Basic

Aeronautics
Grades 4 – 7
Introduction
This unit is loosely based on the Natureshift learning model and tries to introduce
students to the basic concepts of aeronautics and flight by doing six hands on
activities and then applying these basic concepts to design their own gliders for
Five Flight Contest. Students will work in teams of 2 or 4 to complete the
activities and the contest. The student’s team will then create a multimedia
presentation (KidPix, HyperStudio, or PowerPoint) for a younger group of
students to demonstrate why they built their gliders the way they did (the concepts
behind their modifications) and what they would do to improve their models. For a
wrap up, students will make a timeline of flight and write a short persuasive paper
on what they think was the most important advancement in their timeline and what
will be the next great advancement for flight. They will explore the Internet to
develop their ideas and timelines.

There is a pre and posttest for the unit and each unit contains: benchmarks,
objectives, evaluation rubrics, and templates. You are welcome to use or change
any activity to fit into your curriculum. The concepts that will be introduced are
Bernoulli’s principle; movement control –pitch-elevator, roll-ailerons, yaw-rudder;
four forces – thrust, drag, weight, force [push, pull, left].

The majority of the activities in this plan come from two sources:
1. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Aeronautics – An
Educator’s Guide with Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology
Education. (EG-1998-09-105-HQ Sept. 1998)
2. The CD ROM Exploring Aeronautics (which can be ordered at
http://catalog.core.nasa.gov/core.nsf/item/400.0-91
Title Exploring Aeronautics
Item Number 400.0-91
Price $5.00
Level Grade 5-8)

It is recommended that you get the Exploring Aeronautics CD and have students
explore the different areas on his/her own to reinforce the concepts in the
activities.

This unit will have several attachments for evaluation forms, templates,
experiment logs. The names of the attachments will be as follows:
A1loga
A1= Activity One Log = experiment log or name of activity (rub = rubric, temp
= template, overh=overhead, a = answers) for that activity page. Other forms will
have their name such as pretest. There is an appendix with an overhead list is on
next page. It is hoped that the naming system is of help for any system. You of
course are free to rename files in any manner that works for you.
 Overhead List

1. Bernoulli’s Principle
2. Four Aeronautical
Forces
3. The Four Forces in
Balance
4. The Angle of Lift
5. Weight
6. Lift
7. Thrust
8. Drag
The Standards that are applied for the whole unit are the following:

Content Standards: K-4

Science as Inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD A:
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understanding about scientific inquiry

Physical Science
CONTENT STANDARD B:
As a result of the activities in grades K-4, all students should develop an understanding of
• Properties of objects and materials
• Position and motion of objects
• Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism

POSITION AND MOTION OF OBJECTS

• The position of an object can be described by locating it relative to another object or the
background.
• An object's motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time.
• The position and motion of objects can be changed by pushing or pulling. The size of the change
is related to the strength of the push or pull.

Science and Technology

CONTENT STANDARD E:
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop
• Abilities of technological design
• Understanding about science and technology
• Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans

UNDERSTANDING ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• People have always had questions about their world. Science is one way of answering questions
and explaining the natural world.
• People have always had problems and invented tools and techniques (ways of doing something) to
solve problems. Trying to determine the effects of solutions helps people avoid some new
problems.
• Scientists and engineers often work in teams with different individuals doing different things that
contribute to the results. This understanding focuses primarily on teams working together and
secondarily, on the combination of scientist and engineer teams.
• Women and men of all ages, backgrounds, and groups engage in a variety of scientific and
technological work.
• Tools help scientists make better observations, measurements, and equipment for investigations.
They help scientists see, measure, and do things that they could not otherwise see, measure, and
do.
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
CONTENT STANDARD F:
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of
• Personal health
• Characteristics and changes in populations
• Types of resources
• Changes in environments
• Science and technology in local challenges

History and Nature of Science

CONTENT STANDARD G:
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of
• Science as a human endeavor

SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOR

• Science and technology have been practiced by people for a long time.
• Men and women have made a variety of contributions throughout the history of science and
technology.
• Although men and women using scientific inquiry have learned much about the objects, events,
and phenomena in nature, much more remains to be understood. Science will never be finished.
• Many people choose science as a career and devote their entire lives to studying it. Many people
derive great pleasure from doing science.
First give the pre-test for Basic Aeronautics.
Put students into groups of two to four for all activities
Activity One: Paper Bag Mask
This activity will demonstrate Bernoulli’s principle.

