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Design Curricula :: Model Parachute : Cardboard Chair : Shopping Bag : Paper Bridge
Crane : Electromagnet : Baking Soda : Simple Machines :: Other Tasks :: Chooser Chart
How Parachutes Work : Parachute Variables & Effects : Design Rules of Thumb : Key Design Criteria
Science Video Timeline : Tech Ed Video Timeline : Designing Your Lessons : Student Work
Introducing the Model Parachute Task & 1st Demo

Both science teachers in the Timeline do a classic paper versus book drop drawn from physical science classes, but vary it in small but significantly different ways. What changes do you think are important? The main point aim of the demo involves the hard-to-predict drop where the paper is placed above the book. Students will propose many reasons why the paper falls as fast as the book in this orientation. HINT: A feather will fall as fast as a hammer when dropped on the moon, where there is no air drag. Which demo better supports students in grasping this point, and why?

MOVIES 1 & 2 show both science teachers starting with the demo rather than the design brief. You might want to compare this to how the tech ed teacher started this challenge by clicking here --Day 1 - Tech Ed.

MOVIE 1 Questions:
1. Compare Bridget's demo drops to those used by Earl and Ed. What are the differences? What different learning goals does each serve?
2. What other demo drops might have been done? What would be their points?


MOVIE 1:   7 minutes 31 seconds MOVIE 2:   1 minute 2 seconds
MOVIE 2 Questions:
1. What do you think are some good "starter questions"?
2. What prior knowledge about air resistance do students know that might help them during design?
3. What estimation task might you engage students with while they design parachutes?

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