By the Fifth-Grade Students of Ms. Ursula Sexton and Mr. John Lukas, Green Valley Elementary School, Danville, California
Editor’s Note: Originally published in the September/October 1996 issue of Dragonfly Magazine, this story follows a class that combined science fiction with serious scientific testing to solve the problems of future space travel.
The Spark
Our investigation started with a catastrophe—at least, a pretend one! We spent the whole year participating in a “science story” where humans had to leave Earth to let the planet recover. To save humanity, we needed to design ship models that could travel to space colonies and return safely.
But before we could build a spaceship, we had to understand the basics of flight. Our teachers gave us a strange-looking starting model: a basic “Air-OO-Plane” made from just a straw and two paper hoops. Looking at this odd contraption, we wondered: How could we change this simple design to make it fly farther and faster?
The Prediction
We brainstormed a list of possible changes. Some of us thought larger hoops would catch more air and provide more lift. Others predicted that a longer straw “fuselage” would make the plane more stable. We even wondered if changing the material—like using heavier cardstock or lighter tissue paper—would affect the distance. Our main prediction was that by changing only one variable at a time, we could “evolve” the perfect glider.
How We Investigated
We turned our classroom into a laboratory for experimental design. Every student started with the same basic hoop-plane. Then, the challenge began: we built two or three new versions, making exactly one change to each.
We tested them in every way imaginable. We flew them forward, backward, upside down, and even at upward angles. To keep our “data” accurate, we used a long strip of masking tape on the floor marked in centimeters to measure exactly how far each design traveled. We made sure to launch our planes from the same spot every time to keep the “thrust” consistent.
What We Found
Our results surprised us! We found that the “standard” way of flying wasn’t always the best. For many of us, the planes actually traveled farther when we flew them “backward” (with the large hoop in front). We also discovered that if the hoops weren’t perfectly aligned, the plane would “bank” or turn in the air.
Through our tests, we learned that designing a flying machine is a constant trade-off between lift and drag. By the end of the experiment, we weren’t just students; we were aeronautical engineers ready to lead our fictional space colony to the stars.
Go Wild: Your Turn!
The One-Change Challenge: Build your own Air-OO-Plane using a drinking straw and two strips of paper taped into hoops.
- The Variable Test: Make a second plane but change just one thing. Make the straw shorter, or make the hoops square instead of round.
- The “Flight Deck”: Mark a starting line and throw both planes ten times. Which one has the highest average distance?
- The Acrobat: Can you find a design that does a loop-de-loop? What happens if you tilt the hoops?
The Field Guide (For Educators)
- Subject/Grade Level: Physical Science / 4th–6th Grade
- Inquiry Focus: Variable Isolation, Controlled Testing, and Data Collection.
- The Science Behind It: The Air-OO-Plane (or hoop glider) works because the hoops act as airfoils. The rear hoop provides stability (acting like the tail of a plane), while the front hoop provides lift. This activity demonstrates how changing the center of gravity and the surface area of the “wings” affects flight path and distance.
- Standards Connection: NGSS: 3-5-ETS1-3 (Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled).
- Materials Needed:
- Plastic or paper drinking straws
- Stiff paper or cardstock (cut into strips)
- Masking tape
- Tape measure or meter sticks