers go through the deign-build-redesign process many times before they get to a finished product. Have other student groups write down one thing that they like about the presenters' flying machine. Share these with the class.
Activity Extensions (Return to Contents)
The flying machines can be hung up for display.
Students could continue with paper airplane design and inventing new prototypes.
Inventions can be studied and researched as they relate to the topic of flight, or inventions in general could be researched if students developed an interest.
Activity Scaling (Return to Contents)
- Younger students may need more support to be creative and may need to look at the class webs or brainstorm before getting started. You may need to limit the assignment a little, such as have a specific type of fuel for which they are going to design.
- Older students can try things like drawing another view of their craft from the top or another side view. They could also add collage-type effects to their craft, using glue, other colored paper, textured paper, etc. to add another dimension to their work.
Contributors
Tom Rutkowski, Alex Conner, Geoffrey Hill, Malinda Schaefer Zarske, Janet YowellCopyright
© 2004 by Regents of the University of Colorado.The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0226322. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Supporting Program (Return to Contents)
Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at BoulderLast Modified: September 26, 2008