Paper Airplanes Used to Teach about Free Enterprise
This year the Chadron High School FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) created an American
Enterprise Project to teach local fifth-graders about the free enterprise economy and a better
understanding of supply and demand.
Enterprise Project to teach local fifth-graders about the free enterprise economy and a better
understanding of supply and demand.
The theme for the Chadron FBLA chapter this year was “Take Flight with FBLA” which
tied into the American Enterprise Project because the project centered around a paper
airplane simulation. The project also included a presentation and a vocabulary-matching
game. Through these activities, fifth-grade students learned what a free enterprise economy
is and how it works.
tied into the American Enterprise Project because the project centered around a paper
airplane simulation. The project also included a presentation and a vocabulary-matching
game. Through these activities, fifth-grade students learned what a free enterprise economy
is and how it works.
During the paper airplane simulation, students were split into smaller groups. Using their new
vocabulary, the fifth-graders assumed roles within their groups. Roles included Production,
Management, Consumer Representative, and Marketing. The role of Management was in charge of
making sure the rest of the group stayed on task and came up with the group’s ‘company’ name. The
Production role made the paper airplane products in an assembly-line style in which a team of two
students worked together to construct each airplane. The role of Consumer Representative tested the
paper airplanes, throwing them through a series of hoops. Each hoop was a different height,
demonstrating the different groups of people the companies could market their paper airplanes to. The
Marketing role kept track of the number of successes and misses of the paper airplanes and presented
their group’s airplane to the class. They had to show what made their airplane unique and more
appealing than the other groups’ airplanes.
vocabulary, the fifth-graders assumed roles within their groups. Roles included Production,
Management, Consumer Representative, and Marketing. The role of Management was in charge of
making sure the rest of the group stayed on task and came up with the group’s ‘company’ name. The
Production role made the paper airplane products in an assembly-line style in which a team of two
students worked together to construct each airplane. The role of Consumer Representative tested the
paper airplanes, throwing them through a series of hoops. Each hoop was a different height,
demonstrating the different groups of people the companies could market their paper airplanes to. The
Marketing role kept track of the number of successes and misses of the paper airplanes and presented
their group’s airplane to the class. They had to show what made their airplane unique and more
appealing than the other groups’ airplanes.
Through this entertaining and educational game, the Chadron FBLA chapter hoped to create an
exciting way for the younger generation to learn about the American Enterprise system and the law of
supply and demand.
exciting way for the younger generation to learn about the American Enterprise system and the law of
supply and demand.
The chapter members would like to thank all the students who participated in the activities. Also,
special thank you to Mr. Dressel, the middle school principal, and Mr. Calkins, the fifth-grade social
studies teacher, for making this project a success.
special thank you to Mr. Dressel, the middle school principal, and Mr. Calkins, the fifth-grade social
studies teacher, for making this project a success.
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| Lauren Collins, Abigail Gardner and Grace Sorenson take flight! |
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| CHS FBLA Members Teaching a 5th Grade Class |
