Rockets After School STEM Academy 6-8 th Grade Curriculum
Activity 1 ACTIVITY 1: SODA STRAW ROCKET SUMMARY In this activity, you will build and test soda straw rockets just like a NASA engineer. You ll be changing the shape of your rocket by varying the length of the nose cone, or the pointed part in the front. Your goal: To lessen the drag so your rocket flies farther. OBJECTIVES Build a soda straw rocket that flies farther. Experiment with varied nose cone length to improve results. MATERIALS For the whole class: Tape measure Rulers Scissors Clear Tape For each student: Plastic straw Pencil Journal page # BACKGROUND Whether a rocket makes it to the moon, or barely makes it a mile, depends on a few variables. First, there has to be enough force getting the rocket moving. Second, there can t be too much drag, the force of air pressure against the rocket, slowing it down. The shape of a rocket affects the amount of drag it produces. Another factor affecting a rocket s flight path is the angle of the rocket when it takes off do you want to shoot it straight up, straight out, or something in between? ACTIVITY 1. Students should sit in small groups to share common materials (scissors, clear tape, ruler). 2. Students will turn to pages # - # in their journals to find the rocket patterns. 3. Cut out one big rectangle, otherwise known as your rocket body. Curl the rectangle lengthwise around a pencil and tape in into a tube. Adapted from: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/aero_p046.shtml
Activity 1 4. Cut out two rocket fins. Line up the rectangle on one unit with the bottom of the rocket body. Tape it on. Line up the second fin unit and tape it to the opposite side of the tube. 5. On one fin unit, bend the fin on the right side toward you, so it forms a right angle with the fin on the left. Do the same to the right-hand fin on the other fin unit. Now, when you look at the rocket from the bottom, the fin should forma a + shape. 6. Put the straw inside the rocket and line up the front of the rocket with the end of the straw. Then, tape the end of your rocket closed. This rocket has no nose cone. This is your control rocket you will test other models against this one. 7. Important: Find an open space where you can launch your rockets with no danger of hitting someone. 8. Let it fly! Blow into the straw to launch your rocket. How does it work? Try launching at different angles and see what makes it fly the farthest. Measure the distance flown on three flights and write the measurements on your lab sheet. Adapted from: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/aero_p046.shtml
Activity 1 9. Now, see if you can build a better rocket. Follow steps 3-5 to build a second rocket. This time, push the rocket body up to the sharpened end of the pencil. Twist the end of the tube closed around the sharpened end to form the nose cone. Remove the pencil. 10. Measure the length of your nose cone. Write it on your lab sheet and on the rocket. 11. Test it! How far can you make your second rocket fly? Measure the distance and enter it in your lab sheet. REFLECTION Did anything surprise you about this activity? What other variables could you change on your rocket and how might they affect its flight? Adapted from: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/aero_p046.shtml
Rocket Pattern Activity 1 Cut out the two rocket fin units. Cut out the rocket body and curl it lengthwise around a pencil and tape it into a tube. Cut out the two rocket fin units. Cut out the rocket body and curl it lengthwise around a pencil and tape it into a tube. Kids Science Challenge - Build A Soda Straw Rocket
Activity 1 Cut out the two rocket fin units. Cut out the rocket body and curl it lengthwise around a pencil and tape it into a tube. Soda Straw Rocket Data Log Rocket Number Nose Cone Length Distance in Trial 1 Distance in Trial 2 Distance in Trial 3 1: Control 0 2 3 Kids Science Challenge Science Projects are presented by the award-winning radio series, Pulse of the Planet Kids Science Challenge - Build A Soda Straw Rocket Made possible by the National Science Foundation 2009 Jim Metzner Productions. All rights reserved.
