Theresa Rumsey

ELED 3221 Science

Date Taught: 3/17/17

Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template

The Secrets of Flight

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Central Focus/Big Idea: Forces and Motion

Subject of this lesson: Identifying characteristics that affect forces of motion

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

NC Essential Standard(s): 3.P.1 Understand motion and factors that affect motion. 3.P.1.1 Infer
changes in speed or direction resulting from forces acting on an object.

Next Generation Science Standard(s): 3-PS2-2 Make observations and/or measurements of an

objects motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

21st Century Skills: Communication and collaboration

Academic Language Demand

Analyze Argue Categorize Compare/contrast Describe Explain
Interpret Predict Question Retell Summarize
At the beginning of the activity students will be predicting which material will work best to keep
their planes in the air. In the questions following the activity students will describe the most
functional plane and explain why it didnt fly like a real airplane.
Scientific Vocabulary: force, motion, gravity, lift, drag, and thrust

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to identify and describe factors that affect forces
and motion on the paper airplanes they are testing. I will collect and grade students worksheets.
Each question and the data table will be worth 2 points and students will get full credit for each
section they complete for a possible total of 10 points. In order to meet the objective students
need to get 10 out of 10 points.

Prior Knowledge (student): Students should be able to record data and make predictions and
observations.

Content Knowledge (teacher): The teacher needs to know how to make and explain how to
make a paper airplane and the definitions of gravity, lift, thrust, and drag.

Accommodations for special needs (individual and/or small group): I will offer extra support
for students with special needs. They are expected to complete all of the tasks, but as I circle the
classroom I will be sure to check that they are on task and offer assistance as needed. I will also
disperse students into groups with appropriate numbers of high and low performing students so
they can aide each other.

Materials and Technology requirements: 1 worksheet (attached) for each student, different
types of paper to make paper airplanes, paper clips, tape, staples, stopwatches (1 for every
group), sticky notes

Total Estimated Time: 40 minutes

Source of lesson: Picture Perfect Science Lessons textbook

Safety considerations: Students will stand behind the student launching his or her plane, and the
experiment will take place outside or in a large area such as the cafeteria or gym.
 Content and Strategies (Procedure)

Engage:
On December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk North Carolina Orville and Wilbur Wright became the
first people to fly an airplane. The flight only lasted for 12 seconds, but it made history as the
first successful flight. Before we begin our experiment there are some key words we need to
review the meaning of. (Write Gravity, Lift, Drag, and Thrust on the board) Ask what each word
means then define them for students. Gravity pulls objects to the Earth. Lift is the force pushing
up on a flying object that keeps it in the air. Drag is what slows things down as they collide with
the air. Thrust is the push that competes with drag and keeps something flying through the air. In
an airplane, thrust is created by the engine and in a paper airplane it is created by you as you
throw it to send it flying.

Explore:
Students will be asked what they think of when they hear the word flight. Students will be able to
use one sticky note each and write the first word or words that come to their minds when they
hear flight. Students will then post these sticky notes on the board and I will read them aloud so
all students can expand their knowledge of the term.

Explanation:
The Wright brothers, who invented the first successful airplanes, began by building gliders. A
paper airplane is actually considered a glider because it doesnt have an engine, so today we are
going to be like the Wright brothers and make gliders. We have computer paper, construction
paper, paper clips, and tape available for you to use. Before we begin constructing paper
airplanes I want you to fill out the prediction section of your worksheet. Think about the terms
we reviewed and use them when writing a prediction of which materials will affect your plane
and what that affect might be. (Pause for students to write predictions 1-2 minutes). Allow
students to go to the back and choose a few materials (3 at a time). When they have all returned
to their seats I will go over the instructions to make a paper airplane and demonstrate. Fold your
piece of paper in half lengthwise (hot dog style), fold the two top corners down, fold one wing
down, now fold the other wing down, fold the wings out, optional: add paper clips and tape.

Elaborate:
The world record for the longest flight of a paper airplane is 27.4 seconds, do you think we can
beat it? We are going to test our paper airplanes outside. You will be in groups of 3 or 4 for this
activity. (Hold up worksheet and point to flight data log) In this section you will write everyone
in your groups names, record the time of the flight, and write one or two observations about the
plane and the flight. Start the timer when the plane leaves your partners hands and stop it when
the plane lands on the ground. After the test flights students will be given a few minutes to
complete the questions on the worksheet that follow.

Evaluate:
Formative: I will watch students as they fill out sticky notes about the word flight to be sure they
make sense. While students are working in groups I will ask them questions about their
predictions, what they are doing and whos plane had the longest flight.
Summative: I will collect and grade students worksheets with a prediction, data table, and three
reflection questions.

Name___________________________________________________

1. Prediction:
 Flight Data
Student Flight Flight Observations
Time
1

2. Describe the paper airplane that had the fastest flight time.
(Size, materials used, type of paper, etc.)

3. List 3 things that affected your planes flight time and write
whether each one was good or bad.

4. Why didnt your paper airplane keep flying like a real airplane?