Bryte Parachute Design Competition

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Day 1

Each group started from a prototype parachute.
• The prototype was made of a rectangular plastic tablecloth 25 cm x 50 cm.
• Each group tested the prototype by dropping it inside the classroom.
• The canopy was released by a student standing on the table top, approximately ?? cm above the floor, depending on the height of the student dropping the parachute.
• Students measured time to fall with a stopwatch
• Students created various measures of straightness

The following data was taken for the prototype:

Group	Time to fall (seconds) Multiple trials	Dist. From target (cm)
Ms. Lassen Ms. Eagle	2.36 2.35 2.22	46 cm 35 cm 68 cm
Ms. Markey Ms. Macias	1.36 2.19 2.6	70 48 48
Ms. Johnson Ms. Sullivan	2.38 3.04 1.84 1.23	20 inches 31.5 inches 17.5 inches 16 inches 17 inches
Mr. Carson Ms. Badila	1.73 2.31 2.39	31 38 130
Ms. Brutskaya Mrs. Shoen	Girls 1.84 2.3 2.1 2.37 2.97 Boys 2.55 1.27 .96 2.61 3.06	Girls (in inches) 11 8 3 5.5 6.5 Boys 4.4 9.5 37 16 19
Miss Mitchell Mrs. Melrose	2.41 2.09	145 66 109
Miss Butler Miss Nguyen	Boys: 2.01 1.96 2.01 Girls: 2.0 1.13 3.28	Boys: 75 25 38 Girls: 33 18 60
Miss Labrador Miss Waters	2 1.28 2.71	Level 4 Level 4 Level 4
Ms. Langley Ms. McGaffic	1.84 1.65 2.04	12 39 33

Day 2

Each group changed selected one feature (variable) of the canopy to change to make it fall the slower and the straighter. In addition to the prototype each group made two additional parachutes:

Group name	Parachute variable changed	Additonal Parachutes made
Ms. Lassen Ms. Eagle
Ms. Markey Ms. Macias	Material of canopy
Ms. Johnson Ms. Sullivan
Mr. Carson Ms. Badila
Ms. Brutskaya Mrs. Shoen
Miss Mitchell Mrs. Melrose
Miss Butler Miss Nguyen	Material of canopy
Miss Labrador Miss Waters	Material of canopy
Ms. Langley Ms. McGaffic