Built as homework, this 5-page 5th grade worksheet has students plan and run a fair test at home with a paper airplane or an aluminum foil boat. A note to families explains the task and the units: pennies for boats, feet and inches for airplanes. Five parts move from vocabulary and planning to three trials per model, failure points, and a Model 3 improvement. The work matches NGSS 3-5-ETS1-3, and the answer key gives sample data and accepted answers.
3-5-ETS1-3
“Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.”
Parts 2 and 3 control the variables and run the trials, and Parts 4 and 5 find the failure point and plan the Model 3 fix.
Students match Variable, Fair Test, Prototype, and Failure Point to four definitions.
Students choose their prototype, name the one variable they will change, list three variables to keep the same, and state what they will measure and in which units.
A data table records three trials each for Model 1 (Basic) and Model 2 (Changed Variable).
Students decide which model did better, describe what went wrong, such as a nose that crumpled, and explain why it failed in that spot.
Students propose one change for a Model 3 and reflect on whether wind, throwing strength, or penny placement made the test unfair.
Weekend homework
Send it home with a few pennies and a square of foil for students without supplies. The family note explains the task, so no extra letter is needed.
In class instead
Run it in the classroom for students who lack space at home. Mark a throwing line with tape so the controlled variables are easy to keep.
Sharing results
Collect the Part 3 tables and put the class data on the board. Question 16 on fairness leads into a talk about why scientists repeat trials.
Get started today
