YES Enrichment
Engineering Parachutes
Upper Elementary
Motion & Stability
Earth and Human Activity
Camps/STEM Classes
Youth engineer a parachute that falls slowly to deliver seeds.
Unit Overview
Youth use the Engineering Design Process to design a parachute that falls as slowly as possible to deliver seeds to an area in need of reforestation. Youth learn how the variables of canopy size, canopy materials, and suspension line length affect the speed of a falling parachute.
- 9 activities (5 core, 4 optional)
- 45–50 minutes per activity
- Youth materials available in Spanish
- Connects to Career Exploration module: Environmental Careers Exploration
Standards Alignment
YES Enrichment units connect with state and national standards.
Unit Resources
Digital Resources (FREE)
YES provides these materials free of charge! Use the link below to download resources from our Google Drive.
Download ResourcesPurchase Materials
Educator Guide Pack -
$69
- Full-color print educator guide, plus multiple sets of heavy-duty reusable color-print resources (ex. vocabulary cards, materials glossaries, station signs, and student instructions) for the class.
Materials Kit -
$489
- Hands-on materials to support 30 learners.
Unit Map
Youth engineer a school supply case and learn about the Engineering Design Process, a five-phase problem-solving tool.
Youth are introduced to the forest scientists’ problem and the parachute solution. They explore how canopy size affects parachute speed.
Youth explore how canopy material and suspension line length affect parachute speed.
Youth imagine and plan parachutes that meet specific criteria. They create and test their first designs.
Youth improve their parachutes.
Youth play a game to learn about trees, then design a message to communicate the importance of trees.
Youth explore drop copters as a way to distribute seeds. They use the EDP to engineer a drop copter that falls to the ground slowly.
Youth explore careers through a quiz, Day in the Life stories, and digital resources.
Youth present their parachutes and share their processes with guests.
Educator Preparation Videos
Activity 2 Preparation: Arm Extender
Activity 4 Preparation: Canopy Templates
Videos for Youth
Activity 2: Build a Parachute
Activity 2: Parachute Test Procedure
Activity 2: Use an Arm Extender
Activity 4: Parachute Test Procedure
Activity B: Make a Drop Copter
This unit is adapted from the previous EiE version, A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes. To access the resources for the previous version, click here.