PLTW Gateway Flight and Space

Lesson 1 Interim Assessment Answer Key

The answer key for this assessment includes the questions for students, the correct or exemplar responses (shown in
green), the knowledge or skill each question addresses, and the rationales for answer choices. This assessment can be used
in combination with your own assessment items.

Scoring for any classroom assessment is at teacher discretion. PLTW has no set protocol for assigning letter grades to
scores derived from assessments. We recommend that you follow school grading policies for score calculation and
interpretation.

The results from the assessment may be used in different ways depending on the purpose you set. Examples of appropriate
uses of these items include:
 In a formative or summative Lesson 1 assessment
 As checks for understanding
 In a formative or summative overall classroom assessment
 Student self-assessment

How Students and Teachers Can Use the Results

To decide how best to use the assessment results, it is helpful to determine what you hope to understand from student
performance in an assessment. It is also helpful to explain to students how they can use the results of the assessment for
their own learning. Use the table to guide your use of student responses to assessment and to guide students to use these
items to self-assess.

To understand… Use…

How well the student understood a Items that relate to the specific knowledge or skill you are
particular Knowledge or Skill interested in and see individual and overall class results and
answer choice trends.

Common misconceptions about a
particular topic
Responses to the incorrect answer choices in an item. The
rationale for answer choices provides insight into accurate
conceptual understanding and possible misconceptions. Consider
the rationale for why the response may be a common
misconception and address it.

How well the student understood the Overall results of an assessment to understand what knowledge
overall lesson and skills were covered, and how well students understood them
as demonstrated by their performance.

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Assessment Items
This section provides example answers to the assessment items in the Unit Summative Assessment, along with the
Knowledge or Skill that each item addresses.

1. During the Instant Design Challenge, your team used the Design Process to create a paper airplane.

Identify the step of the Design Process that matches the following task—The team had to take design
considerations into account, such as how far the plane should fly and where it should land.

KS Describe major steps in the design process and identify typical tasks involved in each stage.

KS Define a problem and justify the pursuit of a solution to the problem.

a. Define a Problem
Correct. Rationale: In this step, team members ideate without rejecting possibilities.
b. Generate Concepts
Incorrect. Rationale: In this step, team members ideate without rejecting possibilities.
c. Design a Solution
Incorrect. Rationale: This step entails designing a solution from an idea that addresses the design
requirements.
d. Build and Test
Incorrect. Rationale: In this step, team members prototype the design and test its performance.
e. Evaluate Solution
Incorrect. Rationale: This step entails comparing how well a tested design performed against design
requirements.
f. Present Solution
Incorrect. Rationale: In this step, the team presents the results of their evaluation, both quantitatively and
qualitatively.

2. As they create new airplane designs, aerospace engineers document their work.

Why is such documentation important? Select all that apply.

KS Communicate to meet the needs of the audience and be appropriate to the situation.

KS Document work, including processes, research, and solutions, in an organized notebook.

a. To provide future historians artifacts to exhibit in museums.
Incorrect. Rationale: Not the goal of design work.
b. To know what worked and continue improving those designs.
Correct. Rationale: Necessary for iteration in the design process.

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c. To avoid making the same mistakes again.

Correct. Rationale: Necessary for iteration in the design process.
d. To provide managers records for evaluating the progress of their workers.
Incorrect. Rationale: Not the goal of design work.

3. Pet Widgets, Inc. has designed a new dog harness as an accessibility tool for people with visual impairments to
work with guide dogs. Research among guide dog owners shows that they require a harness that:
 Is a bright color
 Has a sturdy walking handle
 Has a sign that informs others that the animal is a service dog.

Guide dog owners also prefer that the harness be comfortable for their animals and have a small pouch for holding
items, such as keys and cell phones.

Which of the following designs best meets the design requirements?

Design Bright Color Sturdy “Service dog” Comfort Pouch for Holding
Walking Sign Small Items
Handle
A x x

B x x

C x x

D x

a. Design A
Incorrect. Rationale: This design omits the “Service dog” sign requirement.
b. Design B
Incorrect. Rationale: This design omits the sturdy walking handle requirement.
c. Design C
Correct. Rationale: This is the only design that includes all three design requirements.
d. Design D
Incorrect. Rationale: This design omits the bright color requirement.

Design C could be improved by making the design more comfortable and a pouch to provide the preferred
attributes of the product.

