• Three sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch paper
• Adhesive tape
• One 3 x 5 inch index card
• Four paper clips
• A pair of scissors

The engineering design process serves as the framework for the student teams to complete this activity. The attached handout (see Attachments below) explains the design process and provides some examples. We recommend that you review this handout with your students before beginning. We recommend that you have students develop a conceptual design on paper (with sketches and dimensions, etc) before allowing them to begin constructing their first device. The most important aspect of this activity is the team process of testing, re-design, and re-testing by student teams. We recommend you provide ample time for this important process, and that you require teams to record their trial data and observations throughout this process.

The competition can be held anywhere that a flying device can be dropped from at least six feet in height. This could be simply someone standing on a chair in a classroom, or dropping the devices from an alcove with an opening to a lower floor. (In the latter case, the minimum length of time that the device should remain airborne should be increased.) One member of each team will go to the takeoff point and drop the device over a target on the floor. The time will be recorded from when the device is dropped until it hits the ground. Then the distance will be measured from the device to the target. Each team will perform two drop runs, and the teams may modify their devices between runs. Any changes should be documented by the student teams. The times and distances will be analyzed for each team, and the run which meets the minimum time in the air and maximum distance criteria will be used for the competition. If more than one run meets the performance criteria, the run with the longest time in the air will be used.

The most common approach is for teams to drop devices directly above a target on the floor; however, it should be stated that teams do not have to start directly above the target. Teams may seek to increase the flying time by beginning somewhere other than directly above the target.

Gather the required materials and make copies of the handouts.

1. Divide the class into teams of 3-4 students each.
2. Read the Introduction/Motivation to the class and explain the scoring system to be used during final grading. See Assessment section for scoring system.
3. Explain that a report and/or presentation is required and will be graded. See the assessment section for suggested reporting components. Students should be mindful of these requirements as they proceed through the design process.
4. The process by which teams proceed from first conceptual design (on paper) to their final design is fairly open ended. The instructor should informally monitor the student teams, occasionally pointing out how their actions correspond to the engineering design process. Give each group about 30 minutes to complete their first design. (This time may be varied depending on the length of class periods or other constraints.)
5. Hold the first round of the competition. The teacher should stand on a chair (or hold the device over an opening to a lower floor) and drop each device, one at a time, and the students should record the time it takes the device to fall and the distance of the device from the intended target.
6. Allow student groups to meet again and make any modifications they wish to their devices, and then hold the second round of the competition in the same way as the first round is held.
7. Examine the times and distances for each team's runs and note which runs meet the minimum time and maximum distance criteria. If any team meets the criteria in both runs, select the run with the maximum time for that team. Calculate team scores as described below and determine the overall score for each team.