Benchmark: Students should be able to understand and explain Bernoulli’s principle.

Objectives:
Students will:
• Construct a device that demonstrates Bernoulli’s principle.
• Understand and explain lift.
• Understand the effect of air flowing over a curved surface.

Background:
A change in the speed at which air is flowing will
cause a change in air pressure. Daniel Bernoulli, a
Swiss scientist in the 18th century, discovered what
is now called Bernoulli’s principle: the pressure in a
fluid (gas and liquids) decreases as the speed of the
fluid increases.

The wing of an airplane is a device that creates

changes in the speed of airflow, thus creating a
change in air pressure. Air moving over the curved
top portion of a wing will travel at higher speed and
produce lower pressure than the bottom, creating lift.
Lift is a force caused by the equalization of
pressures. Equalization always occurs from areas of
high pressure inside than outside. The balloon will
pop when the pressure difference becomes too great
for the material.

Another example of Bernoulli’s principle can be

seen using the paper bag mask. When the student
blows through the hole in the paper bag mask and
over the curved surface of the “tongue,” unequal air
pressure will lift the tongue.

Procedure:
Hand out the Experiment logs for Paper Bag Mask and follow directions.
(You may use the questions list or have the students make their own using the experiment
log template.)

Evaluation:
Use rubric for evaluation of Paper Bag Mask experiment. Attached form.
Activity Two: Air Engines

This activity will demonstrate thrust.

Benchmark: Students will be able to make a balloon rocket and complete the
Experiment log with a score of at least 14. Students will be able to explain what thrust is.

Objectives:
Students will:
• Observe how unequal pressure creates power.
• Explain that air power can help airplanes fly.
• Construct a working model of an air engine.

Background:
Aircraft powered by jet, piston, or rocket engines are capable
of sustained flight. Remaining aloft longer means the aircraft
offers greater utility and convenience to users. The aircraft
engine provides a constant source of thrust to give the
airplane forward movement.

This activity will allow students to build and demonstrate a

source of thrust found in some research aircraft: the rocket
engine. The straw represents the fuselage and the balloon
represents the aircraft engine. Once the balloon is filled with
air, there is a difference in air pressure between the outside
and the inside of the balloon.

The inside of the balloon has higher pressure than the outside
of the balloon. The air on the inside of the balloon equalizes
with the air pressure between the outside and the inside of the balloon.

The balloon moves in the opposite direction of the flow of the release air because every
action has an opposite and equal reaction. Since the air is released from one small hole,
the release of the air is focused in one direction. Because it is focused in one direction,
the balloon and straw are forced to move down the string in the opposite direction.

Procedure:
Hand out the Experiment logs for Air Engines and follow directions.
(You may use the questions list or have the students make their own using the experiment
log template.)

Evaluation:
Use rubric for evaluation of air engine experiment. Attached form.
Activity Three: Sled Kite

This activity will model how a wing shape movement depends on its ability
to generate lift.

Benchmark: Students will be able to make a sled kite and complete the Experiment
logs with a score of at least 14. Students should also be able to explain what effects of lift
and drag.

Objectives:
Students will:
• Construct and fly a simple sled kite.
• Demonstrate how to make the kite fly at varying heights.

Background:
The sled kite in this activity is a model of a type of airfoil called a parawing. Like any
wing, the parawing depends on the movement of air over its shape to generate a lifting
force. (Parasails, parafoils, and paragliders are similar lift-generating.

The NASA Paraglider Research Vehicle (Paresev) was the first flight vehicle to use the
Francis Regallo-designed parawing. The little glider was built and flown by NASA
during the early 1960’s to evaluate the parawing concept, and to determine its suitability
to replace the parachute landing system on the Gemini spacecraft. Although the parawing
was never used on a spacecraft, it revolutionized the sport of hang gliding. Hang gliders
use a parawing to glide from cliffs or mountaintops.

