STEM LESSON

Teacher: Subject:
Miss Waye Science

Grade Level: Time Required:

Grade 5 1 Hour

Lesson Objectives and Purpose:

Students will be introduced to the design of airplanes through the construction of
airplane constructions. The goal of the lesson is for students to learn the
importance of aircraft design and how engineers go through a long process to
achieve success. Students will design a paper airplane that can carry cargo (coins).
This activity will help students understand that engineers learn from their
mistakes, they often start with a small scale model to test how they would fly
without spending a lot of money on the full-size aircraft.
Standards:
NGSS:
Grade 3-5: Engineering Design
Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified
criteria for success and constraint on materials, time, or cost.

Science and Engineering Practices: Define a simple design problem that can be
solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes
several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available

materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is
determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different
proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets
the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into
account.

Crosscutting Concepts: People’s needs and want change over time, as do their
demands for new and improved technologies. Engineers improve existing
technologies.

NTCM:
Geometry - Grade 3-5 Expectations: In grade 3-5 each and every student should
- Build and draw geometric objects;
- Create and describe mental images of objects, patterns, and paths;
- Identify and build a three-dimensional representation of a three-
dimensional object;
- Use geometric models to solve problems in other areas of mathematics,
such as number and measurement
 - Recognize geometric ideas and relationships and apply them to other
disciplines and to problems that arise in the classroom or everyday life

NB Learning Outcomes:
Science:
Grade 5
205-2 select and use tools to manipulate materials and build models
206-6 suggest improvements to a design or constructed object
207-1 communicate questions, ideas, and intentions, and listen to others while
conducting investigations
303-12 investigate different kinds of forces used to move objects or hold them in
place
303-13 observe and describe how various forces, such as magnetic, mechanical,
wind induced, and gravitational, can act directly or from a distance to cause objects
to move

Math:
SS2: Demonstrate an understanding of measuring length (mm and km) by:
- Selecting and justifying referents for the units mm and km
- Modeling and describing the relationship between mm and cm units, and
between mm and m units
- Modeling and describing the relationship between m and km units

Materials:
- Construction Paper
- Tape, and lots of it!
- Coins
- Doorway
- Rulers
Engage:
What the teacher will do: What the students will do:

Begin with asking the question “Raise your hand Listen to read aloud
if you’ve ever seen a plan in the sky”

Begin by engaging the students by doing a read

aloud of I am Amelia Earhart by Brad Meltzer Answer questions.

After reading the book ask students what they

noticed about the book. Who is Amelia? What did
she do? Why is she important?

Ask the students “Have you ever wondered how a Talk to an elbow partner
plane can fly through the air?” Give students a discussing how they think
few minutes to think about this and get them to planes fly
discuss their thoughts with an elbow partner.

Tell the students that today we will be creating Listen to teacher

paper airplanes. However these aren’t just
regular paper airplanes. We need to create a
paper airplane that can carry cargo

Explore:
What the teacher will do: What the students will do:

Watch the video Watch the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhuRw88A-
8c

Students will then talk to an elbow partner to Talk to an elbow partner about
discuss what they want their paper airplane to what your plane is going to
look like. look like

Vocabulary to introduce: Learn new vocabulary about

- Aerodynamics: the qualities of an object airplanes. Answer and ask
that affect how easily it is able to move questions
through the air
- Launch: to set of thrust a craft or
projectile into motion
- Lift: force available for overcoming the
force of gravity
- Stability: ability of the object to maintain
equilibrium or resume its original, upright
position after being displaced from its
original course
- Weight: a measure of the heaviness of an
object
- Gravity: force that tries to pull two object
towards each other

Write the words on the board; ask the students if

they’ve hear this word before. Introduce the
word and definition.
Explain:
What the teacher will do: What the students will do:
Explain to the students that a line is going to be Listen to instruction and ask
drawn on the floor about ten feet in from of the questions if necessary
doorway. Tape will be used to make a “target” in
the upper third of the doorway. Students must Do not throw airplane without
prove that their cargo plane can fly, so they must permission
glide their plane through that “target”
successfully. Have one practice run of your
airplane.
One at a time students will test out their paper
airplanes. They can have only ONE practice run to Add cargo to your airplane
see if their plane will make it through the then when it’s time throw it
designated target. Tell students that they are not trying to make it through the
allowed to throw their paper airplanes without designated target.
permission, as this is a safety.
Measure how far the airplane
Students will also measure how far their airplane has travelled. Measure in
few using a ruler, measuring it in centimeters. centimeters how far their
airplane has traveled
Students with the most cargo (the most money
taped onto their plane) will win the activity.

Elaborate:
What the teacher will do: What the students will do:

Different types of paper will be given to students
so they can made the best choice possible to
make their airplane
Students will be provided with tape, paper and
coins to create their airplane
Set a timer for 20 minutes. Students must design
their paper airplane carrying as much cargo as
possibly, while making it through the designated
target in this allotted time frame.
Choose what kind of paper will
make the best air plane
Create airplane in the allotted
time frame
Determine how much force
needs to be put into the throw
to get the airplane through the
designated target

Students will have to determine how much effort Build and test out the airplane
of force they should put into their throw to make
their airplane through the designated target.
They also must think critically about where they
should tape at least $1 onto their airplane to
represent cargo on the plane.
Test out the airplanes! See who is successful at
getting their airplane through the designated
area with the most cargo!

Evaluate:
What the teacher will do: What the students will do:

Teacher will take anecdotal note of student’s

comprehension on creating a paper airplane.
Students will not be graded on if their paper
airplane actually makes it through the designated
target, but their understanding of where to place
the ‘cargo’ to make the plane fly.

Anecdotal Note:

Student Name: Notes: