✈️ Weeks 4-6: Paper Airplane Challenge¶

Unit Overview¶


Grade Level	Grades 3-4
Duration	3 sessions (40 min each)
Curriculum	Year B
STREAM Focus	E (Engineering), S (Science), M (Math)

Weeks 4-6: Paper Airplane Challenge¶

🎯 Learning Objectives¶

STEM Objectives¶

Students will be able to: 1. Apply engineering design process 2. Design for specific performance criteria 3. Iterate based on test results 4. Present designs with data evidence

Faith Integration Objectives¶

Students will be able to: 1. Practice perseverance through failure 2. Collaborate using Catholic virtues 3. Connect creativity to being made in God's image

Weeks 4-6: Paper Airplane Challenge¶

🙏 Faith-Reason Integration¶

Catholic Teaching Connection¶

Made in God's Image — When we design and create, we reflect God the Creator. Our creativity is a gift! The engineering design process — designing, testing, improving — mirrors how we grow in virtue.

Scripture Connection¶

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." — Colossians 3:23

Saint Connection¶

Wright Brothers — Though not saints, Orville and Wilbur Wright were raised by their minister father with strong faith. Their persistence through thousands of failures before achieving powered flight at Kitty Hawk shows how faith-inspired perseverance leads to success.

📚 Materials Needed¶

Various paper types (printer, cardstock, origami)
Scissors, rulers, tape
Paper clips for weight
Measuring tapes
Stopwatches
Engineering Design worksheets
Flight testing area
Data recording sheets

🎯 Challenge Categories¶

Teams choose ONE category to design for:

Category	Success Criteria
Distance	Travels the farthest
Hang Time	Stays aloft the longest
Accuracy	Lands closest to target
Acrobatics	Does the best tricks

📝 Week 4 Procedure (40 minutes)¶

Opening Prayer (2 min)¶

"Creator God, You designed the universe with wisdom and love! Help us be creative designers too. Give us patience when things don't work and joy when they do. Amen."

Challenge Introduction (5 min)¶

Announce the Paper Airplane Challenge:

Categories: 1. Distance Champion — Who can design a plane that flies the farthest? 2. Hang Time Hero — Who can keep their plane in the air longest? 3. Accuracy Ace — Who can hit the target most precisely? 4. Stunt Star — Who can design the coolest tricks?

Rules:

Paper only (no other materials except allowed tape)
Must be throwable by student
Maximum of 3 sheets of paper
Must be safe (no sharp points)

Teams choose category:

Groups of 2-3
Select focus category
All teams will compete in all categories at finals

Engineering Design Process Review (5 min)¶

Steps to follow:

ASK — What's the problem? What are constraints?
IMAGINE — Brainstorm solutions
PLAN — Choose best idea, make blueprint
CREATE — Build prototype
TEST — Does it work?
IMPROVE — Make it better based on tests
SHARE — Present your solution

"Engineers don't get it right the first time. They iterate — try, learn, improve!"

Research Phase (12 min)¶

Learn from existing designs:

Provide resources:

Paper airplane design books/printouts
Videos of championship planes
Basic fold patterns

Teams research:

What designs work for their category?
What makes planes fly far? Stay up? Go straight?
Take notes in journals

Key discoveries to guide toward:

Distance: Narrow, dart-like, heavy nose
Hang Time: Wide wings, light, glider-style
Accuracy: Balanced, straight creases, fins
Acrobatics: Special folds, adjustable surfaces

Initial Design (14 min)¶

Design worksheet:

Category chosen
Sketch of design (3 views)
Materials list
Hypothesis: "We think this will work because..."

Build first prototype:

Follow your plan
Make careful folds
Label your plane

Closing (2 min)¶

Checkpoint:

"What did your team design?"
"Why do you think it will work?"

Preview: "Next week: Testing and improving! Your first design probably won't be perfect — that's GOOD! We learn from failure!"

