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Website
NASA

Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from NASA uses a colorful graphic to illustrate why objects reach terminal velocity. Provides equation for the terminal velocity of an object. Graphic is accompanied by a simple explanation.
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Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Lab Activity: Helicopter

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The Illinois Institute of Technology lets students investigate the aerodynamics of a helicopter, focusing on the variables which effect the lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Students investigate the effects of aerodynamics on a wide board.
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Handout
Other

Crouse Law Offices: How Helicopters Work

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what aerodynamic principles and elements of its design enable a helicopter to fly.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Does a Hovercraft Work?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Riding on a hovercraft is like gliding on a cushion of air. Make your own mini hovercraft in this experiment to test how hovercrafts work.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: The Swimming Secrets of Duck Feet

For Students 3rd - 8th
By comparing the feet of different water birds you can discover how they propel the birds through the water. This Science Buddies project show you how to modify swim fins to simulate ducks' feet, greebes' feet, and the feet of...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Parachutes: Does Size Matter?

For Students 4th - 8th
Experiment with different sizes of parachutes to find out if size matters when slowing the descent of the parachute. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction,...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Buoyancy of Floating Cylinders

For Students 6th - 8th
This project presents an interesting puzzle. A disk of wood will float face-up, that is, with its circular cross-section parallel to the surface of the water. A long log of wood, however, floats with the circular cross-section...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Hull Design and Hydrodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
Experiment with designs of different hulls for boats to see which hulls are suited for which purpose. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a...
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Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Lab Activity: Aviation

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site from the Illinois Institute of Technology provides a student lab activity in which the flight of a paper airplane is investigated and studied. Designed for primary grades, but easily adaptable for junior high students.
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Activity
Michigan Reach Out

Nasa Trc: Flying Wing

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lesson plan students can make a flying wing and trouble-shoot until the wing glides smoothly.
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Activity
Other

Easy to Make Paper Airplanes

For Students 3rd - 8th
Have fun making different kinds of flying vehicles. You will learn how to make a paper airplane, helicopter, rocket, blimp, etc.
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Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Balancing Ball: Suspend a Ball in a Stream of Air

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
In this lesson plan students learn about air flow using a suspended ball in an air stream.
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Activity
University of Minnesota

The Physics of Flight: Bernoulli's Principle

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses air flow around the wing of a plane and its effect upon the lift and drag forces. Focuses on the application of Bernoulli's principle to wing design and the subsequent airfoil shapes.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Helicopter Liftoff: Rotor Speed Affect on Lift

For Students 9th - 10th
In this science fair project, measure the rate of rotation of a remote-controlled helicopter rotor, using a digital tachometer, and relate this to the lift the blade generates. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Which Wing Design Creates the Greatest Lift?

For Students 9th - 10th
Airplane wings do not all have the same design. With this Science Buddies project you can design your own wings to see which offers the greatest lift. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract,...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Why Do Aerobie Flying Rings Go So Much Further Than Frisbees?

For Students 6th - 9th
Use the instructions from this Science Buddies project to develop your hypothesis on whether flying rings fly farther than flying disks. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Winglets in Wind Tunnels

For Students 9th - 10th
Have you noticed the little wing projections on the wings of jets? This Science Buddies project helps you understand whether these fins help stabilize airplanes. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Why Winglets?

For Students 6th - 9th
Make a paper airplane and experiment with adding winglets to it to test its performance. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on terms,...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Riding on Air Build a Real Hovercraft

For Students 9th - 10th
You will get to build a working hovercraft that will glide over surfaces on a cushion of air in this week long science project. With the use of some power tools, you will create your hovercraft, and ultimately understand how air...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Form vs. Function

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students take a closer look at cars and learn about some characteristics that affect their energy efficiency, including rolling resistance and the aerodynamics of shape and size. They come to see how vehicles are one example of a product...
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Website
Other

Virginia Space Flight Academy: Summer Residence Camps

For Students 9th - 10th
Watch campers count down for take-off and the ultimate rocket launch during this summer space camp experience. Read about programs offered including spaceships, aerodynamics, microgravity, robotics, rocket assembly and launching,...
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Unit Plan
NASA

Nasa: Model Rocket

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive tutorial that depicts the parts of a subsystem within a system. This tutorial dissects a rocket and explains how each part is integral to its actual functioning. Excellent links to otherresources dealing with aerodynamics.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Building Tetrahedral Kites

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students build a tetrahedral kite and test it out. While building they are learning about flight and the manufacturing process
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Physics of the Flying T Shirt

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students are introduced to the physics concepts of air resistance and launch angle as they apply to catapults. This includes the basic concepts of position, velocity and acceleration and their relationships to one another. They use...

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