International Paper Airplane Day! August 17

45 minutes

Intended for 25 guests, grades 2-4

Supplies

Pilot Wings pins
Paper (about 150 sheets)
Pencils
Hula hoops
Painters tape
String
"Origami Paper Airplanes" by Dider Boursin
"Paper Airplanes: Flight School" by Christopher L. Harbo
"Paper Airplanes: Copilot" by Christopher L. Harbo
"Paper Airplanes: Pilot" by Christopher L. Harbo
"Paper Airplanes: Captain" by Christopher L. Harbo
"The Kid's Guide to Paper Airplanes" by Christopher L. Harbo

Program

This program is about making paper airplanes, obviously, but it is also about that age old lesson: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"  It is a learning experience, as is much of life. 

When I was planning this program in my mind, where everything goes wonderfully according to how I envision it, I thought I would be able to have one of the major airlines graciously donate (because it's for the children!) the pilot wing pins that they hand out to children who fly with their airline.  This was a very lovely thought indeed.  However, when I started to do the footwork, and I called or emailed several of the major airlines (I will not drop names), I was given what is commonly known as "the runaround" and I received no complementary pins from anyone.  Sad face.  Thankfully though, Oriental Trading had these little pins ($3 for one dozen):

And my vision was fulfilled!

As the children walk into the program, you can hand them their unofficially official pilot wing pins as you tell them that today, they will become champions of the art form known as paper airplanes. 

I set up half of the room with tables for constructing planes.  On the tables, I laid out the various books listed above so that they can get some ideas.  I also had pencils on the table so they could write their names on the plane and create a plane name.  The other half of the room was set up with tests and obstacles to which they could submit their newly fashioned paper airplanes.

I put painters tape on the floor for a starting line, and had the children stand on the line and give their airplane a toss to see whose went farther. 

I hung hula hoops from the ceiling and they tried to fly their planes through the rings. 

I had baskets on the floor, and they tried to get their plane to land in the bucket.  Because, if you've flown on a plane before, you know that the landing is just as important as the flight. 

If their first plan does not preform in the test arena as they wished, they can "try, try again" and make a new one!