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15
Try It Yourself
Make your own paper bird.
Some birds soar on winds high up in the sky. Other birds flap their wings and
flutter from branch to branch. What do their wings look like? Design your own “bird”
and see how it flies.
Materials:
Drinking straws
Tape
Heavy weight paper or very thin cardboard
1. Decide if you want to make a paper airplane shaped like a bird that soars,
such as a hawk, or one that flaps its wings more, like a robin.
2. Check out the Internet or other resources to find pictures of the bird you want
to replicate. Take note of their wing shapes.
3. Use the materials listed to make a paper airplane. Be sure to keep in mind the
basics behind the idea of lift.
4. If possible, toss your paper airplane along the length of the gymnasium or au-
ditorium to observe its flight patterns. Make adjustments to your design as needed.