At this all-ages STEAM Stop, you'll learn about the four forces of flight while seeing them in action! Use the links below to find fun activities you can do at home and choose one (or two or three) that work for you. 

Each instructional sheet includes 2-3 fun STEAM activities you can do from home, a supply list, and step-by-step instructions. 

Have you ever thrown a Frisbee and wondered how it flies?  Four forces work together to keep the Frisbee in the air: lift, thrust, drag, and weight.  As the Frisbee flies through the air, lift holds it up.  Thrust comes from your arm when you throw the Frisbee.  Drag comes from the air, slowing the Frisbee down as it moves through it.  Weight comes from gravity pulling the Frisbee back down to the ground.  These same forces allow airplanes, helicopters, rockets, birds, and butterflies to fly. 

Learn more about the four forces of flight at the links below

• What Makes Paper Airplanes Fly? Scholastic
• The Four Forces National Air and Space Museum 
• The Four Forces of Flight video from the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum includes brief demonstrations.

• Follow this instructional for how-to and extension activities
• Meet John Collins, The Paper Airplane Guy
• Learn how to make five of Collins' airplanes

• Follow this instructional for how-to and extension activities
• Science Friday has a good explanation of the physics of kite flying
• Learn the vocabulary of kite flying (kiting), including the different parts of a kite, different things a kite can do, different kinds of kites, etc.
• Check out this neat video of a kid interacting with a stunt kite on the beach

• Send a postcard to space (and get it back)!
• Follow this instructional for how-to and extension activities
• Use this Scholastic guide to make a large paper rocket
• Rockets 101 with National Geographic
• Make a stomp rocket out of a Capri Sun packet
• Make a pool noodle rocket

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