Aircraft carriers use catapults to get planes to high speeds over short distances and create the necessary lift for take-off. Create a flight deck to launch a paper plane across your classroom!
Materials:
Assorted cardboard pieces
Masking tape
Scissors
Card stock
Rubber bands
Paperclips
Craft sticks
Stapler
Method:
Build a paper airplane using card stock.
Staple a paper clip to the nose of the paper airplane. The outer straight part of the paper clip should point backward, parallel to the bottom of the plane, so it can attach like a hook to the rubber band.
Design a sturdy tabletop flight deck launcher using cardboard, masking tape and scissors.
Attach two craft sticks to the end of the flight deck with a rubber band stretched between each stick.
Launch the paper airplane from the flight deck by hooking the paperclip to the rubber band, pulling back and then letting go.
Test and refine both the flight deck and paper airplane.
Take It Back to Class:
Consider different flight deck launch angles. Does your plane fly higher or farther with adjustments?
Use other materials like Legos to construct your flight deck.
Research how aircraft are launched on aircraft carriers. What powers the catapults? How fast can the catapult launch an aircraft?