
Introduction to Engineering with Paper Airplanes
Steven Oakland is a teacher at the Parkway Academy of Technology and Health, a public high school in Boston. Mr. Oakland teaches a robotics course in which he uses this activity to introduce his students to the engineering process. He has generously allowed SPARK to host his materials to share with other educators and parents. Overview In this activity, students use an iterative design process to build, test, and modify paper airplanes. Grades: 5 to 12 Students work in teams of 2 to 3 Supplies needed (per team): Three sheets of paper and three paperclips Additional Supplies: Tape measure, calculator Downloadable Materials Slides for the instructor (Microsoft PowerPoint format) Airplane handout for students (Microsoft Word format)

