Compare paper-airplane designs

Carry out a low-risk indoor investigation with adult permission and room to avoid people’s faces.

Suggested time: two or three short sessions. Adapt the task to learner needs and classroom conditions.

Your process

1. Change one fold while keeping paper and launch conditions consistent.

2. Define how you will measure flight distance and record every trial.

3. Use multiple trials and compute the mean and range for each design.

4. Write a claim connected to the measurements and supported by reasoning.

5. Identify limitations and propose a more informative follow-up.

What to produce

A brief written or illustrated explanation, your working notes, and a reflection. Label any hypothetical numbers or examples. Credit external sources and separate observations from assumptions.

Review checklist

• The question or goal is clear.
• Key terms and units are used accurately.
• Examples, observations, or sources support the explanation.
• The reasoning connects evidence to conclusions.
• Limitations and possible improvements are acknowledged.

Reflect

Which decision most improved your work? What could another learner misunderstand? What additional evidence or practice would help? Use your answers to make one revision.