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Fun-damentals of Flight

STEM Activities with the Hess Cargo Plane and Jet

Baylor College of Medicine and Hess Corporation have teamed to offer a unique resource for teaching STEM content to elementary and middle school students. The 2021 Hess Cargo Plane and Jet, used in combination with the free curricular guide Fun-damentals of Flight, provide a powerful STEM learning experience that engages as it teaches. Fill out the short form at the bottom of this page to download your free teacher’s guide.

While spanning grades K–8, each activity is easily adaptable for students in specific grades. The lessons may be used sequentially or separately and/or inserted into an existing curriculum.

The following STEAM activities are included in the guide:

1. Controlling Airplanes in Flight: students will learn the parts of airplanes used for controlling flight by constructing and test-flying paper airplanes.
2. Glide Slope: using the Hess Cargo Plane, students will investigate what is the best angle with the ground when approaching and safely landing on a short runway.
3. Load Master: students will take on the role of Load Master, measure the size and volume of the cargo bay of the Hess Cargo Plane, and construct payload pallets to fit it.
4. Get a (Cargo) Load of This: students will investigate how the load carried in the Hess Cargo Plane affects how far it can travel before it must land to refuel.
5. Up, Up and Away: students will conduct test flights of a Hess Jet paper model to verify its flight worthiness.
6. Thinking Inside the Box: students will learn how the Hess Cargo Plane and Jet toys were designed to fit inside a small box and apply their learning to other packing challenges.

Fun-damentals of Flight STEM Activities: STEM Activities with the 2021 Hess Cargo Plane and Jet was developed through a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine and the HESS Corporation.