Parachutes - Air Resistance

This middle school lesson covers the concept of air resistance. Students work in teams of 3 with a list of materials to design, build, and test 3 parachutes that will maximize the air resistance of a falling action figure. Following trials, revisions and data collection students will graph their data, write an analysis and conclusion and then present their designs and findings to their peers. The materials needed are action figures or small plastic “army guys”, coffee filters, paper bags, gallon baggies, cellophane, paper towel, wax paper, foil, string, tape, meter sticks, scissors, a device that records in slo mo, lab report worksheet.