Balsa Wood Glider Wing Design

Balsa Wood Glider Wing Design Project is an engaging, hands-on STEM lesson geared for grades 7-12 where students design and laser cut glider wings to optimize flight performance.

Makerspace

Through an iterative engineering process, students explore aerodynamics, test their designs, and analyze data to refine their gliders for maximum flight time or distance. This project incorporates vector design software, hands-on fabrication, and real world problem solving, culminating in a class wide competition. The lesson aligns with science, engineering, math, and technology standards while fostering creativity, collaboration, and data driven decision making.

Below, you’ll find all the resources needed to implement the Balsa Wood Glider Wing Design lesson. These materials will guide both students and educators through the process of designing, fabricating, and testing gliders using laser cut components. The Student Design Brief provides clear instructions and objectives, while the Fuselage File and Wing Template ensure consistency in construction. Additionally, the Teacher Resource includes national and NJ state standards, instructional strategies, and assessment tools to support learning. Use these resources to engage students in a hands-on laser cut aerodynamics and engineering challenge!