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Spark creativity with Crayola lesson plans. With hundreds of activities, the learning possibilities are endless. 

It's a Bird! It's a Plane!

Create a colorful 3-Dimensional bird that will actually fly!

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Paper Clip(s)
  • Tape Measure

Steps

  • Step 1

    Discuss the similarities and differences between birds and airplanes. Talk about how pioneers in the field of aviation, such as Otto Lilienthal (known as the "flying man" because of his successful flights with gliders) and Orville and Wilbur Wright, who are credited with inventing and flying the world's first airplane, used birds as inspiration to guide their work.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to create a paper airplane using a piece of construction paper. You might print a guide from a source online or watch a YouTube video. Have them test fly the plane before decorating it. They might have to add paper clips to the nose end to help it along.

  • Step 3

    Have them decorate their plane to look like a bird, adding eyes, a beak, feathery wings, etc.

  • Step 4

    Now fly! Have students take turns making their creations airborne, and use a tape measure to see which flew the farthest distance. Talk about the properties that keep birds and planes in the air and the factors that might make them go farther and faster.

Standards

MATH: Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight.

SCI: Ask questions about the features of phenomena observed and conclusions drawn from investigations or models.

SCI: Engage in discussing or writing about evidence, cause, and effect to understand connections across science domains of: Physical, Life, Earth and Space, and Engineering

Adaptations

Read "The Story of the Wright Brothers" by Annette Whipple. Talk about how childhood dreams can grow into real inventions through critical thinking and creativity.

Discuss the different ways birds can fly, such as gliding flight, flapping flight, hovering (such as hummingbirds), and bounding flight.