The Inventors Projects

PARACHUTE

We believe in projects that bring together science, art, and creativity, inspiring children to learn in a practical and engaging way

Discover, as a family, how this experience inspires curious minds and sparks children’s interest in science. Together, we can:

  • Revisit the concepts covered in class!

  • Explore the legacy of Mary Jackson and understand the practical applications related to the project!

  • Stimulate curiosity and encourage critical thinking in young inventors!

Let’s turn learning into a memorable and fun experience!

A free fall into the future

The Parachute project allows young inventors to feel the adrenaline of curiosity.

With this project, imagination leaps towards the future. By building the Parachute, young inventors will set their imagination in motion like a skydiver!

Through this experience, children have the opportunity to explore concepts related to air resistance and adrenaline. All of this takes place in an inspiring environment that values children’s inventive and creative spirit, encouraging teamwork, spontaneity and curiosity.

About InspiringInventors

Mary Jackson

Mary Jackson

1921-2005

Mary Jackson was an American aerospace engineer who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She began her career in the West Area Computing division in 1951, and in 1958, after completing engineering courses, she became NASA’s first Black female engineer. After 34 years at NASA, Jackson reached the highest engineering title available. However, she realised that she could not progress any further without becoming a supervisor. She therefore accepted a demotion to become manager of the Federal Women’s Programme in NASA’s Office of Equal Opportunity Programmes, as well as the Affirmative Action Programme. In this role, she worked to influence the recruitment and promotion of women in science, engineering and mathematics careers at NASA.

Ask Mary Jackson

The AI version of Mary Jackson answers your questions

This dialogue box uses artificial intelligence and is configured to respond exclusively to questions related to the project, its concepts and associated fields, as well as queries and curiosities about the history of each inventor. Questions outside this scope may not be answered. Always use under adult supervision.

Thank you for your understanding.

ConceptsCovered

Air Resistence and Adrenaline

  • Air Resistance: It is a form of friction. When the skydiver is falling, they push the air downwards. In turn, the air exerts a force on the parachute, pushing it upwards. When the combined force of the skydiver and the parachute is greater than the force exerted by the air, they descend. When the force exerted by the air on the parachute is greater, they rise. Pressure, force and area are responsible for this! Force equals pressure multiplied by area.
  • Adrenaline: Adrenaline is a hormone, also known as epinephrine. It is produced by the adrenal glands and is used to regulate our cardiovascular system — increasing or decreasing heart rate and blood pressure depending on whether we are at rest or alert. It is released into the body in situations of anxiety or danger.

 

Speed and Acceleration

  • Speed: It is the ratio between the change in position and the time interval in which it occurs. In other words, it relates the distance we travel to the time it takes. The greater the distance travelled and the shorter the time interval, the greater the speed. The longer the time interval and the shorter the distance travelled, the lower the speed.
  • Acceleration: It is the ratio between the change in velocity and the time interval in which it occurs. In other words, if I move at a constant speed, my acceleration is zero. If I increase my speed, the acceleration will be greater the larger the change in speed.

Why this project?

The Parachute project was created with three main goals:

  1. Exploring concepts of adrenaline and air resistance
    In this project, young inventors will create an Parachute, gaining an understanding of concepts such as adrenaline, air resistance, speed and acceleration. The aim is for children to recognise the impact of these concepts.
  2. Understanding the relevance of these concepts for the future
    Through this experience, young inventors gain insight into the importance of these concepts for the future, particularly in the development of more efficient aerial vehicles with lower fuel consumption, greater speed and improved safety, thanks to advances in aerodynamics.
  3. Encouraging creativity and an inventive spirit
    By taking part in this process, young inventors develop skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and motor coordination.

By the end of the project, young inventors will have gained a deeper understanding of aerodynamics and adrenaline-related concepts, celebrating their success by building their own Parachute. This experience accelerates curiosity towards the future!

Together, let’s challenge air resistance!

Challenges for you

Ask your young inventor what excited them most during the lessons — or try out the Parachute together as a family!

For the more adventurous ones, why not share the impact of those moments with us on social media?

Link to Instagram

Together, let’s feel the adrenaline of creativity

The Inventors UK
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