Parachute Power: Forces & Motion Fun!

Design for Mastery Kit

NEW

9th Grade Project 4 weeks

Parachute Power: Forces & Motion Fun!

Lyn V

Jul 14, 2025

Updated Jul 31, 2025

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Purpose

Students will embark on a dynamic, hands-on project inspired by "the candy bomber" who used parachutes to deliver candy during World War II, deepening their understanding of forces and motion through the design and testing of parachutes. By investigating real-world applications of scientific principles such as gravitational potential energy, air resistance, and kinetic energy, students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This project fosters collaboration and communication as students work in teams to innovate and refine their parachute designs, ultimately enhancing their scientific literacy and teamwork capabilities.

Learning goals

Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of forces and motion by exploring gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, air resistance, and work. Inspired by "the candy bomber" who used parachutes to deliver candy during World War II, they will enhance their ability to calculate average velocity and analyze energy transfer through hands-on experiments and design activities. Additionally, students will cultivate teamwork and communication skills through collaborative brainstorming, peer review, and self-assessment exercises, setting personal goals for continuous improvement.

Standards

NGSS - HS-PS2-1: Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
NGSS - HS-PS3-1: Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.
NGSS - HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Products

Introduce the project by exploring the story of "the candy bomber" who used parachutes to deliver candy during World War II, inspiring students to think creatively about parachute applications. Throughout this project, students will create detailed parachute prototypes, each incorporating unique design elements to test different variables affecting descent. By the end, students will compile a comprehensive project portfolio that includes their design process, data analysis, and reflections on the effectiveness of their parachute models. Additionally, students will produce a presentation that showcases their findings and insights gained from peer feedback sessions, demonstrating their understanding of forces and motion.

Launch

Begin the project with an engaging 'Forces and Motion Workshop' that includes a captivating introduction to "the candy bomber," who famously used parachutes to deliver candy during World War II. Rotate students through interactive stations demonstrating principles like gravity, air resistance, and kinetic energy. Involve them in hands-on activities such as dropping objects of various masses to observe energy transfer and using motion sensors to track descent rates. Conclude with a collaborative brainstorming session where students start conceptualizing their parachute designs, discussing how they might manipulate these forces for optimal performance.

Exhibition

At the conclusion of the project, organize a "Parachute Showcase Day" inspired by the story of "The Candy Bomber" from World War II, where students present their parachute designs and demonstrate their descent in a controlled environment. Begin the event with a brief recount of how parachutes were used to deliver candy, setting the historical context for their projects. Invite peers, teachers, and family members to observe and engage with students as they explain the scientific principles behind their designs and the iterative process they followed. Encourage students to display their data analyses and reflections, highlighting how they applied feedback to refine their parachutes. This event not only celebrates their achievements but also fosters a deeper understanding of forces and motion through real-world application.

Plan

By Phase By Day Calendar

Project Activities

Days 1 - 8

Project Introduction

Activity

Project Introduction

Activity

Forces and Motion Workshop

Activity

Forces and Motion Workshop

Activity

Collaborative Brainstorming

Activity

Collaborative Brainstorming

Activity

Gravitational Potential Energy Lab

Activity

Gravitational Potential Energy Lab

Activity

Kinetic Energy Exploration

Activity

Kinetic Energy Exploration

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Review and Reflect

Activity

Parachute Design Drafting

Activity

Velocity Calculation Workshop

Activity

Peer Feedback Session

Activity

Collaborative Design Session

Activity

Reflection and Goal Adjustment

Activity

Peer Review Session

Activity

Prototype Construction

Activity

Descent Rate Testing

Activity

Air Resistance Experiment

Activity

Data Analysis and Discussion

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Design Iteration

Activity

Velocity Analysis and Design Adjustment

Activity

Average Velocity Calculation

Activity

Interactive Forces Simulation

Activity

Reflection and Personal Goal Update

Activity

Peer Feedback Session

Activity

Parachute Testing and Data Collection

Activity

Innovation Focus

Activity

Peer Feedback and Design Iteration

Activity

Kinetic Energy Analysis

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Reflection and Personal Goals

