Can You Flap And Fly? - Science World

Details

Activity Length

5 mins.

Topics

AnimalsForces and Motion

Activity Type

Exploration

Language

English

Print

The Earth pulls everything down towards its centre, this pull is called the force of gravity.

Humans are not physically designed to fly. We cannot create enough lift to overcome the force of gravity (or our weight).

It's not only wings that allow birds to fly.

Their light frame and hollow bones make it easier to counteract gravity. Air sacs inside their bodies make birds lighter, which enables smoother motion through air. The shape of their body helps reduce air resistance when flying, and their muscles are extremely powerful compared to their body.

Bird lungs are also designed so that when birds breathe they absorb a lot of oxygen, which is needed to keep the muscles working over long periods of time.

Why are birds' wings covered in feathers? They catch the air and force it downward when they flap. This creates lift and pushes birds up in the sky.

Airfoils are the human engineered version of bird wings. Airfoil is the term for the cross-sectional shape of a plane wing, helicopter blade, or a propeller, rotor, or turbine,

Objectives

• Identify adaptations that make flying possible for birds.

Materials

• a large playing area

• human-size airfoils/wings, made out of foam or cardboard (optional)

Key Questions

• Why do our arms not work as wings?
• Which force pulls us to the ground?
• What force are you trying to create for take-off?
• Are wings the only adaptation birds use to fly?

What To Do

1. The students spread out and find their own space.
2. Encourage them to flap their arms and try to fly (perhaps they could make a run for it to see if it helps?).
3. Brainstorm reasons why they cannot take off.
4. Would it help to have wings? Try adding foam or cardboard airfoils to their arms

Extensions

• What other creatures can fly?
• How do bees and hummingbirds fly when their bodies look too big for their wings?
• Are bees designed more like airplanes or like helicopters?
• Draw a picture of a human who had the physical features necessary to fly. Label the adaptations that would be required.

About the sticker

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

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