Lessons and Activities
The technology of aerodynamics impacts our daily lives. Start with some of the
simple experiments in the resources below to make the fundamentals of
aerodynamics come alive for your students. The hands-on projects further
connect aerodynamics principles to tangible examples and products. Students can
design, construct, and test (and redesign and retest!) prototypes of rockets,
windmills, gliders, and compressed air vehicles.
Have your students look at this brief segment about an aerodynamic bicycle that
reaches speeds equal to that of automobiles. It's a good opportunity to
introduce a discussion of drag. MSP full record
Your students will enjoy watching this video segment of 12-year-old Jesse, the
designer of dozens of gliders. Watch as he shows you some of his gliders and
explains how they fly. Viewing this as a class can get students excited about
building their own gliders. MSP full record
Grab a hair dryer, some Ping Pong balls, and a variety of cardboard tubes. This
simple experiment introduces students to air pressure. MSP full record
Ask your students that age-old question: Why do golf balls have dimples? Then
find the answer on this site and explore how aerodynamics connects to sports
such as baseball, tennis, track and field, car racing, and swimming.
Projects
Students work in teams of two during five to six class periods to design, build,
and test rockets powered by compressed air and water. What they learn about
rocket propulsion and aerodynamics helps them compete to keep their rockets
aloft for the longest time. The students provide the two-liter plastic bottles
to fashion the rocket body. The rocket launcher and other materials can be
ordered from FSEA, Future Scientists & Engineers of America. MSP full record
Students sharpen their technological design skills as they compete to design and
build a windmill with the greatest horsepower. Over the course of six class
periods, students assemble the windmill and then design and construct blades
that will be used to lift weights. They'll learn not only about aerodynamics,
but also about static and dynamic friction and power calculations. Lift, pitch,
and drag are among the factors that impact the operation of the windmills.
Materials are available from FSEA, Future Scientists & Engineers of America. MSP full record
Students build a paper glider that is a replica of the first plane to break the
sound barrier, the X-1. This NASA web site provides a history of the aircraft,
blackline master and assembly instructions for the glider, and suggestions for
experiments that explore the principles of flight. Aerodynamics is just one
aspect of additional activities in which students locate the center of gravity,
note changes in the glider's flight with different weight loads, and test the
airplane for maximum speed, distance, and flight time. Students can also
investigate how pitch, roll, yaw, and stalls are related to controlling flight.
MSP full record
 |
Students build a paper glider that is a replica of the first plane to break the
sound barrier, the X-1. This NASA web site provides a history of the aircraft,
blackline master and assembly instructions for the glider, and suggestions for
experiments that explore the principles of flight. Aerodynamics is just one
aspect of additional activities in which students locate the center of gravity,
note changes in the glider's flight with different weight loads, and test the
airplane for maximum speed, distance, and flight time. Students can also
investigate how pitch, roll, yaw, and stalls are related to controlling flight.
MSP full record
![[back to top]](/images/epubs/arrow_up.gif)
Back to top
|
Copyright
March 2005 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work
supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any
opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the National Science Foundation.
|
|
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
|
|