Using Paper Airplanes in Math

  This is the topic for those kids who are always making paper airplanes when your back is turned and try to get them airborne before you notice anything.  Why not take advantage of that and make a lesson based on how far a paper airplane can fly.

So lets look at a few activities you can do with your students to promote mathematics while allowing them to have a great time and be engaged at the same time.

No matter which mathematical concept you are trying to teach, you have to start with the airplane.  Why not start with a general discussion on favorite plane patterns and why in this type of activity you might want to use the same plane, rather than a variety.  Once this is done, it is time to let the students fold the plane using a template. This way they all have the same plane to start with.

So you are ready for the activity where students test their planes but make sure there is a throwing line with a judge so no one steps over and gets an unfair advantage.  Each student throws their plane 3 times and each time the distance should be measured and recorded in feet or meters. If you want to add another layer, have students make the distance negative if the plane flies backwards.

Once all the planes have been flown, the data recorded, and you are back in the classroom.  Its time to explore a variety of mathematical topics.  Some of these activities could be done for the whole class while others you might want for each plane.

1.  Calculate the average or mean for each set of flights.
2.  See where the mode is if any for the class
3.  Is there a median?
4.  Find the range of distances for the whole class.
5. Create a line plot of all the flights for the whole class as a way of visualizing mean, median, or mode.
6. Use the line plot to make a box plot so students can categorize their data.
7. The same data can be used in a histogram.
8.  Use a spreadsheet to produce bar graphs and histograms.
9.  The same data can be organized into a stem and leaf plot.
10. Discuss and/or calculate statistical deviations.

If you have students use a stopwatch to record the time it took each plane to fly the distance, they can calculate the rate or speed of the plane using the D = RT formula.

All of these possibilities from the simple act of making and throwing a paper airplane.  I have one week just before the end of the year where I'll do this because its awkward to try to teach after one week of doing cultural activities and just before the end of school.  This is something that they will love.

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.