April 23, 2015

Paper Airplane Activities

paper airplanes can be used to target many communication goals

This week we have been making paper airplanes, and it has been a blast! A quick Google search led me to three different websites with step-by-step instructions.


I found this website to be the best because it includes printable pages with the fold lines numbered which I found really helped my students understand exactly where to make their folds.


So how in the world can you use paper airplanes to target communication goals? So. Many. Ways. :)

FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS:
- how to fold the airplane
- how to fly the airplane

EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE:
- giving instructions and providing details in their descriptions
- prepositions ("The plane flew OVER the table.")
- pronouns ("YOUR plane flew farther than MY plane.")
- sizes/measurement ("The BIG plane flew a LONG WAY!"; "This time make the LITTLE plane have a SHORT flight.")


SEQUENCING: All of these planes include step-by-step instructions. Cut apart the instructions and have students put the steps in order.

ARTICULATION:
- Spread target words on the floor and try to fly the airplanes onto the cards
- Write target sounds and words onto the completed planes


COMPARE/CONTRAST:
- discuss similarities/differences about different styles of airplanes
- fly two different airplanes and compare their flight patterns

FLUENCY: Students can read the instructions aloud and practice their fluency building strategies as they do so.


FINE MOTOR SKILLS: All this folding and holding is great practice for our friends working on their fine motor skills.

Students are so proud when they're finished:


And then you get to enjoy the thrill of flying them!


Try it!
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Abby thinks the Bullet plane is the best for speed and distance, but the Condor does sweet tricks.

4 comments:

  1. This is awesome---fun, low cost, innovative and targets many areas.
    Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. It was a blast! Thanks for reading Ruth :)

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  2. Hey you stole my idea! ;) We also did a lot of paper airplanes in my speech room this week. It was a blast and the perfect activity.

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    Replies
    1. I had a student ask me today, "Can we make paper airplanes for the rest of the year?" Haha, it was a fun week! Hopefully it can become a more regular activity :)

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