Activity 2 ACTIVITY 2: IMPROVE YOUR SODA STRAW ROCKET SUMMARY Last week students built soda straw rockets and launched them by blowing through the end of the straw. This week, students will improve their design, and use a balloon launcher to try to reach a target. OBJECTIVES MATERIALS Use the engineering design process. Design and build an improved soda straw rocket. Launch the rocket using a balloon. Consistently hit a target with their rockets. ACTIVITY For each student: small straw large straw balloon paper Journal pages # - For the whole class: scissors clay clear tape rulers targets (can be drawn on paper) Basic air-powered rocket and balloon launcher Introduce the challenge (10 minutes) 1. Tell kids about the role rockets play in getting people and equipment to the moon. To get to the moon, NASA uses a rocket. A rocket is basically a huge engine that lifts things into space. Sometimes rockets carry astronauts into space. Sometimes, they carry NASA s space shuttle, a satellite, or other piece of space equipment. Today you ll make a rocket out of straw that uses air power to hit a target. By testing your rocket, you ll find ways to make it work better. Improving a design based on testing is called the engineering design process. 2. Show kids your sample rocket and launcher. See if they can remember the names for the main parts. The large column that makes up most of the rocket is called the body. If you add wing-like sheets to the lower end of the body, they are called fins. The small capsule that sits atop the body is the nosecone. The nosecone is where the astronauts sit or where NASA stows the satellites or equipment it sends into space. Brainstorm and design (10 minutes) 1. Have students turn to page # in their journals. a. What are some ways you can change your rocket design from last week? Kids can change: length of the straw; straw weight; weight and shape of the nosecone; number and position of the wings. They can also manipulate how much air is in the balloon and how they release the air. b. How will adding weight to the straw s nose or having more fins affect how it flies? Adding weight to the straw s nose or placing fins near the back can help it fly straighter. Modified from: http://www-tc.pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/ds_nasa_03launchit_ln_cs.pdf
Activity 2 c. When you launch your straw rocket, how does the launch angle affect where it lands? Launching a rocket straight up sends it high but not far; straight out makes it fall quickly to the floor. This could be a great opportunity to explore angles with kids. 2. Break the students into pairs or groups of 4 so they can collaborate on their designs and improvements. Build, test, evaluate, redesign (30 minutes) 1. Students follow the steps to build their rockets. 2. Help kids with issues as they arise. For example, if the rocket: a. sticks to the launch straw the straw might be wet if the student blew through it. Also, check that the balloon is inflated enough. b. veers off course add fins, either at the rear or middle of the rocket c. lands on its side instead of nose first add a little more weight to the nose d. doesn t go far blow up the balloon more; reduce the straw s weight; change the tilt of the launch; change the length or the straw rocket a longer straw gets a bigger blast of air, which pushed on the straw for a longer time, speeding it up and sending it farther. 3. Extend the challenge: Have kids experiment with different launch angles by using a protractor to position a book cover or sheet of cardboard at a series of various angles, such as 30, 45, 60, and 90 degrees. Have them launch their rockets and compare how far they go. Reflection (10 minutes) 1. Have the students share in pairs or groups of 4 about any problems that came up and how they solved them. 2. Invite students to share out ways they overcame challenges to the whole group, 3. Emphasize the key ideas in the improvement challenge by asking: a. What features of your design helped your rocket hit the target? Key factors include the rocket s weight, launch angle, ability to fly straight, and the balloon s pressure. b. What changes did you make to your rocket between last week and this week? c. How did changing the launch angle affect how your rocket flew? Steep launch angles send a rocket high into the air but not far horizontally. Shallow launch angles send a rocket far horizontally but not high. Modified from: http://www-tc.pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/ds_nasa_03launchit_ln_cs.pdf
