acknowledgementS
This program is a product of SAE International and supported by contributions to the
SAE Foundation, Warrendale, Pennsylvania.
David Schutt, Chief Executive Officer
Mathew Miller, Director, SAE Foundation & Pre-Professional Programs
Christopher Ciuca, A World In Motion Program Manager
Julie MacIntyre, A World In Motion Program Developer
Written and Developed in Cooperation with Education Development Center, Inc.*
Kristen Bjork, Senior Project Director
Lorena Martinez-Diaz, Curriculum and Instructional Design Associate II
Bernie Zubrowski, Senior Research Scientist
Karen Worth, Senior Research Scientist
Abigail Jurist Levy, Senior Research Scientist
Lisa Marco, Research Assistant II
Ilene Kantrov, Pathways to College and Careers Director
Rebecca Lewis, Science Content Specialist
Nahia Kassas, Senior Administrative Assistant
Maria D’Souza, Pathways to College and Careers Financial Manager
Christopher Ciuca, A World In Motion Program Manager
Julie MacIntyre, A World In Motion Program Developer
Layout, Design, and Illustrations
Jason Tranchida, LLAMAproduct, Graphic Design
Patricia Konarski, Copyeditor
Jeanine Reed, Artist
Advisors, Consultants, and Reviewers
Matthew Miller, Christopher Ciuca, Julie MacIntyre, Kenneth Francis
We would like to thank the following schools and classroom teachers for their participation in the pilot and
field testing of Straw Rockets:
Schools
Advanced Technology Academy, Dearborn, MI; Bigfork Elementary School, Bigfork, MT; Howe Elementary
School, Detroit, MI; Kent Gardens Elementary School, McLean, VA; Logan Elementary School, Detroit, MI;
Lordstown Elementary School, Warren, OH; Richfield Public School Academy, Flint, MI
Classroom Teachers
Lauren Casserino, Meagan DeBruin, Marlene Graban, Beth Haring, Hareem Hanphy, Kerrie Hubbard,
Eure Jung, Michelle Kaney, Angel Martin, Jill Morley, Tanya Muzyk, Sneha Patel, Patricia Pattee, Alexandra
Ptasienski, Diane Sampson, Usha Shankar, Maria Tucker
Teacher Coordinators
Pamela Haldy, James Nelson, Karen Pogachar, and Jo Weiner
Teacher Advisors
Gary Bechtold, James Otis School, East Boston, MA; Liberta Croce, St. Francis of Assisi School, Medford,
MA; Jennifer MacDonald, Plympton Elementary School, Waltham, MA; Elizabeth Merrill, Willard School,
Concord, MA; Marlene Tildsley, St. Francis of Assisi School, Medford, MA; Carol Walker, Winship School,
Brighton, MA
*Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), is a global nonprofit organization that develops,
delivers, and evaluates innovative programs designed to address challenges in education, health,
and economic development.
Development and distribution for the A World In Motion® Straw Rockets has been made possible,
in part, through a generous grant from Nissan North America, Inc.
TABLE OF cONTentS
INTRODUCTION TO A WORLD IN MOTION ............................................. i
BEFORE YOU TEACH straw rockets ................................................ xiii
straw rockets SCIENCE NOTES ...................................................... xvii
straw rockets ACTIVITIES .................................................................. 1
1 · Up, Up, and Away! ..................................................................... 3
2 · How Do Our Rockets Go? .................................................... 13
3 · straw length .......................................................................... 19
4 · nose weight ............................................................................ 27
5 · Fins aren’t just for Fish! ..................................................... 35
6 · Create Your Own Rockets ................................................... 41
7 · Rocket contests ..................................................................... 47
INTRODUCTION TO
A WORLD IN MOTION
Educating Children for Tomorrow’s World
To succeed in the society of tomorrow, all children need an education that
prepares them to understand and apply concepts in science, engineering,
mathematics, and technology. In addition to becoming literate in these disciplines,
students must also learn to solve complex problems, to communicate clearly, to
raise and resolve questions, to assimilate information, and to work cooperatively
toward common goals.
