Rockets & Flight
Powered Paper Planes
Transform ordinary paper planes into motorized flying machines!
Ages 8-12
1.5 hours
Up to 15 students
One-and-done session
Fold a paper plane, attach a motor, and watch it fly on its own!
Real Aerodynamics - Real Engineering - Real Flight
What Students Will Do
- Master Paper Folding - Learn advanced folding techniques for high-performance planes
- Build Multiple Designs - Try different plane styles to see what flies best
- Attach the Motor - Mount a small electric motor and propeller to their plane
- Balance for Flight - Add weights to achieve perfect center of gravity
- Test Flight! - Launch and watch their plane fly under its own power
- Iterate & Improve - Adjust, tweak, and improve flight performance
What Students Will Learn
Aerodynamics
How wing shape, angle, and surface area create lift and stability in flight.
Thrust & Propulsion
How propellers create forward motion by pushing air backward.
Center of Gravity
Why balance matters - and how to adjust it for stable flight.
Iterative Design
Test, observe, adjust, repeat - the real engineering process!