4. When forming a team to solve a design challenge, why is it important to establish team norms before starting to
work? Select all that apply.

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KS Apply team norms to encourage productivity and define how a team will function and measure its success.
a. To encourage productivity of the team
Correct. Rationale: Establishing team norms is meant, in part, to encourage team productivity
b. To decide who should do most of the work due to prior experience
Incorrect. Rationale: Team norms should ensure that workloads among team members are balanced and
allow for fair treatment of all team members.
c. To define how the team will function
Correct. Rationale: Establishing team norms is meant, in part, to define how the team will function.
d. To To define how the team will function
Correct. Rationale: Establishing team norms is meant, in part, to define how the team will function. define
how the team will function.

5. Match the cambers with their corresponding descriptions

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Symmetrical Camber High Camber Low Camber

FoilSIM Elementary – NASA FoilSIM Elementary – NASA FoilSIM Elementary - NASA

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

KS Explain how Newton’s laws and list principles affect flight.

KS Analyze how the shape of a wing (airfoil) affects flight.

Shape of Camber: Lift and Drag Resulting Capacity for Speed and Stability
Low Camber Moderate lift and low drag High speed

High Camber High lift and high drag Low speed

Symmetrical Camber Low lift and high drag Low speed and good stability

Rationale: High cambers produce greater lift but also more drag. Lower cambers produce less lift and less
drag. A symmetrical camber produces low lift and high drag.

6. Describe what happens to an airplane in flight when drag is greater than thrust.

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

KS Explain how Newton’s laws and lift principles affect flight.

a. Plane rises
Incorrect. Rationale: This motion is affected by the forces of weight and lift.
b. Plane descends
Incorrect. Rationale: This motion is affected by the forces of weight and lift.
c. Plane accelerates
Incorrect. Rationale: This occurs when thrust is greater than drag.
d. Plane slows
Correct. Rationale: This occurs when drag is greater than thrust.

7. Which of Newton’s Laws of Motion explains what is happening in this statement—An airplane accelerates
because of the force of thrust.

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

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KS Explain how Newton’s laws and lift principles affect flight

a. Newton’s First Law
Incorrect. Rationale: This law states that an object at rest remains at rest until acted on by an unbalanced
force. This force causes the plane to change from “at rest” to “in motion.”
b. Newton’s Second Law
Correct. Rationale: This law states that force produces a change in acceleration.
c. Newton’s Third Law
Incorrect. Rationale: This law states that for every action (gases flowing), there is an equal and opposite
reaction (thrust).

8. Which of Newton’s Laws of Motion explains what is happening in this statement—An airplane was at rest on the
runway, waiting in line for the planes ahead of it to take off. The pilot turns on the jet engines and the plane begins
moving forward on the runway. The plane changed from a state of rest to being in motion as a result of the force of
thrust.

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

KS Explain how Newton’s laws and lift principles affect flight.

a. Newton’s First Law
Correct. Rationale: This law states that an object at rest remains at rest until acted on by an unbalanced
force. This force causes the plane to change from “at rest” to “in motion.”
b. Newton’s Second Law
Incorrect. Rationale: This law states that force produces a change in acceleration.
c. Newton’s Third Law
Incorrect. Rationale: This law states that for every action (gases flowing), there is an equal and opposite
reaction (thrust).

9. A military cargo plane is loaded with the maximum weight allowable for the flight. The cargo is heavier than what
the pilot usually carries, so the pilot adjusts as follows:

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

KS Explain how Newton’s laws and lift principles affect flight.

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion..

a. The pilot flies slower to create less thrust and less lift
Incorrect. Rationale: Flying slower produces these effects, but this increased weight requires more lift.
b. The pilot flies slower to create more thrust and more lift
Incorrect. Rationale: Flying slower does not produce these effects.

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c. The pilot flies faster to create less thrust and less lift
Incorrect. Rationale: Flying faster does not produce these effects
d. The pilot flies faster to create more thrust and more lift
Correct. Rationale: Flying faster produces these effects, meeting the goal of increasing lift to oppose the
increased weight.

10. Name the motion illustrated by the aircraft image.

KS Describe the major parts of an aircraft or spacecraft and how they affect flight.
a. Pitch
Incorrect. Rationale: Pitch is motion in the nose-to-tail direction.
b. Yaw
Correct. Rationale: Yaw is motion that “spins” the plane like a record on a turntable.
c. Roll
Incorrect. Rationale: Roll is motion that rolls the plane from one wing toward the other wing, as if the body
of the plane is a rolling pin.
d. Bend
Incorrect. Rationale: Not an actual term for aircraft motion.

