Title of Lesson FLIGHT
Grade Level 7TH GRADE
Curriculum Area TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Time Frame 15-20 40 min. class periods
Developed By Norbert Herold
Desired Results (Stage 1)
CONTENT STANDARDS
NJCCCS-Middle School:
4.2 D.2 Select and use appropriate units and tools to measure quantities to the degree of
precision needed in a particular problem-solving situation.
4.3 C.1 Analyze functional relationships to explain how a change in one quantity can
result in a change in another, using pictures, graphs, charts, and
equations.
4.4 A.1 Collect, generate, organize, and display data.
A.2 Read, interpret, select, construct, analyze, generate questions about, and draw
inferences from displays of data.
4.5 A.1 Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery.
A.2 Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.
C.3 Recognize that mathematics is used in a variety of contexts outside of mathematics.
C.4 Apply mathematics in practical situations and in other disciplines.
D.1 Recognize that mathematical facts, procedures, and claims must be justified.
E.1 Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate
mathematical ideas.
E.3 Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical
phenomena.
F.1 Use technology to gather, analyze, and communicate mathematical information.
5.2 B.1 Describe the impact of major events and people in the history of science and
technology, in conjunction with other world events.
8.2 B.5 Select and safely use appropriate tools and materials in analyzing, designing,
modeling or making a technological product, system or environment.
9.2 A.1 Communicate, analyze data, apply technology, and problem solve.
C.1 Demonstrate respect and flexibility in interpersonal and group situations.
F.1 Demonstrate appropriate safety procedures for hands-on experiences.
National Education Technology Student Standards
2. Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
6. Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
National Standards for Technological Literacy:
1. Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics and scope of
technology.
2. Students will develop an understanding of the core concepts of technology.
7. Students will develop an understanding of the influence of technology on history.
18. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use transportation
technologies.
Understandings
Overarching Understandings
Students will understand that...
The invention of human flight changed the world.
There are different kinds of flight, with different scientific principals.
Related Misunderstanding
Flight just happens: it's magic.
Essential Question
What is flight?
Topical Questions
Who was the first to fly?
How do airplanes fly?
How do rockets fly?
How do lighter-than-air vehicles fly?
Knowledge
Students will know…
Key flight terms.
The difference between various forms of flight.
Minor adjustments on a flight vehicle can affect flight.
The history of heavier-than-air flight.
The history of the space race.
Skills
Students will be able to...
1. Categorize the different types of flight.
2. Research and develop a timeline of the key events in the development of flight.
3. Apply appropriate safety rules when using equipment to solve a design challenge.
4. Solve problems collaboratively.
5. Design and make a rocket from a soda bottle.
6. Launch their built rockets.
7. Determine the angle their arms make with the ground as they follow the flight of their
classmates’ rockets to their apogees from a set distance away from the launch.
8. Calculate their altitudes using mathematical formulas.
9. Make a model rubber-band-powered airplane from balsa wood and paper.
10. Test their models and adjust their performance.
11. Record airplane flight data as they test.
12. Develop charts from flight data.
13. Relate airplane flight data to environmental conditions.
14. Apply scientific concepts toward understanding the structures of vehicles that move
through the air.
15. Evaluate performance of flight vehicles.
16. Engage in contests that test the quality of their flight vehicles.
Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
Performance Task Description
Students will design and make two types of flight vehicles.
They will design and make a rocket using a soda bottle as the basic body.
They will design and make an airplane out of balsa wood and paper.
Other Evidence
Points are accumulated for cooperative groups for all activities.
Individually, a workbook-journal, worth 20 points, must be completed.
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
Learning Activities
1. As a classroom discussion elicits numerous vehicles and animals that fly, they are divided
into three categories: lift, reaction and lighter-than-air.
2. Students research the history of flight on the Internet. A class timeline is developed from
the findings of the research.
3. A safety test is passed by all students
4. Students divide into groups of twos and threes to work on projects.
5. a) Students bring in/select soda bottles and design and make rockets from
them.
b) Students are instructed in techniques relevant to their projects.
6. A launch day is set during which all launches take place.
7. During the launches, students participate in altitude-finding methods and
determine rockets’ apogees.
8. A post-launch session leads students through mathematical steps to determine
altitudes.
9. Students make a balsa wood and paper airplane powered by a rubber-band-
powered propeller by following instructions designed to maximize aeronautic design.
10 Students fly and test their models outdoors (weather permitting).
11. Students record relevant data for each day of test flying: average wind
speed, temperature and the seconds in the air of their models’ flights
12. Students develop charts from daily data.
13. Flight performance is related to variations in daily atmospheric conditions in essay form. 14. Underlying scientific principles related to flight are discussed and demonstrated.
15. Reflection is encouraged through work-book/journals that include evaluations of projects.
16. Contests are held for highest-altitude rockets, parachute performance, and airplane-flight
duration.
6 comments:
Norbert,
Your misconception definitely caught my attention. It's great and very true! I think your hands on activity is great! I would love to be there myself.
In your Overarching Questions you may want to discuss how flight has progressed and changed the world we live in.
Great Work!
Norbert-
Well done. The hands on activity is a nice complement to the questions you posed. As a result, students are able to test hypotheses as well as question the idea of flight. It seems very much like what the Wright brothers must have done!
Norbert,
Based on what you included in this plan, I wish I were in your class. It seems like you use a very hands-on approach, which I think is the best way to teach.
I think you did a great job with this plan. I think the misconception you included is very interesting. From my experience, students think many things "just happen". They do not necessarily take the time to question why they happen. Thus, the idea of something happening because it is magic is very common in science too.
I also like that you are having the students work in "cooperative groups". When I was a student in high school I hated working in groups. Now, I love doing it. By learning how to work in a group, I feel that I become a much better student and learner. I'm glad to see that you are forcing your students to work cooperatively. It should pay off for them throughout their academic careers.
Marc
Norbert,
As you know, we are supposed to give one suggestion. I would suggest that you give the students a rubric to help guide them through this activity. I think if the students know what is expected of them then they often meet or exceed those expectations.
Sincerely,
Marc
Norbert,
I thought your lesson plan was excellent. I love hands-on activities. As you know, I am a math teacher and often my colleagues refer to me as the manipulative king. Students really enjoy actively participating in class. However, as Marc noted I think you should have included a rubric in order to clearly define the expectations of the assignment. Other than that, I think you did a great job.
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
Sandra, excellent questions, and I actually did ask, "How has flight changed the world", and "What if flight had not been invented, how would your life be different?" of the students the other day, but I forgot to include it in my lesson plan.
Barry, I take a lot of inspiration from the Wright brothers and try to convey it to the students. Especially inspiring is a quote from Wilbur Wright in 1901, after they had a frustrating series of experiments, and an almost fatal accident: "Not within a thousand years would man ever fly," is inspirational in hindsight, since they were so discouraged, but then, went back to work and finally succeeded. Also, the fact that they succeeded using $1,000 of their own money, while the U.S. government was backing Samuel Langley, and gave him $80,000!
Marc and Levard,
You are so right, I should and will include a rubric. Thanks!
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