Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project  
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Tower Hobbies
Enter up to 4 keywords or Tower stock numbers
Logged in as Guest



Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
       

All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Questions and Answers >> Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project
Page: [1]

Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/5/2004 12:56:00 AM   
catboater



Posts: 382
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Hello all, My son is looking for a 3rd grade level science fair project. He's really into r/c and loves airplanes and would like to do some sort of project that he could use one of his models. For the life of me I can't come up with any idea's that aren't too complicated for 9 year olds.
I know lots of you have kids and have probably already done something like this. I'd love to hear about it.
Please help an old fart dad out!
       Post #: 1

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/5/2004 1:47:09 AM   
MinnFlyer



Posts: 19637
Joined: 4/22/2002
From: Willmar, MN, USA
Status: online 		Build a very simple plane... Not one that will fly, just a few hunks of wood that are shaped like a plane. Add servos and control surfaces, to show how the controls on an airplane work.

If you really want to make it cool, mount it on a post with more servos (With "Y" cords to the original servos) that will make it pitch and roll with the control inputs.

_____________________________

Mike B.
AMA# 42400 www.gettingairborne.com

"Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others." - Groucho Marx

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 2

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/5/2004 3:02:02 AM   
FHHuber



Posts: 4931
Joined: 1/1/2003
From: gone, , USA
Status: offline 		Yuo can do that mock-up using just wires to a stick and by having the wires fromt he stick move the model and running strings for pull-pull to the control surfaces... no batteries required.

This is a bit of a hassle to figure all the connections... but not beyond the 3rd grade level if he's BUILT a couple of flyable models. (ARF does not count... but not necessarilly RC.)

I would try to scan in the 1938 magazine article on how to do it if the 2nd and 3rd pages weren't missing (the scanned article would be a nice thing to go with the mock-up) Looks like my father built one.

The AMA has had a similar mock-up in an article not too far back... I might be able to find the issue. It was in the relatively new series for beginners, which puts it within 3 years. And it was nearer the beginning of the series... (so more than 1.5 years)

SOMEONE can find you the plans for sure!

(in reply to MinnFlyer)
       Post #: 3

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/5/2004 12:47:59 PM   
SDR-Hammer


 

Posts: 660
Joined: 9/9/2002
From: , MI,
Status: offline 		My daughter, in second grade, is also doing a science fair project we too thought about trying to incorporate her interest in R/C too but we just couldn’t come up with an idea.

For those with ideas remember this must be more than just a display how R/C airplanes work. The kids have a scientific method to follow.

The student is to ask a specific scientific question and attempt to answer it. They have to list the procedure used to answer the question, post the results and explain if the results did or did not answer the question.

(in reply to FHHuber)
       Post #: 4

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/5/2004 1:59:34 PM   
cstevenpeterson


 

Posts: 318
Joined: 10/8/2003
From: Blairstown, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Hammer,

You are correct. I recently judged a science fair at my elementary school and the students are required to ask a question, develop both a hypothesis and an experiment to test the hypothesis. They then must list the materials required, the procedure, results and conclusions (answer to the question). This can be supported by photographs, charts/graphs, drawings, etc.. This may vary a bit from school to school , but I think that the basic approach will be the same. The question and hypothesis can be very simple - after all, these are just kids and they are to learn and have some fun doing it! I think flight (R/C airplanes) is a good subject although perhaps a bit more challenging.

Some examples of subjects might be to demonstrate the effects of radically (rediculously) different airfoils on lift, the effects of changing angle of attack on lift. the effects of changing airspeed (fan speed) on lift (stall) or the effects of moving a control surface such as elevator on angle of attack. You could show that increasing angle of attack to an extreme given a specific air speed will result in stall. This could be set up with a very simple and small "R/C" plane subject to airflow induce by a table fan. The plane or wing (airfoil) would need to be somewhat restrained so it does not fly off the table and you could use a radio/receiver/servo to change angle of attack via elevator. Just some thoughts, but you get the picture.

A couple examples of simple questions and hypotheses could be:

Q: Will reducing airspeed for a given airfoil result in stall?

H: I believe that if airspeed is reduced enough, the airfoil will stall causing the aircraft to drop.

OR

Q: Will different airfoils have different stall speeds?

H: I believe that the shape of an airfoil will have an effect on lift and stall speed.


If the grade is at a high enough level, you could even mention Bernoulli's equation.

Hope this helps!

Steve

< Message edited by cstevenpeterson -- 5/5/2004 2:34:39 PM >

(in reply to SDR-Hammer)
       Post #: 5

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 3:32:35 AM   
catboater



Posts: 382
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the replies. You're all correct in the fact that it must be an experiment with an outcome.
The idea of building an airplane skeleton and installing control surfaces with movement is a good one. I did see the Model Aviation article Huber, and will use it as a reference. I think we'll tie it in with the airfoil experiments that you suggested csteven. Doing both should really confuse them! LOL Bernoulli's equation might be over the top though.
Any other idea's are still welcome. We've got a couple of weeks.

