Maker Project: Model Aircrafts

Subject: Science and Technology

Strand: Understanding Structures and Mechanisms- Flight

Grade: 6

Overall Expectations:

By the end of grade 6, students will…

assess the societal and environmental impacts of flying devices that make use of properties of air;

investigate ways in which flying devices make use of properties of air;

explain ways in which properties of air can be applied to the principles of flight and flying devices.

Big Ideas:

Flight occurs when the characteristics of structures take advantage of certain properties of air. (Overall expectations 1, 2, and 3)

Air has many properties that can be used for flight and for other purposes. (Overall expectations 1, 2, and 3)

Essential Question(s):

How do structural characteristics interact with forces to allow for flight?

A Description That Contextualizes the Project as the Culminating Activity

This unit is structured around interesting interactive hands-on experiments, activities, centres, and student inquiry as means to investigate flight. Students will investigate the big ideas in the curriculum which state: “flight occurs when the characteristics of structures take advantage of certain properties of air” and “air has many properties that can be used for flight and for other purposes” (Ontario Curriculum, 2007). The culminating task invites students to reflect on how these big ideas have framed their learning. It allows students to synthesize their learning through designing and creating an aircraft while taking into account the principles or air and properties of flight etc.

Students will use their accumulated knowledge of flight to create a model aircraft out of balsa wood. This culminating activity will allow students to further explore the essential question of how structural characteristics interact with forces to allow for flight. Students will design and create a model aircraft while reflecting on the properties of air, the forces of flight, wings, and experiments conducted throughout this unit.

Students will benefit from this culminating activity as they will apply the skills they have learned in Inkscape and the knowledge they have accumulated throughout the unit. The application of knowledge in this respect helps solidify their understanding of concepts. This hands on activity might also help to draw in reluctant learners and is inclusive as it offers students choice and is open ended, students can also chose to tailor their own level of difficulty. Students are expected to sketch 3 prototypes before choosing the design they wish to use for their model. Students are expected to justify their design which will help rationalize their choices. This also offers students the opportunity to present their learning through a written component as well as their physical model and oral presentation.

Unit Overview

Lesson 1: Properties of Air and Characteristics of Flight

- What do you know about air?

- Bernoulli’s Principle, experiment

Lesson 2: Density of Air

- Buoyant force and gravity, why does hot air rise?

- Make a hot air balloon

Lesson 3: Forces of Flight

- Force centres

Lesson 4: Living Things that Fly

- Why can a bird fly?

- Airplanes versus birds, other living things that fly

- Research project

Lesson 5: Experimenting with Flight

- Twirlie bird experiment

Lesson 6: History of Flight

- Create a timeline around the classroom

- Benefits and costs

Lesson 7: Using Unbalanced Forces to Control Flight

- Paper airplanes

Lesson 8: Making Model Aircrafts

- Design model using Inkscape

- Laser cut model from balsa wood

A Description of What Students Will CREATE

Maker Project: A Model Aircraft

You will design and create a model aircraft from Balsa wood using the laser cutter. You will ensure your aircraft has at least a body, wings, and a tail. Your aircraft’s components must be no larger then 8.5 x 11 inches. You will sketch 3 different designs and pick one to digitally craft using Inkscape. Prior to beginning your design on Inkscape, you must write down appropriate dimensions on the sketch of your choice (length, height, width of each component). Once you have designed your components in Inkscape, personalize it by adding designs or text! Tip: Save your creation prior to exploring this option.

When you are ready to laser cut your model make sure you do a 'test run' using cardboard. Make sure you show me your completed design on cardboard. Once you have successfully laser cut a cardboard model to your liking (and conferenced with me) you may proceed to laser cut your model out of Balsa wood.