There are kites of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The sled kite in this activity is made from
a piece of cloth or paper and two drinking straws. The straws are attached parallel to each
other on opposite sides of the cloth or paper. This arrangement shapes the kite like a sled
when it catches the air. The string attachment points are placed toward one en of the kite,
which causes the opposite end to hang downward, and stabilizes the kit in flight.

Procedure:
Hand out the Experiment logs (attached form) for Air Engines and follow directions.
(You may use the questions list or have the students make their own using the experiment
log template.)
Run off copies of the Sled Kite Template – attached form

Evaluation:
Use rubric for evaluation of Sled Kite experiment. attached form.
Activity Four: Right Flight

This activity will demonstrate weight and balance.

Benchmark: Students will be able to make a glider and complete the Experiment log
with a score of at least 14. Students should also be able to explain the importance of
weight and balance of a plane.

Objectives:
Students will:
• Construct a flying model glider.
• Determine weight and balanced of a glider.

Background:
On December 17, 1903, two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, became the firs
humans to fly a controllable, powered airplane. To unravel the mysteries of flight, the
Wright brothers built and experimented extensively with model gliders. Gliders are
airplanes without motors or a power source.

Building and flying model gliders helped the Wright brothers learn and understand the
importance of weight and balance in airplanes. If the weight of the airplane is not
positioned properly, the airplane will not fly. For example, too much weight in the front
(nose) will cause the airplane to dive toward the ground. The precise balance of a model
glider can be determined by varying the location of small weights.

Wilbur and Orville also learned that the design of an airplane was very important.
Experimenting with models of different designs showed that airplanes fly best when the
wings, fuselage, and tail are designed and balanced to interact with each other.

The Wright Flyer was the first airplane to complete a controlled takeoff and landing. To
manage flight direction, airplanes use control surfaces. Elevators are control surfaces that
make the nose of the airplane pitch up and down. A rudder is used to move the nose left
and right. The Wright Flyer used a technique called wing warping to begin a turn. On
modern airplanes, ailerons are used to roll the airplane into a turn.

This activity is designed to help student learn about basic aircraft design and to explore
the effects of weight and balance on the flight characteristics of a model glider. Students
use science process skills to construct and fly the Styrofoam glider.

Procedure:
Hand out the Experiment logs (attached form) for Right Flight and follow directions.
(You may use the questions list or have the students make their own using the experiment
log template.)
Run off copies of the Glider Template – attached form
Make overhead of Right Flight directions.

Evaluation:
Use rubric for evaluation of Right Flight experiment. attached form.
Activity Five: Delta Wing Glider

This activity will demonstrate ailerons control roll, the rudder controls the
yaw, and the elevator controls the pitch.

Benchmark: Students will be able to make gliders to demonstrate roll, yaw, pitch, and
complete the Experiment logs with a score of at least 14. Students should also be able to
explain how they can maneuver their gliders.

Objectives:
The students will:
• Learn how to change the flight characteristics of a glider.
• Conduct an experiment to answer a question.

Background:
There are many types of vehicles used to
transport people and objects from place to
place on Earth. How are these vehicles
guided to a destination? Turning the
steering wheel changes a car’s direction.
The rudder is used to control the direction
of a boat. A bicycle is controlled by
turning the handle bars and shifting the
rider’s weight. For most land and sea
vehicles, directional control is
accomplished by moving the front end
right or left. Movement in this one axis of
rotation or direction is called yaw.

Flying an airplane requires control of three

axes of rotation or movement. The nose of
the plane can be moved right and left
(yaw), rotated up and down (pitch) and the
fuselage can be rolled left and right (roll).
A pilot uses the control wheel or stick
inside the airplane to move control
surfaces on the wings and tail of the plane.
These control surfaces turn the airplane by
varying the forces of lift.
 Airplanes with conventional wings use
ailerons to control roll, a rudder to
control yaw, and elevators to control
pitch and roll. An elevon serves the same function as an elevator and an aileron.

Elevons are moveable control surfaces located on the trailing edge on the wings. Working
in unison (both up and one down), they function as ailerons. The Space Shuttle use
elevons for control in the air close to the Earth as it descends from space.

