The start of the second quarter brings a new group of eighth grade students into the STEM classroom, and they’re taking off… literally! To kick off the new quarter, students are refreshing their understanding of the Engineering Design Process by designing and testing paper airplanes.
Through this hands-on activity, students are challenged to create an airplane that can fly the farthest distance. The project guides them through each stage of the Engineering Design Process: brainstorming, planning, creating, testing, and most importantly, revising. After each flight test, students analyze their results and make improvements to their designs, learning that real-world engineering involves persistence, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
The classroom has been filled with laughter, friendly competition, and plenty of paper airplanes gliding through the air as students put their designs to the test and refine their creations.