Airplanes, Force and Motion
This is an inquiry-based lesson plan appropriate for Grades 4 or 5, and helps to illustrate Connecticut Content Standard 4.1, The position and motion of an object can be changed by pushing or pulling. In the case of an airplane, pushing and pulling is provided by four forces including the thrust of the propellers and engines, the drag (or friction) of the body against the air, the lift provided by the shape and angle of the wing, and gravity (the earth’s pulling force). These forces need to be in balance in order for the airplane to fly. A change in any of these forces produces a change in motion. Please see the accompanying Lesson Plan document for further details.

Airplanes, Speed and Motion
This inquiry-based lesson plan is appropriate for Grades 7 or 8, and helps illustrate the following content standards:

• Connecticut Content Standard 8.1, An object’s inertia causes it to continue moving the way it is moving unless it is acted upon by a force to change its motion.
  
• Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework in the Physical Sciences Strand (Introductory Physics), Position and Motion of Objects items 1, 11, and 12.

An airplane in motion is acted upon by four forces: thrust of the propeller(s) or engine, drag (or friction) of the body against the air, lift provided by the shape and angle of the wing, and gravity. These forces need to be in balance for an airplane to continue moving the way it is moving. A change in any of the forces produces a change in the motion of the airplane.  This lesson also incorporates the applicability of Newton’s Laws to characteristics of flight.  Please see the accompanying Lesson Plan document for further details.

Airplanes and Engineering
This inquiry-based lesson plan is appropriate for Grades 7 or 8, and helps illustrate the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework in the Technology/Engineering Strand, Engineering Design items 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5. Activities include teams of students designing and testing an airplane model to fly the greatest distance, then again for the greatest speed. Please see the accompanying Lesson Plan document for further details.