Activity 3 ACTIVITY 3: EXPLORE PAPER AIRPLANE DESIGN SUMMARY Just one sheet of paper can lead to a whole lot of fun. How? Paper planes! All you have to know is how to fold and you can have a simple plane in a matter of minutes! But what design should you use to build the best plane? In this aerodynamics project, you will change the basic design of a paper plane and see how this affects its flight. Specifically, you will increase how much drag the plane experiences and see if this changes how far the paper plane flies. There is a lot of cool science in this project, such as how the different forces allow a plane to fly, so get ready to start folding! OBJECTIVES Determine whether the distance a paper plane flies is affected by increasing how much drag it experiences. Experiment with different materials out of which to make paper airplanes. MATERIALS For the whole class: Masking tape Tape measure For each group of 3 students: Paper (3 sheets) Construction Paper (3 sheets) Newspaper (3 sheets) Ruler Scissors BACKGROUND Paper airplanes are fun and easy to make. Just fold a piece of paper into a simple plane and send it soaring into the sky with a flick of your wrist. Watching it float and glide in the air gives you a very satisfying and happy feeling. But what allows the paper plane to glide through the air? And why does a paper plane finally land? To find out, we will talk about the science behind flying a paper plane and the different forces that get a paper plane to fly and land. These same forces apply to real airplanes, too. A force is something that pushes or pulls on something else. When you throw a paper plane in the air, you are giving the plane a push to move forward. That push is a type of force called thrust. While the plane is flying forward, air is moving over and under the wings and is providing a force called lift to the plane. If the paper plane has enough thrust and the wings are properly designed, the plane will have a nice long flight. Adapted from: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/aero_p046.shtml
Activity 3 But there is more than lack of thrust and poor wing design that gets a paper plane to come back to Earth. As a paper plane moves through the air, the air pushes against the plane, slowing it down. This force is called drag. To think about drag, imagine you are in a moving car and you put your hand outside of the window. The force of the air pushing your hand back as you move forward is drag. Finally, the weight of the paper plane affects its flight and brings it to a landing. Weight is the force of Earth's gravity acting on the paper plane. Figure 1 below shows how all four of these forces, thrust, lift, drag, and weight, act upon a paper plane. In this aerodynamics science project, you will make a basic paper plane and then slightly alter its shape to increase how much drag is acting on it. You will investigate how far the basic paper plane flies and compare that to how far it flies when the drag is increased. How will adding drag affect your plane's flight? Terms and Concepts Force Thrust Lift Drag Weight Questions What is drag and how does it affect airplane flight? How do you think you could change how much drag a paper plane has? What provides thrust to a real airplane? Rocket? ACTIVITY 1. Briefly review the visual on Journal page # to look at the forces that effect a paper airplane. Use the background information (above) to help students understand basic concepts. 2. Students will work in groups of 3 to make their airplanes. Each group should select ONE type of paper airplane to fold instructions for the different designs are in the journals pg #-#. Adapted from: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/aero_p046.shtml
Activity 3 3. Have students measure and cut their sheets of construction and newspaper to 8.5 x11 to match the regular computer paper. 4. Using the pattern selected in step one, each group should fold the pieces of paper into airplanes, resulting in 9 paper airplanes. They should all look identical, except for the type of paper used to make them. Make sure that students fold carefully and that the folds are as sharp as possible. 5. Now, have students modify one set of airplanes to have increased drag (Journal page #). 6. Students should number their airplanes 1-3 for each type of paper. #3 should be the airplane with increased drag. 7. Find a hallway, gym, cafeteria, or other open space where you will be able to fly the airplanes. 8. Allow students to practice flying their airplanes for a couple minutes so they have some consistency about how they fly them. 9. Tape a piece of masking tape to the ground (approx. 5-ft) to use as a starting line for flying the airplanes. (Space permitting, you might want to set up two test sights, so that more groups can fly their planes and record results at the same time.) 10. Use masking tape and the tape measure to mark off approximate distances every couple of feet (ex. every 3 feet). 11. Give each group of 3 students a chance to fly their 9 airplanes. a. The students should record the distances of each airplane on journal page #, making sure that they are noting the distance flown by the correct material type, fold used, and whether it had added drag. 12. Once each group has had a chance to fly their planes, get together and discuss as a class which type of airplanes flew farther. a. Look at both the material used, the fold pattern, and the drag. b. Do you see any patterns in the data? c. Did the fold type or the material seem to matter more? What about drag? d. What do you think this could mean for a rocket? 13. Let the students know that next week you will be starting to prepare your model rockets to launch in a couple weeks! Adapted from: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/aero_p046.shtml
