Teacher Information

TEACHER INFORMATION

Time required: 45 minutes per class per day for 1 week.

Teaching preparation

Send letters home to parents explaining the project and the requirements.
Be sure to include launch date and invite parents.
The letter should have a ;list of various types of rockets and their cost per student.
Students will chose their rockets from the list that you have provided.
You may want to include rockets that uses similar engines. Here are some examples.

Examples:

Order unassembled rockets in bulk from any scientificsupplies vendors or hobby shop. This way you can negotiate price
Start collexting orders for rockets at least two weeks before the activity.
Remember to shop for batteries, engines, wood glue, sand paper and cutting knives.

Teaching Strategies

Each student will work on his/her rocket each day during class for one week or until rocket is totally assembeled.
Keep the cutting knives and allow students to use and return them to you immediately.
Cut sand paper into small squares to avoid waste.
Have a place where students can place their rockets to dry after gluing them.
Allow students who want to paint their rockets to take them home to do so.
Caution: Remind students not to paint their rockets with the nose cone in place. Otherwise, it will be stuck.
Choose open field for launching rockets.

Review

Teach and review the following with your students before beginning the projects:
Force
Lift
Drag
Thrust
Apogee
Newton's 2nd. and 3rd. Law of Motion
Have students to practice solving for mass, acceleration and force using F=m x a
Be sure to use models airplanes or rockets to illustrate how they are affected by the forces acting on them.