• During this challenge, students will conduct multiple rounds of testing. The first set of tests will be of the pre-packaged balsa wood or the cardstock glider.  

• Students should record their results on their Glider Wing Prototype Testing student sheet.

• Reiterate the importance of following the standardized procedure when collecting performance data.

• Testing

  • Each group should carefully test their balsa glider using the defined procedure, and measure the distance flown.

  • They should conduct 10 trials per group

  • The students should enter each trial result on their Glider Wing Prototype Testing student sheet.

    • Trials that went the prescribed distance should be marked with either a pass/fail designation or colored green or red.

• Combine the class data and have the class analyze it

  • Average distance flown?

  • Longest distance? 

  • Shortest? 

• Is the data consistent?  Or were there procedural differences?

The experiment can be repeated if the data is too inconsistent—try to determine whether the class followed a consistent procedure. Once the class has a satisfactory data set, use the average distance as the baseline.  Students will compare new designs to that baseline to see if the new planes are doing better, worse, or the same.

• • Students should return to their Problem Understanding student sheet.  They should create a new requirement that the new planes must fly further than the original balsa wood or cardstock glider baseline distance.  This new test should be given a new name.