Paper Airplane Engineering Challenge | Experimental Design Lab
Paper Airplane Engineering Challenge | Experimental Design Lab
Looking for an engaging way to introduce experimental design, variables, and scientific investigations? This hands-on Paper Airplane Engineering Challenge gives students the opportunity to think and work like scientists while exploring how changing one design feature affects the distance a paper airplane flies.
Working in teams, students build a control airplane, modify a single design variable, collect and analyze data, graph their results, and communicate their conclusions using the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) framework.
Throughout the investigation, students practice essential science process skills that they will use all year long.
What's Included
6-page Student Investigation Packet
7-page Teacher Guide with lesson procedures and answer guide
2-page Paper Airplane Folding Guide
Paper Airplane Design Assignment Cards
Ready-to-print PDF files
Low-prep, classroom-ready lesson
Students Will:
Develop a scientific hypothesis
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables
Conduct a fair scientific investigation
Collect and organize quantitative data
Calculate averages
Create and interpret a bar graph
Analyze results using evidence
Write a Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) explanation
Work collaboratively in small groups
Skills Covered
Experimental Design
Variables
Fair Testing
Data Collection
Graphing
Scientific Investigations
Metric Measurement
CER Writing
Scientific Explanations
Engineering Design Process
Perfect For
Beginning of the school year
Unit 0 Science
STEM activities
Engineering Design Challenges
Scientific Method review
NGSS-aligned science instruction
Middle school science labs
Grade Levels
Grades 5–8
Time Required: 50–60 minutes
Group Size: 2–3 students
Why Teachers Love This Resource
Minimal prep—just print and teach
Student-centered and highly engaging
Reinforces foundational science skills
Encourages teamwork and scientific thinking
Includes teacher directions, student worksheets, and extension ideas
Perfect as a beginning-of-the-year engineering activity or science skills lab
