Journal of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association
Volume 51 Issue 2, June 2014
21 – 22
Exploring Angles by Making Paper Airplanes
Trisha Vadnais
I introduced the task of making paper airplanes using angles in a Grade 6 math class with 16 students, 8 of whom had special needs. The students used various types of paper to compare how far the planes flew and noted if paper weight influenced accuracy of flight. They used rulers to design the airplanes and geometry sets to identify the angles when they were labeling them. A meter stick was used to measure the distance the airplanes flew. Students used templates to estimate, identify and categorize angles and to fold paper into airplanes and test flight. They used a distance chart to record, compare and analyze each plane’s flight and features.
