Question Sheet: Model Plane Flies the Atlantic

By Science News Explores

SCIENCE

Before reading:

  1. Have you ever seen or used a model airplane? If you have, describe the plane and where you saw it. What powered the model airplane? 

  2. How many famous aviators and important pilots can you name? List their names and when they made noteworthy flights.

During reading:

  1. Where did Hill’s plane take off from and land? Why did Hill’s team pick these particular take-off and landing locations? 

  2. According to Brown, what was the airplane’s “biggest challenge?” 

  3. What is a GPS device, and how does it work? 

  4. What problems did the airplane run into while it was in flight? 

  5. What records did this plane’s flight set?

After reading:

  1. Although this story is about a model airplane, how might the information learned by these model enthusiasts benefit those in other professions? 

  2. The GPS device was incredibly important to this flight. What would you have done if you could not use this machine? 

  3. Why do you think that Hill’s team built the plane out of fiberglass and balsa wood? How would the flight have been affected if they had built the plane out of metal? 

  4. If you wanted to learn about making a more efficient engine—as Hill had to—what resources would you seek? 

  5. What kinds of experts would you want on your team to help a model plane cross the Atlantic Ocean? Create a team of four experts and explain why you picked each person.

LANGUAGE ARTS

  1. Write a news article about Hill’s accomplishment. Create quotes from at least three characters (real or imagined) you would interview about this event. 

  2. Take a look at the drawing of Hill’s plane. Label each part of the airplane and explain its function and importance.

MATHEMATICS

If Hill’s plane flew 1,888 miles in 38 hours and 53 minutes, how many miles did it fly per minute? per hour?