Paper Plane Lab Instructions

GROUP MEMBERS___________________________________________________________________
PART ONE
1. In you group, you will have 20 minutes to build a paper plane using the any of the materials provided
by your teacher, such as paper, paper clips, tape, scissors, etc. All groups are provided with the same
materials. [Students who are misusing any materials will be disqualified from this activity]
2. What are some different ways we could test which plane flies the best? Brainstorm these in the space
provided below with your group and then we will share out and choose as a class.
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3. When your teacher asks you to, test your plane three times and record your results as a group.
Test One ________________________________________________
Test Two________________________________________________
Test Three_______________________________________________
Average_________________________________________________
4. What kind of process might you go through to figure out how to make it better? Brainstorm in the
space below with your group the steps you would take to improve your plane and then we will share out
as a class.
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5. What are the final steps decided by the whole class? Why do you think these steps are important?
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Paper Plane Lab Instructions

For todays part of the lab, everyone should record his/her results on their own lab worksheets.
PART TWO [DAY 1]
TASK Your task for today is revise your paper plane design to make it better! You will do this by
following the problem-solving steps we agreed upon last class period.
1. What is the question you are trying to answer?
2. What are three possible hypothesis that you have? This should be a way that you think you could
make your plane fly farther.
A hypothesis should include both your educated guess AND why you think so.
It should be written in a complete sentence, like this:
I think _________________________________ because ____________________________________.
(Hint: Avoid words like it. Be SPECIFIC and describe exactly what you are talking about. This is an
important part of science.)
3. Choose one hypothesis which you would like to test. Circle it on your worksheet.
4. What will you do in order to test your hypothesis?
5. Build your new paper plane, test it in your group, and make any changes that you would like to make
before you compete against the rest of the class.
6. What are your controls and variables? What have you kept the same and what have you changed?
PART TWO [DAY 2]
7. As a class, test each planes flight.
Each plane must be tested at least three times. Why do you think it is important that we test each plane
more than once? Why do you think the same person should fly the plane each time?
Set up your chart as follows. As each plane is tested, record the data in the chart:
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
AVERAGE
X
Group 1
Group 2
Group3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
8. Choose an appropriate graph with which you can show your data.
PART TWO [DAY 3]
9. Analyze. Questions to Consider:
Which plane had the single farthest plane flight?
On average, which plane flew the farthest?
Why do you think that plane had the farthest flight path?
What may have skewed the data?
Does this support or disprove your hypothesis?
What conclusions can you draw?
10. Revise your hypothesis.
Although you have tested your hypothesis, gathered data, and analyzed it properly, your new
conclusion is still just a hypothesis. What else could you change about your plane to make it even better?
What would be the next step that you would want to test in order to either improve your plane or prove it
is the best?