Challenge: Wooden Gliders

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STEAM topic(s) Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths
Wooden gliders are an activity for those who are interested in one or maybe all the STEAM subjects. Depending on how intricate you make your design, you can use all the subjects to create the next futuristic looking aircraft. Balsa wood is used to make the main body of your creation nice and lightweight and black bin bags are used to create/cover the aircrafts wings and/or body. It is up to your creative mind to create something you think might be able to soar through the skies like an eagle or fly fast like a jet fighter!

As we have known for many years, engineers have studied how birds are able to stay aloft and defy the Laws of Gravity! Through hard work and a hundred plus years of development the aeroplane has been created to become one of the worlds most relied upon forms of transportation. Aircraft can be built from all sorts of manmade materials but the first planes that were built with strong lightweight wood. That’s a far shout from this modern age where planes are constructed from aluminium and carbon fibre!

This is where our challenge comes in, with the materials listed below you are to create as part of a team or by yourself an airframe that could soar as beautifully as a bird for as long as possible! You might want to think your design through before building it as careful preparation always helps but don’t worry this isn’t a timed challenge, perhaps maybe sketch it out before you build it!

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Age Range 6 and above, adult supervision required when using hand tools.

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Group Size Maximum 10 children per Ambassador.

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Time Required Varies in depth of the designs; can last from 20 minutes up to a few hours.

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Location Preparation can take in place in any suitable indoor or outdoor space; a grassy area is ideal for test flights, but in case of inclement weather a sports hall can be used

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Similar Activities N/A

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Equipment Balsa wood, black bin bags, string, tape, cable ties, bamboo

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STEAM topic(s)	Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths	Wooden gliders are an activity for those who are interested in one or maybe all the STEAM subjects. Depending on how intricate you make your design, you can use all the subjects to create the next futuristic looking aircraft. Balsa wood is used to make the main body of your creation nice and lightweight and black bin bags are used to create/cover the aircrafts wings and/or body. It is up to your creative mind to create something you think might be able to soar through the skies like an eagle or fly fast like a jet fighter! As we have known for many years, engineers have studied how birds are able to stay aloft and defy the Laws of Gravity! Through hard work and a hundred plus years of development the aeroplane has been created to become one of the worlds most relied upon forms of transportation. Aircraft can be built from all sorts of manmade materials but the first planes that were built with strong lightweight wood. That’s a far shout from this modern age where planes are constructed from aluminium and carbon fibre! This is where our challenge comes in, with the materials listed below you are to create as part of a team or by yourself an airframe that could soar as beautifully as a bird for as long as possible! You might want to think your design through before building it as careful preparation always helps but don’t worry this isn’t a timed challenge, perhaps maybe sketch it out before you build it!
.
Age Range	6 and above, adult supervision required when using hand tools.
.
Group Size	Maximum 10 children per Ambassador.
.
Time Required	Varies in depth of the designs; can last from 20 minutes up to a few hours.
.
Location	Preparation can take in place in any suitable indoor or outdoor space; a grassy area is ideal for test flights, but in case of inclement weather a sports hall can be used
.
Similar Activities	N/A
.
Equipment	Balsa wood, black bin bags, string, tape, cable ties, bamboo
.	xxx
.	xxx

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