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Paper Plane Flight Tests

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Paper Plane Flight Tests

Paper plane flying through the air

🎯 Learning Intentions

WALT: Test how air resistance changes flight

Success Criteria:

  • I can make different paper plane designs
  • I can predict and test which plane flies further
  • I can record flight distances in a table

Instructions

1. Fold two different paper plane designs: one short and wide, one long and pointy

2. Predict which design will fly the furthest

3. Test each plane 3 times and measure the distances in metres

4. Record your results in the table below

📊 Flight Test Results

1. My prediction: Which plane design will fly furthest?

Short and wide plane

Long and pointy plane

2. Complete the flight distance table:
Plane Design Test 1 (metres) Test 2 (metres) Test 3 (metres) Best Distance
Short and wide _______ _______ _______ _______
Long and pointy _______ _______ _______ _______
3. Which plane design flew the furthest?

Short and wide plane

Long and pointy plane

They flew about the same distance

4. Was your prediction correct?

Yes

No

🤔 Thinking About Air Resistance

5. Why do you think one plane design flew further than the other?
6. How does air resistance affect a paper plane's flight?

Air pushes against the plane and slows it down

Air helps the plane fly faster

Air doesn't affect the plane at all

7. What happened when you added paperclips to your plane? (If you tested this)
8. Draw a simple diagram showing air pushing against your paper plane:

🌟 Extension Challenge

For advanced learners: Design a third plane using different materials (like cardboard) or add different weights. Test it and explain how the results compare to your original planes.

Extension results:

About This Worksheet

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Formatted for standard paper. Clean layout, easy to read.

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Created with Kuraplan's AI, designed for real classroom use.

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