Upon completion, you will hand in the sketch of your model, the PDF of your completed project from Inkscape along with your final laser cut project. Remember to format the outlines of your model aircraft to 0.001 inches in Inkscape once your design is finished. Check the rubric to ensure you have met all criteria for success. Next, you are to save your model as a PDF and put it on a USB key to bring it to the laser cutter. When you save your model remember to change the resolution to 600dpi.

Submit your Maker Project along with a description of the kind of aircraft you created and its purpose. Remember to justify the choices you made during the design process. Make reference to the forces of flight! You will present your project to your peers. Then we will do a test flight!

Inkscape Processes:

To set the parameters for your document: File > Document Properties > Page > change “Default Units” to inches, change “Custom Size” units to inches, change custom size “Width” to 11 (maximum) and “Height” to 8.5 (maximum), which will be the size of a piece of paper
To fit to page: Click “Zoom to Fit Page Window”
To measure: Use the ruler tool to measure the width of your wings and tail to ensure the space you are going to cut out will fit the wings/tail.
To format outlines to 0.001 inches: Object > Fill and Stroke > Stroke Style, Width: 0.001inches
To save: Save As > enter name

Curriculum Expectations that are Addressed Through Completion of this Project

Overall Expectations:

By the end of grade 6, students will…

2.investigate ways in which flying devices make use of properties of air;

3.explain ways in which properties of air can be applied to the principles of flight and flying devices.

Specific Expectations:

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

2.1 follow established safety procedures for using tools and materials and operating flying devices (e.g., aim flying devices away from each other when launching them; fly kites and airplanes a safe distance from overhead hydro wires)

2.2 use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills (see page 12) to investigate the properties of air (e.g., air takes up space, has mass, can be compressed)

Sample guiding questions: How do we know that air is there? When have you felt the force or pressure of air? Where might you see some of these principles applied in daily life?

2.4 use technological problem-solving skills (see page 16) to design, build, and test a flying device (e.g., a kite, a paper airplane, a hot air balloon)

Sample guiding questions: How does your device use the principles of flight? What were some challenges in getting your device off the ground? How might you change your device to make it fly better?

2.5 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including aerodynamics, compress, flight, glide, propel, drag, thrust, and lift, in oral and written communication

2.6 use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes

(e.g., using technological conventions, make a drawing of the flying device they constructed)

3.3 identify and describe the four forces of flight – lift, weight, drag, and thrust

3.4 describe, in qualitative terms, the relationships between the forces of lift, weight, thrust, and drag that are required for flight (e.g., lift must be greater than weight for a plane to take off; thrust must be greater than drag for a plane to take off; lift must be less than weight for a plane to land; thrust must be less than drag for a plane to land)

Assessment

Self Assessment Success Criteria Checklist

Rubric

My Success Criteria

- I wrote my name, date, and a title on my work

- I sketched 3 prototypes

- I wrote down measurements on 1 sketch

- My parameters in Inkscape are set to 8.5 x 11 inches

- In Inkscape I have formatted my outlines to 0.001 inches

- I have saved and exported my file

- I have laser cut on cardboard to make sure everything is to my liking

- I have laser cut my final model on balsa wood

- I tried my best!

Screencast

Ms. Takman has created a brief screencast with processes to help you get started and finish your Maker Aircraft. Please refer to this in conjunction with your success criteria.

Your final maker project will be to design and laser cut your own model aircraft from balsa wood. This will help synthesize the knowledge and understanding you have accumulated throughout our flight unit.
Once you have sketched 3 prototypes of your model aircraft you will choose your preferred one to digitally render using Inkscape.
To begin, set the parameters for your document in Inkscape:
File > Document Properties > Page > change “Default Units” to inches, and choose page size: US Letter then change the orientation to Landscape
Next, Click “Zoom to Fit Page in Window”
Now you're ready to begin!
Prior to exporting your finished design, you must change the width of any outline you want cut to 0.001 inches. Object > Fill and Stroke > Stroke Style > 0.001 in
Your final draft will be cut from balsa wood. Make sure to check your Success Criteria along the way!