Procedure:
Run off Delta Glider Template 1 and Experiment Logs and have students follow
directions in log fill in data sheet 3.
Run off Glider Template 2 and delta wing experiment directions 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7 and delta
wing experiment data sheets. Have student fill in experiment data sheets.

Evaluation:
Use rubric for evaluation of Delta Wing experiment form 1 or 2 attached form.
Activity Six: The Five-Flight Contest

This activity will demonstrate the student’s knowledge and ability to apply
basic aeronautics concepts.

Benchmark: Students will be able to make gliders that complete each of the
five trials and demonstrate the implementation of aeronautics concepts.

Objectives:
To have students explain their modifications and demonstrate their
understanding of the different basic aeronautics concepts by flying and
winning each of the following contests:
1. Right On – students will design their glider to land in a specific spot.
2. Got the Distance – student’s will design their gliders to fly as far as
possible.
3. To the Sky – students will design their gliders to fly as high as
possible.
4. Loopy Loop – students will design their gliders to fly as many loops
as possible.
5. Speed Demons – students design their glider for speed.
Procedure:
Right On (landing specific spot)
1. Have a one-foot in diameter circle place ten feet from the starting
point.
2. Students can fly by hand or you can use a launcher (directions attached)
3. Teams will be judged on:
o Verbal Presentation – team members will be able to explain the
steps in their design process, reasons for choosing their final glider
design, knowledge of their glider’s strengths and weakness. Team
members will get three trials and explain their modifications to
improve their gliders performance with aeronautics terms and
principles.
o Prediction – team members will predict where their glider will land
(how close to circle).
o Position – points will be awarded for rank order to closeness to circle.
(Ties will get same points)

Go the Distance (longest flight)

1. Teams will launch their gliders by hand or launcher from a starting
point to obtain the greatest distance possible. (Will need long
measuring tape or have premarked distances.
3. Teams will be judged on:
o Verbal Presentation – team members will be able to explain the
steps in their design process, reasons for choosing their final glider
design, knowledge of their glider’s strengths and weakness. Team
 members will get three trials and explain their modifications to
improve their gliders performance with aeronautics terms and
principles.
o Prediction – team members will predict how far their glider will fly.
o Position – points will be awarded for rank order for greatest distance.
(Ties will get same points)

To the Sky (the highest flight)

1. Teams will launch their gliders by hand at a starting point next to a
wall.
2. The wall will have measured tape marks on the wall every 2 or 5 feet.
3. Judges will be position so they can observe the highest point of the
glider against the wall measurements.
4. Teams will be judged on:
o Verbal Presentation – team members will be able to explain the
steps in their design process, reasons for choosing their final glider
design, knowledge of their glider’s strengths and weakness. Team
members will get three trials and explain their modifications to
improve their gliders performance with aeronautics terms and
principles.
o Prediction – team members will predict how high their glider will
fly.
o Position – points will be awarded for rank order for highest flight. (Ties
will get same points)

Loopy Loop (the most loops)

1. Teams will launch their gliders by hand at a starting point.
2. Judges will be positioned so they can count the number of full
loops the glider makes before the glider lands.
3. Teams will be judged on:
o Verbal Presentation – team members will be able to explain the
steps in their design process, reasons for choosing their final glider
design, knowledge of their glider’s strengths and weakness. Team
members will get three trials and explain their modifications to
improve their gliders performance with aeronautics terms and
principles.
o Prediction – team members will predict how many loops their
glider will make.
o Position – points will be awarded for rank order for most to least loops.
(Ties will get same points)

Speed Demon (the fastest glider)

1. Teams will launch their gliders from a starting point by hand or
launcher.
2. Finish lines will be 5 to 10 feet away where judges will be
positioned with stop watches to mark when the glider passes the
finished line.
 3. Teams will be judged on:
o Verbal Presentation – team members will be able to explain the
steps in their design process, reasons for choosing their final glider
design, knowledge of their glider’s strengths and weakness. Team
members will get three trials and explain their modifications to
improve their gliders performance with aeronautics terms and
principles.
o Prediction – team members will predict how fast their glider will
be.
o Position – points will be awarded for rank order for fastest gliders. (Ties
will get same points)

Evaluation:
Teams will be judge with the contest evaluation forms for each
contest. Evaluation will be based on the team’s ability to explain their
designs and modifications with aeronautics terms and concepts, their ability
to predict what their modifications will do, and finally their placement in
each contest. Winning should not be as important as the teams ability to
show their understanding of aeronautics basic concepts.
Activity Seven: Multimedia Presentation

This activity will demonstrate how the teams developed their gliders and
their understanding of basic aeronautics.

