Soaring Aeronautics

As children, we look up at the sky and point at birds and planes in wonder. Tapping into our curiosity about flight, this aerodynamics project answers the question, “How do things fly?” and introduces learners to the forces described by Newton and Bernoulli.

Through this project, learners will use the engineering design process to fabricate and launch their own gliders, interact with a full-scale glider, learn from glider pilots about flight controls and aerodynamics, and fly a glider. Preflight training on simulators supports the development of flight and navigation skills. The history of flight, anatomy of birds, current experimental gliders, and meteorology are woven in to extend and enhance knowledge, giving meaning to research and writing.

Project Resources Project briefs, documents, rubrics and support materials
for all iLEAD facilitators