Activity

Final Design Review

Activity

Final Design Adjustments

Activity

Refinement and Final Adjustments

Activity

Practice Presentations

Activity

Reflection and Goal Assessment

Activity

Reflection and Goal Achievement

Activity

Parachute Showcase Preparation

Activity

Parachute Showcase Preparation

Activity

Parachute Showcase Day

Activity

Parachute Showcase Day

Activity

Final Reflection and Celebration

Activity

Final Reflection and Celebration

Activity

Project Activities Days 1–8

Day 1

Project Introduction

Activity

Project Introduction

Activity

Forces and Motion Workshop

Activity

Forces and Motion Workshop

Activity

Collaborative Brainstorming

Activity

Collaborative Brainstorming

Activity

Day 2

Gravitational Potential Energy Lab

Activity

Gravitational Potential Energy Lab

Activity

Kinetic Energy Exploration

Activity

Kinetic Energy Exploration

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Day 3

Review and Reflect

Activity

Parachute Design Drafting

Activity

Velocity Calculation Workshop

Activity

Peer Feedback Session

Activity

Collaborative Design Session

Activity

Reflection and Goal Adjustment

Activity

Day 4

Peer Review Session

Activity

Prototype Construction

Activity

Descent Rate Testing

Activity

Air Resistance Experiment

Activity

Data Analysis and Discussion

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Day 5

Design Iteration

Activity

Velocity Analysis and Design Adjustment

Activity

Average Velocity Calculation

Activity

Interactive Forces Simulation

Activity

Reflection and Personal Goal Update

Activity

Peer Feedback Session

Activity

Day 6

Parachute Testing and Data Collection

Activity

Innovation Focus

Activity

Peer Feedback and Design Iteration

Activity

Kinetic Energy Analysis

Activity

Reflection and Goal Setting

Activity

Reflection and Personal Goals

Activity

Day 7

Final Design Review

Activity

Final Design Adjustments

Activity

Refinement and Final Adjustments

Activity

Practice Presentations

Activity

Reflection and Goal Assessment

Activity

Reflection and Goal Achievement

Activity

Day 8

Parachute Showcase Preparation

Activity

Parachute Showcase Preparation

Activity

Parachute Showcase Day

Activity

Parachute Showcase Day

Activity

Final Reflection and Celebration

Activity

Final Reflection and Celebration

Activity

April 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

13 Day 1

Project Activities

Project Introduction

Forces and Motion Workshop

Collaborative Brainstorming

14 Day 2

Gravitational Potential Energy Lab

Kinetic Energy Exploration

Reflection and Goal Setting

20 Day 3

Review and Reflect

Parachute Design Drafting

Velocity Calculation Workshop

Peer Feedback Session

Collaborative Design Session

Reflection and Goal Adjustment

21 Day 4

Peer Review Session

Prototype Construction

Descent Rate Testing

Air Resistance Experiment

Data Analysis and Discussion

Reflection and Goal Setting

27 Day 5

Design Iteration

Velocity Analysis and Design Adjustment

Average Velocity Calculation

Interactive Forces Simulation

Reflection and Personal Goal Update

Peer Feedback Session

28 Day 6

Parachute Testing and Data Collection

Innovation Focus

Peer Feedback and Design Iteration

Kinetic Energy Analysis

Reflection and Goal Setting

Reflection and Personal Goals

May 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

4 Day 7

Final Design Review

Final Design Adjustments

Refinement and Final Adjustments

Practice Presentations

Reflection and Goal Assessment

Reflection and Goal Achievement

5 Day 8

Parachute Showcase Preparation

Parachute Showcase Day

Final Reflection and Celebration

Parachute Power: Forces & Motion Fun!

Purpose

Learning goals

Standards

Products

Launch

Exhibition

Edit Phase

April 2026

May 2026