Twirling Helicopter

Grade Level: K-2

Time: 45 minutes

Summary: In this quick and easy activity, students improve a twirling helicopter design.

Materials: Pattern of twirling helicopter

Scissors

Paper clip

Content:

Students improve upon an existing design, an important part of the invention process.

Students work like engineers by refining, testing, and evaluating their work.

Teacher Notes:

The design of a twirling helicopter is found below. Students will explore ways to slow the descent of the helicopter.

Put students in groups of 3 or 4.

You could have a twirling helicopter drop contest at the end of this activity. Prepare a standard drop point from which each group drops their twirling helicopter. Have several students check the time of the descent. Record times on the classroom board.

Twirling Helicopter

Procedure:

1. The Entertainment America company builds rides for amusement parks. Engineers at Entertainment America are developing a new ride called the Twirling Helicopter. The object of this ride is to carry a passenger from the top of the tower to the ground very slowly. However, their current design model is descending too fast. Your class has been asked to build a model of a Twirling Helicopter that descends slowly.

To get started, get a pattern of a twirling helicopter and assemble it using these directions:

a. Cut the two flaps or rotors of the helicopter along the solid line between A and B.

b. Fold one flap forward and the other backward along the dotted line.

c. Cut along the solid lines at C and D. Fold the two flaps inward at the dotted line.

d. Fold up the bottom edge. Attach the paper clip to the bottom of the paper to hold the flaps in the center.

2. Test the model to see how long it takes it to descend. To do so:

a. Hold up the twirling helicopter as high as possible.

b. Dropthe helicopter and carefully watch its descent until it hits the floor.

c. Repeat the drop and watch the helicopter again.

3. Now it’s your turn. Can you think of a way to make the helicopter drop slower? Write your ideas on the Design Handout.

4. Get another pattern of the twirling helicopter and make the changes you recorded on the Design Handout.

5. Drop your new helicopter and the original helicopter from the same height as before. Observe the twirling helicoptersas they descend to the floor. Did your new design travel slower than the original helicopter? Repeat the drop two more times until you are sure.

6. Continue to experiment with your helicopter until it is dropping as slowly as possible.

7. Optional: On your Design Handout, write a memo to Entertainment America explaining how you designed a Twirling Helicopter that descends slowly.

Twirling HelicopterDesign Handout

Name ______Date ______

Group members ______

1. How will you change your twirling helicopter to make it fall at a slower rate?

______

______

______

2. (Optional) Write a memo to Entertainment America. Explain how your changes caused the twirling helicopter to slow as it descended.

Pattern for the Twirling Helicopter