11. Name the motion illustrated by the aircraft image.

KS Describe the major parts of an aircraft or spacecraft and how they affect flight .
a. Pitch
Incorrect. Rationale: Pitch is motion in the nose-to-tail direction.
b. Yaw
Incorrect. Rationale: Yaw is motion that “spins” the plane like a record on a turntable.
c. Roll
Correct. Rationale: Roll is motion that rolls the plane from one wing toward the other wing, as if the the
body of the plane is a rolling pin.
d. Bend
Incorrect. Rationale: Not an actual term for aircraft motion.

12. Which action creates a difference in the lift on each wing, causing the plane to roll?

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

KS Explain how Newton’s laws and lift principles affect flight.

KS Describe the major parts of an aircraft and how they affect flight.

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KS Analyze how the shape of a wing (airfoil) affects flight.

a. Moving the rudder left or right
Incorrect. Rationale: This affects the yaw of the plane.
b. Raising or lowering the elevators
Incorrect. Rationale: This affects the pitch of the plane.
c. Decreasing engine thrust
Incorrect. Rationale: Reducing thrust reduces net acceleration—the rate at which the plane increases its
speed. This reduces lift and may require a longer takeoff period for the plane to reach a lift that overcomes
its weight.
d. Raising one aileron and lowering the other aileron
Correct. Rationale: Moving ailerons in opposite directions results in rolling the plane.

13. When is a pilot likely to lower the elevators on an airplane?

KS Describe how the forces of lift, drag, weight, and thrust affect flight.

KS Describe the major parts of an aircraft or spacecraft and how they affect flight.

KS Analyze how the shape of a wing (airfoil) affects flight.

a. When ascending to a higher altitude
Incorrect. Rationale: The pilot would raise the elevators to push the tail down and raise the nose of the plane
to ascend.
b. When descending to a lower altitude
Correct. Rationale: The pilot would lower the elevators to push the tail up and lower the nose of the plane to
descend.
c. When taking off
Incorrect. Rationale: The pilot would raise the elevators to push the tail down and raise the nose of the plane
to ascend during takeoff.
d. After takeoff, when climbing and turning
Incorrect. Rationale: The pilot would raise the elevators to push the tail down and raise the nose of the
plane, while also adjusting the rudder and ailerons to execute a climbing turn.

14. Describe how the shape of an airfoil affects flight. Think about the shape of this example airfoil as you answer:

KS Analyze how the shape of a wing (airfoil) affects flight.

KS Explain how Newton’s laws and lift principles affect flight.

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Student may note that several factors affect the way in which air flows over the airfoil, including:
 Curvature of the top of the airfoil
 Curvature of the bottom of the airfoil
 Overall thickness of the airfoil
 Change in thickness of the airfoil from front (leading edge) to back (trailing edge)
 The student may also note that the angle of attack of the airfoil affects flight, although this is not specifically
the shape of the airfoil itself.

The student may also note that the angle of attack of the airfoil affects flight, although this is not specifically the
shape of the airfoil itself.

15. Examine the data in the chart. The flight distance from Reno, Nevada to Bozeman, Montana is 534 NM.

Which planes have sufficient range to fly between the two cities without refueling? To add a button to a screen in
App Inventor, where would you drag the Button component to?

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion.

KS Calculate flight time given speed and distance. Navigate and use an app development software to design,
develop, and test a mobile app.
a. None of the planes
Incorrect. Rationale: This design omits the great quality (reliable and safe) requirement.
b. The Eclipse plane
Incorrect. Rationale: The Pilatus and King Air planes also meet the range requirements.
c. Eclipse, Pilatus, and King Air planes
Correct. Rationale: These three planes all meet the range requirements.
d. All four planes
Incorrect. Rationale: The Cessna does not have the range to fly the distance.

16. The F-22 Raptor flies at 1301 kts.

How long would it take to fly from San Diego to Seattle, a distance of 1091 NM?

Use the formula: Time (hours) = Distance (kts)/ Speed (NM)

KS Calculate flight time given speed and distance.

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion.

Time = Distance/speed

= 1091 NM/1301 kts

= 0.84 hours

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Student may note that this is somewhere between 45 minutes and 1 hour (although this comment is not
necessary for a correct solution).