Thanks again!

(in reply to cstevenpeterson)
       Post #: 6

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 5:13:32 AM   
Spaceclam



Posts: 4640
Joined: 4/13/2003
From: chatsworth, CA, USA
Status: offline 		how about an experiment on lift? get a fan, cut out some different airfoil shapes and show them what happens?

_____________________________

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a Dark side, and it holds the universe together.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 7

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 5:34:50 AM   
catboater



Posts: 382
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Hmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,, another good idea and simple to boot!

(in reply to Spaceclam)
       Post #: 8

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 5:47:00 AM   
FHHuber



Posts: 4931
Joined: 1/1/2003
From: gone, , USA
Status: offline 		If making a fan-box type "wind tunnel" hav ethe fan PULL the air out of the box, rather than pushing the air in. this leaves less turbulent air in the tunnel.

You can hang an RC model in a box-tunnel and with the air moving, observe how the aircraft responds. If hung by the CG, with the CG set typically for a trainer... you can easilly see the plane try to maneuver.

Fot the Q&A part... deal with it as if doing a Q&A method of teaching basic controls of an aircraft:

Q: If the rudder is turned... how will the airplane respond? WHY? (there are 2 simplified explainations of why that work. one is the rudder only air deflection... the other is the rudder-fin chamber change which is making an airfoil out of the originally flat plate.)

use a variable speed fan to simulate variable throttle and the effects on how the controls respond at different speeds.


PLENTY of ways to make an RC model into a science fair project... the limit is in your imagination on how to make up the questions. The model will provide the answers. (the whole point of the typical science fair is to use the projects to show how things work.)

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 9

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 6:35:03 AM   
SDR-Hammer


 

Posts: 660
Joined: 9/9/2002
From: , MI,
Status: offline 		One cool thing I saw demonstrating Bernoulli's principle was done with a shop vac's exhaust and a beach ball. With the exhaust blowing straight up vertical, the ball floated on the stream of air. Spectators took turns slowly redirecting the air to the side. As the ball stayed in the stream of air, the further from vertical it got the more amazed kids were that the ball stayed aloft. It was fun even for adults to see just how close to horizontal one could still keep the beach ball “flying”.

Wish I had pictures its hard to explain.

(in reply to FHHuber)
       Post #: 10

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 6:53:32 AM   
Spaceclam



Posts: 4640
Joined: 4/13/2003
From: chatsworth, CA, USA
Status: offline 		no explanation needed. i do that all the time with hairdryers and ping pong balls etc. it just sits there and hovers. i always wanted to get a super high flow nozzle and make a 50 lb lead weight float that way.

_____________________________

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a Dark side, and it holds the universe together.

(in reply to SDR-Hammer)
       Post #: 11

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 7:04:35 AM   
FHHuber



Posts: 4931
Joined: 1/1/2003
From: gone, , USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Spaceclam

no explanation needed. i do that all the time with hairdryers and ping pong balls etc. it just sits there and hovers. i always wanted to get a super high flow nozzle and make a 50 lb lead weight float that way.



Floating the 50 lb lead weight would be IMPRESSIVE! You'd need a nearly super-sonic airflow at the nozzle to do it... (if its a solid round ball)

(in reply to Spaceclam)
       Post #: 12

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 3:14:17 PM   
Spaceclam



Posts: 4640
Joined: 4/13/2003
From: chatsworth, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I would immagine so. maybe i should get one of those general electric turbines, set it up in my living room, start it up and put the weight on it . that would be considered obsessive having a jet engine in your loving room for no purpose other than to make a 50 lb weight hover.

_____________________________

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a Dark side, and it holds the universe together.

(in reply to FHHuber)
       Post #: 13

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/6/2004 4:11:07 PM   
FHHuber



Posts: 4931
Joined: 1/1/2003
From: gone, , USA
Status: offline 		Not obssesive... Just compulsive.

(in reply to Spaceclam)
       Post #: 14

RE: Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project - 5/7/2004 1:08:47 AM   
Spaceclam



Posts: 4640
Joined: 4/13/2003
From: chatsworth, CA, USA
Status: offline 		i can immagine. a sudden impulse to buy a 4 million jet engine to put in the living room, and realizing when i get the bill, S*%t, What have i done?

_____________________________

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a Dark side, and it holds the universe together.

(in reply to FHHuber)
       Post #: 15

Page:   [1]
All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Questions and Answers >> Need idea's for a 3rd grade science project
Page: [1]





Jump to: