Paper Plate Education
"Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate"

Activity: Alien Platecraft

Place a paper plate with a small hole cut out of its center onto a phonographic record player (remember them?). Heavy stock plates work best.

With the plate spinning at 77 rpm, hold a marker on the plate and move the marker across the moving surface. Repeat with colored markers on both sides of the plate.

Fold the edge of the plate under, and give it a very stiff crease so it holds the shape of a Frisbee®. Fling the plate with a flick of your wrist as you would a commercial disc.

You will be surprised to see how far your Alien Platecraft will fly compared to an unadulterated paper plate. Note the improved flight qualities and quantify the difference in flight distance. Perhaps tape pennies or other weights on the underside edge to see how added mass there changes the flight. Discuss how the properties of the modified plate contribute to its improved performance.

Contributed by Chuck Bueter.

Reference: GLPA Proceedings, 1999, p.37.

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