Jump to main content

Elementary School, Aerodynamics & Hydrodynamics Projects, Lessons, Activities (58 results)

Search
Refine Results
Filter by
Sort by
Making It Shipshape: Hull Design and Hydrodynamics
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Sailboats, tugboats, barges, ocean liners, submarines are all different boats with different shapes. How does the shape of a boat's hull affect how easily it moves through the water? This project shows you how you can investigate this question using a homemade water trough and model boat hulls. Read more
Milk Does Your Body and a Boat Good—Design Your Own Milk Carton Boat
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Who'd have thought that drinking milk can lead to a pretty cool boat? Boat design is an important and active area of engineering. In this science fair project, you will design and build different kinds of model boats out of milk cartons. Examples of the types of designs you might test include a raft, a catamaran, and a V-shaped hull. Once the model boats are built, you will test key features, such as stability, maneuverability, and their ability to glide. Read more
Modifying a Car for Better Aerodynamics
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Have you ever seen those cool wind tunnel pictures of cars with streams of smoke blowing over them? You do not need access to a wind tunnel to do a car aerodynamics science project! In this project you will use cheap, readily available materials—tape and yarn—to visualize airflow over a car. You will examine how you can affect the airflow over the car by making changes, like adding or removing accessories or making body modifications out of cardboard and duct tape. Maybe you can… Read more
Rocking the Boat
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
When a ship rocks back and forth, it can make people seasick. Even worse, it can make it dangerous for jets to land on aircraft carriers. For these reasons and many others, it's important for engineers to design bilge keels (or fins) to keep boats from rolling back and forth. Become an engineer for a day and discover the best way to keep from rocking the boat in this engineering science fair project! Read more
The Aerodynamics of Flying a Frisbee
STEM Activity
1
2
3
4
5
16 reviews
Are you good at tossing a Frisbee? Have you ever wondered how a Frisbee is able to fly through the air so well? If you can throw a perfect, arcing curve, right on target, you have already trained your arm on the aerodynamics of Frisbee flight! In this science activity, you will investigate how the angle at which you throw the Frisbee affects its flight's direction and distance. Next time you are out tossing a Frisbee, this little lesson in aerodynamics may help make your throws be even… Read more
What A Drag!
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
What makes some objects more streamlined than others? Find out which ordinary objects around your house are made to move smoothly through the water in this easy science fair project. Which objects will produce the most drag when pulled through the water? Read more
Why Winglets?
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Have you ever noticed how some jet planes have small, vertical projections as the tips of the wings? They're called winglets. What are they there for? Read more
Does Weight Affect a Drone's Battery Life?
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Drones—also called quadcopters or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—are an increasingly popular toy for hobbyists. Some companies even want to use them for business purposes, like delivering packages right to your doorstep! However, drones typically have a rather short battery life. Does the added weight of a package affect a drone's battery life? Try this project to find out! Read more
Drones in High-Tech Farming (Grades 3-5)
Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-5th
1
2
3
4
5
1 review
Students will discover the science behind how a drone works, explore how drones are used in agriculture, and program and operate a drone for the purpose of surveying a field. Read more
NGSS Performance Expectations:
  • 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
  • 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  • 3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
  • 3-PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
How Do Engineers Solve Problems?
Video Lesson Grade: 3rd-5th
1
2
3
4
5
2 reviews
In this fun video lesson, students will pretend to be engineers at an engineering company that constructs paper airplanes. They will identify the criteria for success from provided readings and define the constraints on their solutions. Using the engineering design process they will prototype, test, and deliver their best paper airplanes. Read more
NGSS Performance Expectations:
  • 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
< 1 2 3 4 5 6 >

Explore Our Science Videos

Quick Links X
Top
Free science fair projects.