Impromptu Speeches #Flight

"Impromptu speaking is a speech and debate individual event that involves a five to eight minute speech with a characteristically short preparation time of one to three minutes. The speaker is most commonly provided with their topic in the form of a quotation, but the topic may also be presented as an object, proverb, one-word abstract, or one of the many alternative possibilities. While specific rules and norms vary with the organization and level of competition, the speeches tend to follow basic speech format, and cover topics that are both humorous and profound."

Today in our enrichment class students were broken into unique teams and given 5 minutes to research a topic on flight. Students were then asked to give a 3 minute speech with their partner on the given topic. Students did a good job for their first time! I was really impressed with the teamwork amongst the mixed up grade levels.

Our Flight Topics Ranged From:

• Life and Times of Amelia Earhart
• Zepplins
• The Competitive Sport of Hang Gliding
• Drones
• Meganeura 
• History of Hot Air Balloons

 

Our next speech lesson will be on the art of story telling for our Halloween Bash next week! 

Flight lessons will continue with on Day 3 with mini pressure Rockets! 

Paper Helicopters

For an extended lesson on flight, students created paper helicopters. These paper helicopters spin gracefully as they fall slowly through the air. They’re quick and easy to make. They can even be released from a paper airplane during a loop-the-loop!

The helicopters are constructed from a narrow strip of ordinary or colored paper. We first used a template to cut and create our flyers. Afterwards students created larger models on their own.  Our students decorated their helicopters with unique patterns and colors.  They looked spectacular as they spiraled down. Flying requires a large space with high ceilings (eg school hall, gymnasium) or outdoors if winds and weather permit. We were able to make use of a second story balcony.

When our students dropped their paper Helicopter from a distance,  air pushed up against the blades, bending them up just a little. When air pushes upward on the slanted blade, some of that thrust becomes a sideways, or horizontal, push.

Why doesn't the copter simply move sideways through the air? That's because there are two blades, each getting the same push, but in opposite directions. The two opposing thrusts work together to cause the copter to spin.


Things to Notice/Question:

When you drop your copter, take notice of which direction it spins as it falls. Is it clockwise or counterclockwise? 

Does the weight (the number of paper-clips on the stem) change the spin? 


Which combination made the best spinning helicopter?

How can you change your spin? What if you bend the blades in the opposite direction? 

Terms: Lift

Lift is created by different airspeed above and below an airfoil.

[To illustrate this, take a standard rectangle piece of paper with your hands holding two corners, adjacent to each other(preferably, take the long end of the paper). For this demonstration, the part of the paper you are holding should be level, with the opposite end curving downward. Next, blow downward and across on the paper. Almost magically, the end of the paper lifts!  Why is this? Basically, the higher airspeed on top of your paper "airfoil" creates less pressure above the paper, causing the higher pressure below the paper to raise it up slightly.]

Looking for your own flying helicopter Template?

1.Check out Exploratorium's website.

2. Step by Step Instructions on instructables.com

Unit on Flight

As we move on from our History Unit, October is all about heading to the skies!

Students in the K-8 program will be participating in a Science unit on Flight this month. Students will study the history of aviation and the various ways humans have achieved flight. Students will be working on multiple projects and research as we complete this unit.

 Challenge One: The Paper Airplane (A lesson on aerodynamics)

This introduction activity teaches our students the art of designing an airplane through paper airplane constructions. The goal is that students will learn important aircraft design considerations and how engineers must iterate their designs to achieve success. Students first follow several basic paper airplane models, after which they will then design their own paper airplane. They will also learn how engineers make models to test ideas and designs. The process of iterative design helps an engineer learn from the mistakes of early designs. When designing an airplane, engineers often build small-scale models of the airplane to test how it will fly without building a large and expensive full-size aircraft. And, they experiment with many different designs to find the best one!

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Design at least three different paper airplanes.
• Modify one of their designed airplanes in an attempt to improve its flight.
• Become familiar with parts of a paper airplane and how they relate to parts on a real airplane. 

Students will have a classroom contest. Planes will be judged on:
1. Distance Flown
2. Ability to do a trick (loops, fly throw hoop etc)
3. Overall Design

Science, Technology, and Math Standards: 

•Physical Science Standard: Motions and forces.

•Geometry Standard: Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships.

•Measurement Standard: Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to determine measurements. Choose an appropriate unit and measure lengths and widths to a specified degree of precision in customary measurement

Vocabulary/Definitions 

Aerodynamics:	The study of the affects of bodies moving relative to gases, especially the interaction of moving objects with the atmosphere.
Aileron:	Either of two movable flaps on the wings of an airplane that can be used to control the plane's rolling and banking movements.
Drag:	The retarding (slowing down) force exerted on a moving body by a fluid medium such as air or water.
Elevators:	A movable control surface, usually attached to the horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft that is used to produce nose-up or nose-down motion (pitch).
Glider:	A light engineless aircraft designed to glide after being towed aloft or launched from a high location such as a building or mountain.
Launch:	To set or thrust a craft or projectile into motion.
Lift:	Force available for overcoming the force of gravity.
Nose:	The nose of an aircraft is the structure at the very front of the aircraft that is shaped in such a way as to reduce drag. The nose is usually shaped like a cone or a dome.
Rudder:	A vertically hinged plate of metal, fiberglass, or wood mounted at the tail of an aircraft, used for effecting horizontal changes in course.
Stability:	Stability is the ability of an object, such as a ship or aircraft, to maintain equilibrium or resume its original, upright position after being displaced from its original course.
Streamlined:	Designed or arranged to offer the least resistance to airflow.
Thrust:	The forward-directed force developed in a propeller, jet, or rocket engine as a reaction to the high-velocity rearward ejection of air or exhaust gases.
Weight:	A measure of the heaviness of an object.

    

 This is the one time, it's ok to fly a paper airplane in school!

Some Paper Airplane Design Websites

http://www.10paperairplanes.com/

Fold and Fly

http://www.paperaeroplanes.com/

High School Theatre Workshop Day

On October 1st, our High School Gifted and Forensics students  had the opportunity to participate in BTE's High School Theater Workshop. High School Theatre Workshop Day was a full day of classes ranging from acting, audition techniques for actors and singers, dance instruction, set construction, sound, light, costume design, stage combat, special effects, script analysis and a round table for teachers and student directors. The classes were taught by professional artists from BTE and Bloomsburg University.

Who benefits from BTE's High School Theatre Workshop Day?
- Students interested in Theatre Arts as a profession.
- Those wishing to improve (teachers/students) the skills they're using to produce their high school play or musical.
- Everyone who needs practice improving life skills such as writing, working under pressure,communicating, independent thought and creative problem solving


A huge thank you to BTE for offering our students a great opportunity for enrichment.


 Upcoming High School Trips
High Gifted and English Honors/AP Students will be visiting BTE on October 7th through Project Discovery for this year's fall performance play, Seagull.