Today’s educators can no longer succeed by presenting students with information
and teaching them rote processes. To help them acquire a deep understanding
of scientific, mathematical, and engineering phenomena, teachers must provide
students with abundant opportunities for direct, hands-on experience with
materials and tools and thoughtful discussions about what they are doing. In this
way, students become competent and feel confident in their abilities to explore,
conjecture, and reason logically, and to gather and manipulate information to
arrive at useful knowledge about the world around them. These abilities are
strengthened and nurtured when school activities grow out of real problems or
situations, and they are further stimulated and developed through the interactive,
cooperative processes of discussing, reading, and writing about direct experiences.
SAE International (formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers) has developed A
World in Motion® as an opportunity for students and teachers to explore science,
engineering, mathematics, and technology by taking on challenges that begin
to develop students’ understanding of basic concepts of physical science in an
engineering design context.
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i
Overview of the Curriculum
A World in Motion for the primary grade levels consists of four challenges suitable
for grades Primary. Each of these challenges can be taught over a one- to two-week
period:
• Rolling Things: Students explore how changing the ramp height and
vehicle weight affect the momentum of toy cars.
• Pinball Designer: Students build, test, and modify a non-electronic pinball
machine to create a toy that meets certain specifications.
• Engineering Inspired by Nature: Students investigate seeds that are
dispersed by the wind. They apply what they have learned to make paper
helicopters and parachutes. They test different variables (length, width,
weight, etc.) to see how these factors affect performance.
• Straw Rockets: Students build, test, and modify rockets made from drinking
straws. They test the rockets to see how far they can fly.
The four challenges give young students many opportunities to explore a toy they
have constructed and to develop an understanding of what it means to conduct a
fair test.
As students explore the hands-on materials, they debate and communicate their
ideas, test their ideas, and draw their own conclusions based on the evidence they
gather. In this way, their experience resembles the work of scientists and engineers.
The science notes that accompany each challenge describe for the teacher concepts
associated with the performance of the items students build and/or test.
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The Engineering Design Experience
A unique feature of this program is the use of portions of a problem-solving
process employed by engineers working in teams and taught at many engineering
schools across the country. The “Engineering Design Experience” is a process by
which engineers examine what must be accomplished and who the product is for;
gather and synthesize information; design, develop, and test a prototype design;
and prepare a presentation of their design ideas.
The Engineering Design Experience consists of five phases. Students in the Primary
challenges will be introduced to the italicized phases.
Set Goals
Students are introduced to a challenge scenario. They review a toy company’s
letter and discuss what is requested of them. Students begin to work in teams and
start recording their work.
Build Knowledge
Many activities are included in this phase as students develop the knowledge and
skills they will need to do what the toy company has requested. They work with the
materials to answer questions, record observations, and discuss results with the rest
of the class. Students begin by simply exploring the materials for scaffolded and
controlled experiments.
Design
Student teams design their own toy to meet the requirements stated in the toy
company’s letter. They determine the values of variables, plan construction, and
predict performance based on knowledge from previous activities.
Build and Test
Student teams build and test their design to see how well it meets the
performance criteria.
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Present
Student teams make presentations of their work to an audience.
The Engineering Design Experience provides a meaningful and motivating context
for the following:
• An exploratory approach to science and engineering education
• The development of skills in scientific inquiry (questioning, experimentation,
analysis of relationships and patterns, and drawing conclusions)
• An understanding of forces and motion
The Engineering Design Experience embodies principles of design technology. These
principles are used by engineers and others who design new products and systems—
anything from coffee pots to computer networks. In schools, using technology often
refers to integrating computers into the curriculum. Design technology is much
broader and involves developing models, evaluating materials, and thinking critically
to design a solution to a problem. It requires the following skills:
•
•
•
•
•
Identify problems or design ideas based on needs or wants
Generate and evaluate ideas
Plan and implement solutions
Evaluate solutions
Communicate results
Like design engineers and technologists, students design prototypes, test and
modify designs in response to constraints and side effects, and communicate their
design ideas and plans both orally and in writing.
Going through the Engineering Design Experience helps students learn firsthand
about the following aspects of design technology:
• Developing a prototype helps determine the effectiveness of a design.
• Optimizing a design involves adjusting interdependent variables in order
to achieve a desired outcome.
