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Vortex Magnificent machines

Aim of activity Come fly with us and find out how vortexes help us soar through the skies. Create your own vortex air cannon and knock out the competition!

What you’ll get out of it •Discoverwhatavortexis.•Findouthowvortexeshelpplanesfly.•Makeanaircannon.•Workasateam.

What you’ll need •1setof5papercupsper4girls

For each pair:•1plasticbottle,capacityof

atleast0.5litres•Aballoon•Scissors•Maskingtape

Note to leader•Getyourgirlstobringplastic

bottlestothemeeting.• Ifanyoneinyourgrouphasalatex

allergy,swaptheballoonsforstretchy material.

45 mins

©Girlguiding2019Registeredcharitynumber306016.

Challenge yourself

C balloon D

AB tape

C balloon D

AB tape

C balloon D

AB tape

C balloon D

AB tape

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What to doSitinacircle.Whatdoesaplaneneedtofly?Talkaboutalltheparts

anaeroplanehas–wings,wheels… what else?

InyourSixes,maketheshapeofanaeroplane including all the parts

you’ve mentioned. Practise getting into the right shape.

Take turns to stand in the centre as aSix.Whenyourleadersays,‘ready

fortake-off’,getintoyouraeroplaneshape.Everyoneelse,trytoworkoutallthedifferentaeroplaneparts.

Didallyourplaneshavewings?Hopeso!Wingsarereallyimportanttokeepplanesintheair.Asplanestravel,airrushesaroundthewingsatdifferentspeedswhich causes a vortex that stops the plane falling.Avortexisaspinningflowofair.

It’stimetocreateyourveryownvortexcannon!Inpairs,geta

plasticbottle,aballoon,scissorsandmasking tape.

Cutyourbottleintotwopiecesjustbelowtheneck,asinpictureA.Be

careful–theedgeofthebottlemight besharp.

Putalayerofmaskingtapearoundthesharpedge,asinpictureB.Now

cuttheneckoffyourballoonandstretchitacrossthebottle,asinpictureC,sotheballoonistight.Takethelidoffthebottle.

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Totryoutyourcannon,pullbacktheballoonandletgo,asinpictureD.

TaketurnstoaimitataBrownie’shandtoseeiftheycanfeeltheairrush.

Your cannon creates a vortex. The balloonpushesoutaspinningflowofair.This is like the air travelling around an aeroplane’swing,keepingitup.

Competitiontime!Eachpair,joinwith another pair. Line up on the

oppositesideofyourspacefromasetoffivepapercups.Yourteam’saimisto knock over all your paper cups using yourvortexcannons.Whenyourleadersays‘Go’,taketurnstopretendtobeanaeroplane and fly towards your cups.

Take aim and knock as many over as possible.Youonlygetonego.Even

ifyoudon’tknockanyover,flybacktoyourteamandthenextBrowniecango.

Top tipAimyourcannonattheparticularcupyouwant to knock over.

Keep taking turns until you knock allyourcupsover.Whichteam

wasfastest?

Dismantleyourvortexcannonsandrecyclethebottles.

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