BTU overview
Faculty 4
Chair of Social work Prof. Dr. Daniela Cornelia Stix

The flight school

The photo shows a prototype of a paper aeroplane for the exercise "The Flying School".
Laboratory for didactics and methods

"The Flying School" is a dynamic and interactive exercise that is ideal for repeating a comprehensive range of topics. This exercise combines creative elements with teamwork and movement and offers a fun way to consolidate learning content.

Age recommendation

from 10 years

Number of participants

2 to 20 people

Duration

60-90min

Place

Ideally, the exercise should be carried out outdoors, e.g. on a meadow or in a car park. Alternatively, a spacious seminar room can also be used. It is important that there is enough space for the participants to move around.

Structure and procedure

Preparation

  • Set up a playing field by laying out a dividing line (e.g. a rope) in the centre of the playing field.
  • The playing fields should be large enough for the teams to move around.

Introduction

  • Briefly introduce the exercise and its objectives.
  • Explain the rules and procedure to the participants.
  • The group is now divided into two teams, with each team being given a specific area of the overall topic to work on.

Preparatory activity for the participants

  • The teams prepare review questions on their topic areas and write down each question on a separate A4 sheet of paper.
  • A maximum of 15 questions should be prepared per team.
  • The questions are later folded into paper aeroplanes.
  • Tip: Prepare a prototype or print out folding instructions.

Folding phase

  • The teams fold their questions into paper aeroplanes.
  • Alternatively, the sheets can also be crumpled up if the group is less creative.

Carrying out the exercise

  • The participants line up in the playing area with their flying objects.
  • Make sure they wear suitable footwear (no high heels or stilettos).
  • Set the hourglass or timer to three minutes and give the start signal.
  • The participants throw their aeroplanes into the other area.
  • In the last few seconds, the teams collect all the flying objects and throw them with all their strength into the other area.

After the flight phase

  • The teams count the aeroplanes in their playing field. Each aeroplane is worth one minus point.
  • One point is awarded for each correctly answered question. The aim is to reach 0 points at the end, which means that all questions have been answered correctly.

Reflection and conclusion

  • Moderate the answers to the questions quickly to keep the participants' attention.
  • Use the exercise as a conclusion before a break to activate the participants and consolidate the learning material.