Nanogirl STEM Challenge 1 - build something that flies!

Nanogirl has a series of STEM challenges designed to help you build and invent things using only materials you have lying around!
This week's challenge is to build something that flies!

Can you fly?  Maybe if you go up in an aeroplane, but no matter how hard you flap your arms you probably can’t fly like a bird. So what do things need to fly?

There are 4 forces involved in the science of flight and they are: Gravity, Lift, Thrust and Drag.

Let’s build something that flies - it can be anything, just look around to see what you can re-use or re-purpose to make your flying invention.

It could be a sheet of paper to make a paper plane, or a strip of card to make a flying hoop, maybe even some sticks and a sheet of plastic or paper to make a kite!

I’ve linked some videos below so you can get some ideas but you don’t have to make them exactly the same as mine, just use whatever you can find lying around the house. 

Once you have engineered your new invention it’s time to test it!  Can you measure how far it flies using your footsteps, or how about how long it flies for using a timer on a phone or a clock? What would you change if you wanted it to fly for longer, or further? This is what an inventor does, tries something, then thinks about how they can make it better!

Once you are happy with what you have made share your inventions and what you enjoyed about it with us!

I can’t wait to see your inventions and discoveries.