This half term the children in Year 5 have been learning about forces. We have been discussing and experimenting with compression and tension forces as well as air resistance and gravity.

This week the children looked at a range of examples of parachutes and discussed their design features. In our classes we decided which forces were acting on these parachutes and how the designs considered these.

The children then worked in groups to plan and build their own parachutes that would keep a ball of plastercine in the air for the greatest amount of time. A range of materials were available and the children selected those that they believed to be best for their design.

Each class then tested their parachutes by launching them out of the hallway window. Here are some photographs of their experiments.