17. A dispatcher is planning visual indicators and checkpoints for a 200-nautical-mile flight from El Paso, Texas to
Albuquerque, New Mexico. A Google satellite terrain map will be used to select the checkpoints.

Use the Google satellite terrain map below to determine two visual checkpoints that would be useful for the pilot:
To add a button to a screen in App Inventor, where would you drag the Button component to?

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion.

KS Analyze and interpret maps to draw conclusions.

Student may note any of the following checkpoints:

 Interstate Highway 25 which runs North-South
 The bodies of water near Truth or Consequences
 Gila National Forest

18. A student is creating a Gantt chart to plan out after-school activities.

 Ride the bus home and chat with friends, immediately after school lets out at 3 p.m.
 Talk with his family during dinner between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

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 Practice his electric guitar for an hour after arriving home, and before dinner
 Work on homework after dinner

Shade in the time slots to indicate when the student will do each task on the following Gantt chart:

KS Plan schedules using a graphical planning tool.

KS Create and execute a plan to manage and use resources (time, materials, tools).

Student should shade in the Gantt chart as follows:

Tasks and Times 3:00–4:00 4:00–5:00 5:00–6:00 6:00–7:00

Ride Bus Home

Practice Music

Eat Dinner

Do Homework

Talk to Family

Chat with Friends

19. What time does the flight from Las Vegas (LAS) to Phoenix (PHX) take off?

KS Plan schedules using a graphical planning tool.

KS Create and execute a plan to manage and use resources (time, materials, tools).

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion.

Flights & 07:00- 08:00- 09:00- 10:00- 11:00- 12:00-13:00

Times 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00

LAS>PHX
08:45 – 10:00
PHX>LAS
10:55 – 12:00

a. 08:45
Correct. Rationale: The schedule shows the plane departs at 8:45 in the morning.
b. 10:00

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Incorrect. Rationale: This is the time the flight lands in Phoenix.

c. 10:55
Incorrect. Rationale: This is the time the flight takes off from Phoenix.
d. 12:00
Incorrect. Rationale: This is the time the flight lands in Las Vegas.

20. A flight crew is asked to arrive an hour before takeoff and stay half an hour after landing.

Using the following blank Gantt chart for the round-trip flight between Las Vegas (LAS) and Phoenix (PHX),
shade the times when the flight crew will need to be onboard the plane

Assume the flights depart and land on time. Does the crew have enough time to leave the plane between

flights to get a coffee in the airport?

KS Plan schedules using a graphical planning tool.

KS Create and execute a plan to manage and use resources (time, materials, tools).

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion.

Student should shade in the schedule as follows:

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Student should respond as follows:

No. There is only a 55-minute layover in Phoenix between flights. Since the crew is supposed to stay half an
hour following the first flight, and then arrive an hour before the second flight—the crew should not leave
the plane.

21. Refer to the charts below to answer the questions that follow about crew scheduling:

KS Plan schedules using a graphical planning tool.

KS Create and execute a plan to manage and use resources (time, materials, tools).

KS Collect, display, analyze, and interpret data to draw a conclusion.

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Who will be the Captain of this flight?

a. M. Lewis
Incorrect. Rationale: This pilot cannot start a shift until 16:30.
b. G. Gonzalez
Correct. Rationale: This pilot meets all the criteria.
c. S. Hill
Incorrect. Rationale: This pilot can only work four more hours until he/she has accrued 60 flight hours for
the week.
d. None of these choices will work for captain.
Incorrect. Rationale: G. Gonzalez meets all criteria.

Who will be the Captain of this flight? Who will be the first officer for this flight?
a. H. Sanchez
Incorrect. Rationale: Does not have the most seniority.
b. T. Morris

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Incorrect. Rationale: Has requested time off.

c. J. Reed
Correct. Rationale: This first officer meets all the criteria.
d. None of these choices will work for first officer.
Incorrect. Rationale: J. Reed meets all criteria.

Who will be the flight attendants for this flight? (Choose two)
a. C. Ross
Incorrect. Rationale: Has requested time off.
b. P. Henderson
Incorrect. Rationale: This flight attendant can only work two more hours until he/she has accrued 60 flight
hours for the week.
c. L. Jenkins
Correct. Rationale: L. Jenkins meets all criteria.
d. D. Ford
Correct. Rationale: D. Ford meets all criteria.

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