Benchmark: Students will be able to create a multimedia presentation that

meets all the requirements of the checklist and rubric.

Objectives:
Students will be able to show their understanding of the concepts for each
activity with data and multimedia process.

Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to communicate with a

multimedia presentation.

Students will be able to evaluate their ability to work with a group.

Students will be able to make an oral presentation to a live audience along

with their multimedia presentation.

Procedure:
Students will create a multimedia presentation following the requirements
for KidPix worksheet for Basic Aeronautics Lesson.

Student will then give their presentations to a lower class that have observed
their gliders during the contest.

Evaluation:
The Kid Pix Presentation Rubric will be used to evaluate their presentation.
Activity Eight: TimeLine

This activity will demonstrate the student’s knowledge of the history and
development on aviation.

Benchmark: Students will be able to make a timeline that shows all the
major events in aviation history and write a narrative that describes what the
greatest advancement with their arguments. Students should also show that
they are able to obtain and evaluate materials from the Internet.

Objectives:
The students will:
Identify and research aviation events.
Create time line of aviation events.
Analyze the information to interpret changes in aviation.
Develop a presentation based on historical events in aviation.
Use the Internet to obtain information about aviation historical
events.
Students will write a persuasive essay stating what they feel is
the greatest advancement in aviation history and what will be
the next greatest advancement.

Background:
Each event in a time line can be thought of as a link to the past or future of something.
Building an aviation time line based on drawing or models helps student visualize the
numerous changes that have occurred in the history of aviation.

The changes in aviation offer important clues to help students not only understand the
concept of advancement and improvement, but also the reasons behind the changes.

In 1783 the balloon became the first human-made device capable of lifting humans into
the air. It allowed humans to fly, but balloons drift with the wind, and the speed and
destination of each flight depended largely upon the weather. The limitations of
ballooning inspired people to develop new technologies to expand the realm of flight.
Change was inevitable. Propulsion was added to the balloon to help control its flight path,
increase its speed and make it move against the wind.

When powered, controlled flight became possible with the Wright Flyer airplane in 1903,
change in aviation happened at a quick rate. Many of the changes were driven by
aviators’ desire to fly higher, faster, and farther. Some changes occurred to satisfy
specific, practical requirements: the flying boat permitted flight operations from bodies of
water, and the helicopter could takeoff and land practically anywhere. Navigation
instrumentation allowed for flights in adverse weather and darkness.

Other changes occurred to satisfy the human spirit. Advanced gliders allowed people to
soar with the birds, and acrobatic airplanes allowed pilots to dance in the sky.
Creating a time line requires students to find out all they can about an event. Research
information fro a time line can be obtained from many sources. Books, magazines,
newspapers, people. The main source for this project should be the Internet.

Procedure:
1. Review what a time line is and why it is an important way of displaying
information.
2. Hand out Students Pages (Time Line Events, and illustrated Time Line).
Briefly discuss event on the sheet and how they depict a time line.
3. Explain to the students that they are going to research aviation events and
create a time line that shows important people and changes in aviation. Each
student or pair of student should find out all they can about an event and be
able to draw a picture of it.
4. Once students have completed their research, they can decide how the events
will be displayed in the time line. Students can design cards for the time line
or build a paper model. Other ways to display the event include magazine
cutouts, pictures, and models made from recycled or “throw away” items
found around their home.
5. Bring all items together to form a class time line. The time line can be hung
from the ceiling, attached to a wall or put on a shelf or table. Ask each student
to present and position his or her event on the time line.
6. Students will then write an essay using the information they collected to tell
what event they feel was the greatest advancement in aviation history and
predict what would be the next great advancement. They should give
supporting details, facts, and data to support their choice and prediction.

Evaluation:
Two Rubrics will be used for evaluation. One rubric for the Time Line and a
second for the Persuasive Essay.