All play ideasPaper plane fair test

Paper plane fair test

Fold three plane designs, throw each one five times and work out an average distance.

Age 7 to 9 · Year 3 to Year 4Age 10 to 11 · Year 5 to Year 6IndoorSunny dayForces week

One throw proves nothing. Five throws and an average is real science, and endlessly competitive.

What you need

  • Nine sheets of the same paper
  • A long hallway or garden
  • A tape measure or counted steps
  • Paper for results

How to do it

  1. 1

    Fold three different planes, three copies of each so you can swap a bent one.

  2. 2

    Mark a throwing line and always throw from behind it.

  3. 3

    Throw each design five times, measuring every flight.

  4. 4

    Add up each set of five and divide by five to find the average.

  5. 5

    Change one thing on the winning design, such as a paper clip nose, and test again.

Try this next

Plan your whole week like this

Homeschool Club plans hands on lessons around weekly themes, keeps your learning records, and protects free time every day.

Start your free trial