P.J. Gelinas Junior High School’s seventh-grade technology classes have been learning about the complexity of aerodynamics – the study of how air resistance and drag affect an object – through a hands-on experiment.

Using the scientific process, the students created paper hovercrafts, or skimmers, and tested their travel capabilities by launching them in the hallway. The students then made modifications to the device’s variables, including weight and wing design, to improve their hovercraft’s performance. The longest distance one traveled was 150 feet.

“This served as a successful introduction to the effects a design can have on a product and how to best solve problems to come up with a better solution,” said teacher Dan Rieckhoff. “In the coming weeks, the class will create rubber band cars, which is a much more intricate project.”