Design a Paper Flying Machine

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content descriptions:

Design and Technologies:

Students learn to:

• explain how characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment affect their use when producing designed solutions (AC9TDE6K05)

investigate needs or opportunities for designing, and the materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions (AC9TDE6P01).

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy

Syllabus outcomes: ST3-2DP-T, ST3-3DP-T

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. 

Relevant parts of Year 5 achievement standards:
Students share and communicate ideas or content to an audience using technical terms, graphical representation techniques and appropriate digital tools. They develop project plans, including production processes, and select technologies and techniques to safely produce designed or digital solutions.

• device capable of playing audiovisual recordings, such as an iPad or laptop.
• digital resources: Design maker squad App by PBS (optional & teacher preference)
• everyday objects for demonstration (tongs, fork, scissors, stapler etc)
• masking tape
• paper A4 ( combination of recycled or coloured)
• paper straws
• recycled materials (cardboard, paper wrapping)
• tin foil
• wax paper

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• Collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Prototyping
• Curiosity
• Leadership
• Initiative
• Adaptability
• Digital literacy
• Cultural understanding
• Creativity
• Communication
• Reflection

This is a standalone lesson within the Bridging the Digital Divide Unit. For more practical activities that enhance the digital literacy of primary school students and to learn more about other First Nations Australian Leaders in Digital Technology, head to the rest of the Unit!

Level of teacher scaffolding:  High - facilitate group organisation, class discussions, digital content, assist with paper aeroplane building and experimentation.

Special thanks to:
Cool Australia would like to thank and acknowledge the support of the auDA Foundation enabling us to create these lessons.

Digital technologies for STEM classrooms

Quick Summary:

This course will be most useful for proficient generalist teachers of middle (years 3 & 4) and upper (years 5 & 6) primary, and for STEM secondary teachers, specifically science and design and technology subjects.