Make a flying vehicle
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Yes, it’s a cardboard plane, and you’re going to build it. Get ready to take flight!
Subjects
Science, Design and Technologies, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Health and Physical Education, English, Media Arts, Digital Technologies
Objectives
Preparation
Materials
Makedo Invent Kit
Upcycled cardboard
Unsure of which cardboard to use? Read our guide here.
Activity
Lesson Steps
In groups, students design a vehicle that flies from one point to another. The distance between these two points can be determined based on the space you’re using.
Choose one or more of the subject-specific variations to conduct with your students below:
Science: Explore what makes things fly and the principles of flight, referencing people-made designs and nature.
Humanities and Social Sciences: Explore the history of flight and how it impacts us today.
Digital Technologies / Science: Explore how technologies use forces to generate movement, including flight.
Science / Health and Physical Education: Consider how flying might affect the future of people and the planet in relation to things like the environment, health outcomes, and access to goods and services.
English: Keep a journal of your successes and failures. How did your design change from its original concept to the final product?
Media Arts: Document your design process in a video blog.
You may wish to hold a competition to see which creation travels the furthest and/or highest or challenge students to modify their vehicle to protect precious cargo like an egg (sorry in advance for the mess!).
Reflection
Journal Prompts
Reflect on the process of creating your plane. How did you feel through each of the phases from when you were first presented with the activity to the completion?
What did you enjoy about this activity? What are you most proud of?
Were there any challenges in creating your plane? How did you overcome them?
What might you do differently if you were to do this activity again?