Closing Prayer: "Thank You, God, for the gift of creativity. Help us learn from our mistakes and keep improving. Bless our teamwork. Amen."

📝 Week 5 Procedure (40 minutes)¶

Opening Prayer (2 min)¶

"Lord, the Wright Brothers failed thousands of times before success. Help us have that same perseverance! Amen."

Testing Round 1 (12 min)¶

Test your design:

All categories measured:

Distance (measuring tape)
Hang time (stopwatch)
Accuracy (distance from target)
Stability (straight flight?)

Each team:

3 test flights
Record all data
Calculate average

Data table in journals: | Test | Distance | Hang Time | Accuracy | Notes | |------|----------|-----------|----------|-------| | 1 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | Avg | | | | |

Analysis & Redesign (10 min)¶

Study your results:

What worked well?
What didn't work?
What could you change?

Connect to four forces:

Not enough lift? → Wider wings
Too much drag? → Sleeker design
Not stable? → Add fins or adjust balance
Not enough thrust? → Optimize for throwing

Improvement plan:

List 2-3 changes to try
Explain WHY each change might help
Sketch modified design

Build Version 2.0 (10 min)¶

Create improved prototype:

Apply your changes
Keep careful folds
Label as "Version 2"

Test immediately:

Same 3 trials
Record data
Compare to Version 1

Analysis Discussion (4 min)¶

Share findings:

"Who improved their results?"
"What changes made the biggest difference?"
"Anyone surprised by their results?"

Faith connection:

"How is this like growing in virtue?"
"We try, fail, learn, try again"
"Perseverance is a spiritual gift!"

Closing (2 min)¶

Status check:

Version 2 results
Plans for final version

Preview: "Next week: Final designs and competition!"

Closing Prayer: "Thank You, God, for teaching us through testing and trying. Help us be patient learners who never give up. Amen."

📝 Week 6 Procedure (40 minutes)¶

Opening Prayer (2 min)¶

"Lord, today we celebrate what we've learned! Help us compete with joy and good sportsmanship. Help us cheer for others' success. Amen."

Final Preparation (8 min)¶

Last improvements:

Make final version
Last-minute adjustments
Prepare presentation

Presentation requirements:

Show your plane
Explain design choices
Share your data journey (Version 1 → Version 2 → Final)
What did you learn from failures?

Competition Rounds (20 min)¶

Each category competition:

Distance Round:

Each team: 2 throws, best counts
Measure from launch line
Record results

Hang Time Round:

Each team: 2 throws, best counts
Time from release to landing
Record results

Accuracy Round:

Target at set distance
Each team: 3 throws, closest counts
Measure from target center

Stunt Round (if teams entered):

Demonstrate planned tricks
Judges award points for creativity, execution

Team Presentations (8 min)¶

Brief shares:

Each team: 1-minute presentation
What was your strategy?
What did you learn from failure?
What would you do differently?

Celebrate all teams:

Recognition for each category
"Biggest Improvement" award
"Best Perseverance" award
"Best Teamwork" award

Closing Celebration (2 min)¶

Reflect:

"What was the most important thing you learned?"
"How did failure help you succeed?"
"How is engineering like faith?"

Connection:

"The Wright Brothers' first flight was 12 seconds"
"They kept going — now we fly around the world!"
"Never give up on what God calls you to do"

Closing Prayer: "Thank You, God, for this challenge! Thank You for teaching us that failure leads to learning. Thank You for teammates who helped us improve. Bless the creativity You've given us, and help us always use it to serve others. Amen."

📎 Home Connection¶

"We completed the Paper Airplane Challenge! Ask your child: 'What category did you design for?' 'What did you learn from your failures?' 'How did you improve your design?' Challenge them to teach you their best design and have a family paper airplane competition!"

✅ Assessment¶

Applied engineering design process
Iterated based on test data
Demonstrated perseverance through failure
Presented design with evidence

Lesson Version: 1.0 — Year B | **