Activity 4 ACTIVITY 4: FINTASTIC ROCKETS! FIN EXPLORATION SUMMARY This lesson will introduce students to the basic concepts that they need to master in order to build their model rocket next week. They will write a hypothesis about the fin shape that will lead to the rocket that flies the highest. OBJECTIVES Students will learn the function of fins and how they affect flight. Students will identify the parts of a fin and the different fin shapes. Students will conduct a scientific inquiry about model rocket fins. Students will decorate their model rocket. MATERIALS For each pair of students: paper pencil rocket kit gallon ziplock bag For each student: Journal pages # - # For the class: permanent marker markers model rocket pre-assembled (at training or previous to this session) BACKGROUND Parts of a Model Rocket The main parts of a model rocket are the body tube, engine holder assembly, fins, launch lug, nose cone, shock cord and recovery system. Model rockets are made of lightweight materials like paper, balsa wood and plastic. The body tube is the main structure of the rocket. It determines the main shape of the rocket and is usually long and slender. All other parts are attached to the body tube. The engine holder assembly holds the engine in place inside the rocket. Fins give directional stability and help the rocket fly straight. The launch lug is the hollow tube that slips over the launch rod. The nose cone is attached to the top of the rocket and is tapered to cut through the air more efficiently and reduce drag. The rubber shock cord attaches the nose cone to the body tube so the rocket is recovered in one piece. The recovery system returns the rocket to the ground. Model Rocket Flight Profile Thrust is the upward force that makes a rocket move off the launch pad. This is a demonstration of Newton s Third Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The action Adapted from: http://www2.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin/wedu001p.pgm?p=videos
Activity 4 of the gas escaping through the engine nozzle leads to the reaction of the rocket moving in the opposite direction. The casing of a model rocket engine contains the propellant. At the base of the engine is the nozzle, which is made of a heat-resistant, rigid material. The igniter in the rocket engine nozzle is heated by an electric current supplied by a battery-powered launch controller. The hot igniter ignites the solid rocket propellant inside the engine, which produces gas while it is being consumed. This gas causes pressure inside the rocket engine, which must escape through the nozzle. The gas escapes at a high speed and produces thrust. Located above the propellant is the smoke-tracking and delay element. Once the propellant is used up, the engine s time delay is activated. The engine s time delay produces a visible smoke trail used in tracking, but no thrust. The fast moving rocket now begins to decelerate (slow down) as it coasts upward toward peak altitude (apogee). The rocket slows down due to the pull of gravity and the friction created as it moves through the atmosphere. The effect of this atmospheric friction is called drag. When the rocket has slowed enough, it will stop going up and begin to arc over and head downward. This high point or peak altitude is the apogee. At this point the engine s time delay is used up and the ejection charge is activated. The ejection charge is above the delay element. It produces hot gases that expand and blow away the cap at the top of the engine. The ejection charge generates a large volume of gas that expands forward and pushes the recovery system (parachute, streamer, helicopter blades) out of the top of the rocket. The recovery system is activated and provides a slow, gentle and soft landing. The rocket can now be prepared for another launch. Flight Sequence of a Model Rocket: 1. Electrical ignition and liftoff 2. Acceleration or thrust phase 3. Coast phase and tracking smoke 4. Peak altitude (apogee) and ejection 5. Recovery system deployed 6. Touchdown Model Rocket Fins The primary purpose of fins on a rocket is to serve as the rocket s control system. Fins give directional stability and help the rocket fly straight. Model rocket fins may be made of plastic, balsa wood or stiff cardboard. Fins should be attached in a symmetrical form of three, four or possibly more. Model rocket fins are usually fixed; while some actual rockets have fins that have movable components. Movable components allow for the in-flight control of the rocket s guidance. The four most common shapes of fins are rectangular, elliptical, straight-tapered and swept-tapered (visual Common Fin Shapes).The four parts of a fin are leading edge, trailing edge, root edge and tip (Parts of a Fin).
