Power Pole Planes

Unit Slides

Teacher Slides

General summary of unit:

• The unit explores the principles of flight and aviation, including the four forces of flight and the history of aviation. The power pole airplane project is the highlight of the unit, where students design and build their own airplanes, learning about engineering principles along the way. The project develops teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, culminating in a friendly competition to see whose airplane can fly the fastest around the powerpole. By the end of the unit, students have a deeper understanding of the principles of flight and aviation, and a tangible product that they can take home and continue to refine and improve upon. 

Skills students need or will develop:

• Understanding the principles of flight: You should be able to explain the principles of flight, including the roles of lift, thrust, drag, and gravity. You will apply these principles in the design and development of your Power Pole Plane.

• We will explore a little on the the history of flight and how technology has advanced to enable modern air travel and space exploration.

• You will develop some critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Flight involves a number of complex concepts, and you will be challenged to think critically and solve problems related to flight. This includes designing and building your own airplanes or conducting experiments to test different flight-related variables.

• Explore Careers in Flight such as mechanics, marketing, pilots, social media advisors, and etc.