Four Awesome Paper Planes
Paper Pilot Dylan talks Curriculum:
Aerodynamics can be quite a difficult topic to discuss or even expect retention in such a young age group (K-6 or even 7-12). I regularly find teachers a little hesitant to get too complicated but with the help of paper planes and other flying contraptions, students are able to absorb a lot more than you’d expect. The great thing is that discussing flight offers 4 main forces students can explore and experiment with. Talking through these forces in context to their paper planes is a great way for them to problem solve and manipulate how these forces might effect their planes performance – the stakes get a little higher when what you’re making needs to fly high amongst all of your year group. Gravity, thrust (energy
transfer), drag (air resistance) and lift (the rock’n’roll flight force) are all easily worked through and discussed amongst students.
The workshops I run also look at flight in nature, transport and the importance of efficiency and getting from point A to point B as well as the history of flight (through from ancient Chinese kite makers to supersonic flight and even human achievements such as standing on the moon). In addition to science, there are many links through design, maths and also even the technology side of things, the STEM champions really love the idea of using paper planes or my workshops at their schools for this very reason.
Andrew O’Keefe-inator
Materials:
• CleverPatch™ Copy Paper Brights – A4 – Pack of 250 – 16220
• Andrew O’Keefe-inator Paper Plane Template on pages 7 and 8 printed double-sided.
1. Fold your piece of A4 paper in half and then open the fold back up again.
4. Fold the pointed end of the paper down.
7. Fold your plane in half, mimicking the fold in step 1.
2. Fold the top corners of the page down diagonally to meet the centre crease.
5. Fold corner A towards edge B. This fold is indicated with the dotted line. Repeat on both sides.
3. Again, fold the top edges of the page diagonally to meet the centre crease.
8. Fold the wings down. Make sure the body of the plane sits in a ‘Y’ shape when looking from the back.
6. Fold the tip of the plane down to create the tip of your plane.
9. Fold up the winglets on each side.
Paper Helicopter Materials:
• CleverPatch™ Copy Paper Brights – A4 – Pack of 250 – 16220
• Helicopter Template on page 13.
1. Cut a piece of A4 paper into 6 equal pieces. This will make 6 helicopters.
2. Cut 2 slits in the side of the paper and fold in.
3. Fold the tail of the helicopter up.
4. Cut down the middle of the wings and gently fold.
1 2 2
START
Please read Andrew O’Keefe-inator Instructions. See reverse Fold your piece of A4 paper in half and then open the fold back up again.
STEP2Foldthetopcornersofthepagedowndiagonallytomeetthecentre crease.
STEP 7 Fold your plane in half, mimicking the fold in step 1.
2
2
STEP2Foldthetopcornerofthepagesdowndiagonallytomeetthecentre crease.
START
1
CIRCLING CLIVE INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the folds in numerical order.
indicates an inward (valley) fold
indicates an outward (Mt.) fold FLY WITH CARE
4
Please read Circling Clive Instructions. See below Fold your piece of A4 paper in half and then open the fold back up again.
1 2 2
START
Please read Nakamura
Instructions. See below. Fold your piece of A4 paper in half like a mountain and then open the fold back up again.
STEP 2
Fold the top corners of the page down diagonally to meet the centre crease
3
STEP 3
Fold the pointed end of the paper down.
4 4
STEP4
Foldthenewlycreated topcorners downtotouchthecentrecrease.
NAKAMURA INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the folds in numerical order. indicates an inward (valley) fold indicates an outward (Mt.) fold FLY WITH CARE