Up, Up, and Away!

Do you know why airplanes fly? What keeps birds up in the air? Book your trip with this quest and find out the basic facts of flight. You will also fly back in time to learn some of the history of aeronautics. Learn the principles behind flight. Finally, you will earn your wings by designing your own flying machines.

The Mission:

This WebQuest is designed for middle school and high school science students.

You will learn why airplane wings look the way they do and how they make airplanes fly.
You will experiment with Bernoulli's Principle.
You will learn the basic parts of airplanes.
You will learn some information about the history of flight.
You will make paper airplanes and experiment with their design.

The Control Tower:

Here are some websites I have found to help you accomplish the tasks above. I hope that you will take a flight through each of these to find the valuable lessons that are available on the Internet.

1. What's in a wing? is a great site that will explain why airplane wings look the way they do and how they make planes fly. What makes an airplane fly? is an explanation of how Bernoulli's Principle applies to airplane wings and flight.
2. Parts of An Airplane is an excellent source of information on the outer surfaces of an airplane. This information will help you appreciate the construction, design, and aerodynamics of the airplane. Forces of Flight is a site in which you explore the science behind flight. You will find out about the four forces: lift, thrust, weight, and drag.
3. Flights of Inspiration is a site where you will find information about Wilbur and Orville Wright who made the first sustained, powered flight in 1903. You will also find information concerning John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown who were inspired to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919.
4. Unusual Paper Airplanes is an interesting site explaining the construction of a variety of unusual paper airplanes. Four different types are illustrated.
5. Design a Plane is an informational and educational service through NASA describing basic aircraft design. How cost conscious are you? Would an airline company make money and stay in business with you as their design engineer?

The Flight:

Your mission is fly to all of the following destinations. At each layover you will find a checklist of activities you will need to accomplish before continuing on your flight. After your final destination you will turn in your Flight Log (also known as your writer's journal) and any equipment you have developed during your training. Successful completion of these activities will earn you your wings for flight. Please return your seat to an upright position and fasten your seat belt. You are ready for takeoff...

1. The first destination on your flight is What's in a wing?. You will need to scroll down and select Experiment #1. It will give you the opportunity to try out your engineering skills. You will construct a wing and see how it makes planes fly. What makes an airplane fly? will lead you through an experiment with Bernoulli's Principle and how this applies to flight.
2. When you land at Parts of An Airplane you will need to enter in your Flight Log the parts of the outer surface of an airplane and the function of these parts. At Forces of Flight you will need to experience each of the four forces of flight: lift, thrust, weight, and drag. Again, be a responsible pilot and record your answers to the questions in your Flight Log.
3. Flights of Inspiration will inspire you to reach for your dreams. Visit First Flight and the Longest Flight and record in your Log five facts about each.
4. When you land at Unusual Paper Airplanes choose two airplane designs to construct. You will need to scroll down until you reach the directions for the airplanes. Be sure to turn your airplanes in with your Flight Log at the end of your journey.
5. Design a Plane will give you several missions to attempt. To earn your wings you will need to do at least two of the activities. Be sure to record all your data and other observations in your Flight Log. This destination will require all your piloting skills. Get prepared for your solo flight.
6. As you finish your solo flight, go to the Take Flight game to check your aviation vocabulary.

Instructor Pilot's Advice:

You will want to be sure to keep your Flight Log with you throughout your flying lesson. As you land at each site record the information you need and log any observations you make. Remember to be very descriptive in observations. Keep up with your engineering designs and other materials from your experiments.

Landing:

Congratulations! You have finished your solo flight and have earned your wings. Now that you have gained knowledge concerning principles of flight apply these to your daily life. When you look at a bird flying remember the design of the wings you made. When you see a plane take off think about how thrust, lift, weight, and drag play a part in getting that plane off the ground. Think about the efforts of those pioneers of flight and apply their persistence.

(Created by Kate Faulk, for EDU 506-01, on November 7, 2000. This presentation can also be viewed in Power Point Presentations.)