Activity 4 The effect of drag is one of the major concerns when designing fins. Drag is the frictional force or resistance between the surface of a moving object and air. The visual "What is Drag?" illustrates the effects of drag on a hand placed into moving air (wind). The amount of drag is directly proportional to the amount of surface area that comes into contact with the leading edge of the rocket as it cuts through the air. Because the palm of the hand has a greater surface area coming in contact with the moving air, it produces greater drag than the edge of the hand. The shape of a fin is one factor that determines the amount of drag produced. Fin characteristics such as the total surface area, total span and sweep angle all help to determine the amount of drag produced by a rocket s fins. When viewing the fin from the fin s tip, the sectional shape is a determiner of the amount of drag produced by a rocket s fin. Fins are Roots For students to understand fins, compare a model rocket to a tree. A tree has a trunk, a model rocket has a body tube. A tree has roots, a model rocket has fins. The roots of a tree anchor the tree and give it stability to help it stand up straight. The fins of a model rocket give it guidance and stability so it flies straight. ACTIVITY 1. Show the video of the November 2015 Blue Origin launch to get students thinking about rocket launches. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pillaoxgco (or search Blue Origin Launch) Note that although the launch happened in Texas, Blue Origin headquarters is located in nearby Kent, WA! 2. Break students into pairs. Note: Students will be working with these partners for 3 weeks, so take care when matching students. Teacher feedback can be very benefical in ensuring that students are placed in productive pairs. 3. Use a model rocket (you can use the rocket you assembled at training or before the lesson began) and the Model Rocket Nomenclature (page # in this guide), along with the " Typical Model Rocket Flight" page (journal page #) to show students the parts of a model rocket and what happens when it is launched. 4. When you are covering the parts of a model rocket, students will fill out the blank Model Rocket Nomenclature sheet (journal page #). 5. Discuss why rockets have fins. Ask students if they know of any control systems on other types of transportation. 6. Have students review drag by looking at journal page # and discussing what they remember from the paper airplane lesson last week. 7. Show the class the most common fin shapes and the parts of a fin using journal pages #-#, Common Fin Shapes and Parts of a Fin. a. Discuss with students which shape will create the least amount of drag and make the rocket more aerodynamic.
Activity 4 8. Students will complete Design Considerations for Fins (journal page #) and label the parts of a fin on one of their sketches. 9. Students will have a PROBLEM to solve about their rockets fin. The problem: Which rocket will launch the highest? 10. To do this with the Viking rocket, students will decide if their rocket will have three, four or five fins. They should include in their hypothesis how many fins will go the highest. 11. Students will complete the problem, hypothesis and procedure on the Fintastic Rockets! Project Form (journal page #). 12. In pairs, have students remove the body of the rocket, being careful to place all other materials into their gallon ziplock bag, labeled with their names (permanent marker works best). Instruct them to work together to decorate their rocket body using markers, for assembly next week. 13. During the launch, students will track their rocket s altitude with the altitude finder. If there is time, let each student practice using the altitude finder. You can also do this the second class session after the rockets have been built or the third class session before the rockets are staged for the launch. Make sure students understand the importance of keeping track of all materials - otherwise their rocket's won't be launchable!
Model Rocket Nomenclature Engine Holder Assembly Eyelet Nose Cone Shock Cord Engine Holder Tube Adapter Ring Shock Cord Mount Engine Hook Body Tube Shroud Lines Launch Lug Engine Holder Assembly Parachute Fin Part Names Leading Edge Fins Tip Grain Direction Trailing Edge Root Edge (attaches to body tube) 2008 Estes-Cox Corp. All rights reserved.
