Lesson Objective:
Campers will learn about the forces of flight, weight and balance when they construct a glider. As they improve the design of their glider they will understand that a variable is a single change in the engineering.
Set-Up:
Each student will need two foam trays, a plastic knife and an x-glider template. Materials for weight and balance can be distributed at a communal table.
Demo and discussion:
Start off the lesson by asking your campers, “What are gliders?” After some discussion, explain that gliders are heavier than air aircraft that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. In flight, a glider has