Turn a single sheet of paper into a powerful investigation of forces and motion. In this hands-on lab, students build and test paper “whirlybirds” with different blade lengths to determine how blade size affects descent time.

The activity emphasizes testing, data quality, graphing, and claim–evidence–reasoning - perfect for science class and STEM days.

What students will do

• Identify variables and write a testable hypothesis
• Build helicopters with controlled dimensions and one changing variable (blade length)
• Collect repeated timing data from a fixed drop height and compute averages
• Create a bar graph of Average Descent Time vs. Blade Length and interpret patterns
• Construct a clear CER explaining results with drag, surface area, and stability

What you get

• Teacher Guide with setup, safety, pacing, and background science
• Student Packet with step-by-step build instructions and data tables
• Summary and Graphing pages with an Average-by-Length table and graph template
• Printable Helicopter Templates in five lengths (6, 8, 10, 12, 14 cm) with cut and fold lines
• Analysis Questions with model answers and interpretation notes
• Grading Rubric aligned to experimental design, data quality, graphing, and CER

Materials needed

• Printer paper or cardstock, scissors, ruler, pencil
• Small paper clips (tail mass), tape for floor/release marks
• Stopwatch or timer app, measuring tape for drop height

Why teachers love it

• Low prep and low cost
• Clear controls make a true fair test
• Rich data for graphing and CER writing
• Flexible timing for one class period or deeper analysis

➡️ You can get this STEM as well as all my other ones in this series inside my STEM Investigations Growing Bundle. As more labs are added, the price will increase. CLICK HERE to have a look

I also have the following STEM Labs in My Store:

• Blow Cup Challenge STEM Lab
• Paper Table STEM Lab
• Pendulum STEM Lab
• Parachute STEM Lab
• Catapult STEM Lab
• Paper Airplane - Angle of Attack STEM Lab
• Bottle Flip STEM Lab
• Paper Helicopter STEM Lab
• Yeast Balloon STEM Lab
• Balloon Lift Design STEM Lab
• Candy Combustion Calorimetry STEM
• Marble Ramp: Height vs Average Speed STEM Lab
• Clean Water Filtration STEM Lab
• Beetle Genetics STEM Lab
• Adaptations by Design - Extreme Environments STEM Lab

NGSS alignment

• MS-PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (gravity, drag, balanced/unbalanced forces)
• MS-ETS1 Engineering Design (defining problems, testing solutions, optimizing designs)
• Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations;
• Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Using Mathematics and Computational
• Thinking; Engaging in Argument from Evidence
• Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect; Structure and Function