Activity 5 ACTIVITY 5: FINTASTIC ROCKETS! BUILD THE ROCKET SUMMARY Students will use the foundational concepts they learned last week as they build their model rockets in pairs. OBJECTIVES Students will construct their model rockets in pairs. Students will use their hypothesis to design fins to help the rocket fly as high as possible. MATERIALS For each pair of students: rocket kit (gallon bag from last session) paper pencil For each student: Journal pages # - # For the class: glue scissors ruler sandpaper markers ACTIVITY 1. For most of your students, this will be the first time they have built and launched a model rocket. Explain to students that when they complete this project, they will be a Model Rocket Scientist. 2. Student pair assemble the Viking model rockets, using the step-by-step procedures included in the rocket kit (also detailed below). 3. When students attach their fins, make sure they have glued the number of fins on their rocket (3, 4 or 5), changed the root edge or inverted the fins according to their hypothesis. a. NOTE: Please make sure that students attach the small tube to the side of the rocket when they are attaching the fins this is essential to the rockets being able to launch! It is a small piece, and many students have misplaced or ignored it in the past, resulting in them not being able to launch their rocket during the next lesson. (See image on page 18). 4. Review the Model Rocket Safety Code with the class (journal page #). 5. Make sure that rockets are stored safely until the next lesson, when they will be launched.
Activity 5 ROCKET ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS OVERVIEW (detailed version with images included with each rocket kit, and is also on pages 17-20) 1. Assemble the nose cone 2. Prepare fins 3. Tube marking 4. Attach fins (make sure to attach small tube to the side, as well!) 5. Install engine block 6. Attach shock cord 7. Recovery system preparation 8. Rocket finishing (students may sand and decorate with markers, but will not be painting)
Activity 6 ACTIVITY 6: FINTASTIC ROCKETS! LAUNCH THE ROCKET! SUMMARY Students will launch the rockets they assembled in pairs last week. In each pair, one student will push the launch button and one will use the alitude reader. Students will write a conclusion to their hypothesis based on data collected. OBJECTIVES MATERIALS Launch model rockets. Only adults go near the launch pad. Students will write conclusions based on their hypothesis and the data collected from the rocket launches. Remember: An ADULT must place the rockets on the launch pad. Students should not be near the launch pad. For each pair of students: completed rocket For the class: altitude reader launch pad launch controller engines For each student: Journal pages # - # SUMMARY Students will get see their rockets launched outside! Students will use the altitude reader to record the altitude reached, and compare which rockets went higher. ACTIVITY 1. Assign and post launch jobs for students. Launch jobs are on page 22 of this guide. 2. Prepare rockets for launching in your classroom before going out to launch. Follow the Engine Preparation steps located in the rocket instructions. 3. Launch the rockets outside at a sports field, or other green grassy area or blacktop. 4. In each pair, one student pushes the launch button, and one uses the altitude reader. REFLECTION 1. Each pair of students will record their rocket s altitude on a class chart. 2. Students will analyze the data from the entire class. Which rockets went higher those with 3, 4 or 5 fins? Or those with root edge or inverted fins? 3. Students will complete the lesson by writing their conclusions on their project form. 4. (Optional) Students can convert their rocket s altitude in meters to feet. a. The formula is: Feet = meters * 3.28 ft/meter
LAUNCH SITE DETAILS Below is a description of each position that may be needed and a layout of the field to help you organize your launch day. Range Safety Officer (RSO) - Yourself or the leader who is in charge. The RSO has the final say in all situations. The RSO watches the safety key at all times and checks the air-worthiness of all rockets. Launch Control Officer (LSO) - The person responsible for actually firing the rocket. Control panel set-up and dismantling is also this person s responsibility. Tracking Officer (TO) - This person is responsible for the set-up, operation and coordination of the tracking sites. 1-2 Tracking Site - These could consist of several positions at each site. Positions could include: tracking the rocket to measure its altitude, recording altitude data and a runner to communicate with the TO back at the launch pad. Recovery Crews (RC) - Consist of several people who follow the flight, recover and return the rocket to the range head. 1 2 3 4 Tracker 1 Tracker 2 Range Safety Officer Data Recording Table 5 6 7 8 Preparation Table Recovery Team Launch Control Officer National or Club Flag 9 10 11 12 Range-In-Operation Pennant (optional) Students-Observers Parking Area (optional) Launch Pad 1 8 6 4 3 12 5 10 11 2 7 9 Remember: An ADULT must place the rockets on the launch pad. Students should not be near the launch pad.