• Choosing a strategy to solve a problem depends on the problem posed.
It is worth noting that the A World in Motion Primary challenges do not have
students experience all the phases of the Engineering Design Experience, as they
primarily explore the Set Goals, Building Knowledge, Testing, and Presenting
phases. Students in these grade levels are not expected to have the manual
dexterity that older children have, nor the analytical skills necessary to complete
a complex design challenge. However, students in grades Primary have the
curiosity and skills to be able to explore existing toys, thus undertaking the Build
Knowledge, Test, and Present phases of the Engineering Design Experience.
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Curriculum Content, National Standards,
and Local Frameworks
Curriculum Content
Although students explore and experience specific phases of the Engineering
Design Experience such as Building Knowledge and Presenting, the primary focus
of the Primary challenges is scientific inquiry with an emphasis on fair testing,
as these processes are central to the development of scientific skills and are
highlighted in the National Research Council’s (NRC) National Science Education
Standards (1996) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s
(AAAS) Benchmarks for Science Literacy (1993).
National Standards
The learning objectives of each challenge correlate strongly with national
standards in science and technology education. The NRCs’ National Science
Education Standards, AAAS’s Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy, and the
International Technology Education Association’s Standards for Technological
Literacy were used to complete the correlations. Each document recommends that
students have many opportunities to do the following:
•
•
•
•
•
Explore materials and ideas
Ask questions
Propose their own explanations
Test their explanations
Communicate their ideas
A World in Motion embodies the above processes. The Engineering Design
Experience provides a meaningful context for students to do scientific research in
order to gain knowledge that they will need for developing a successful design.
Student understanding of forces and motion develops from their interpretation of
the observations they make as they develop and test their toys.
In addition to building scientific knowledge, the students in the K−3 challenges
experience real-world applications, and develop and enhance their
communication, critical-thinking, and mathematical skills. Therefore, this curriculum
also aligns with the Common Core State Standards and the National Council
of Teachers of Mathematics’ Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.
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Local Curriculum Frameworks
Teachers and administrators can easily correlate A World in Motion to district and
state science curriculum frameworks. Strands most related to this curriculum include
those in design and problem solving.
Many local curriculum frameworks include concepts and skills related to the
science content of A World in Motion, such as forces and motion and the skills
of scientific inquiry. Teachers also may supplement the challenges with additional
activities that address these topics more deeply.
Teaching the Challenges
To facilitate student learning, use the information in this section to organize your
classroom. You will find techniques and tips for integrating literacy, facilitating
discussion, building student teams, creating science notebooks, and assessing
student learning, as well as information for obtaining basic sets of construction
materials.
Integrating Science and Literacy
The challenges focus on all dimensions of literacy, including reading; speaking;
and representing experiences and ideas through writing, drawing, diagrams,
graphs, and charts. By reading about what they are doing; engaging in structured
conversation with peers about their observations, plans, and conjectures; and
keeping a journal or notebook of their actions and results, students are learning
and practicing skills of both science and literacy.
Books
The books that accompany the challenges are used as springboards to the
engineering activities and/or as tools for assessing student learning. They cover
different genres, including fiction and nonfiction.
The books that have been written specially for each challenge as well as highquality children’s trade books that relate to the topic at hand provide motivating
opportunities for children to read. Different genres, from science fiction and
fantasy to biography to informational texts, can inspire children to see themselves
in the roles of scientist and engineer, reveal to them the larger historical context of
scientific advances, and serve as resources for their own scientific inquiry.
A list of recommended trade books that may be used with the challenges is
available on the A World in Motion website.
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Discussions
Talk is critical to conceptual learning. Just as children read to learn, they talk to
learn. And at the same time, they are building vocabulary, developing ways to
express themselves, learning to share and debate—all important literacy skills.
Talk takes place as children work with their peers in small groups, and you should
hear a steady hum of talk as children engage in the hands-on activities in these
challenges. As you engage with small groups, be careful not to become the
source of right answers or right ways of doing things. Avoid answering any of the
students’ questions directly. There may be situations when you do not know the
answers. Encourage them to learn from their peers or from their own experience or
suggest that you and they can work together to find out. When they ask, “How do
I do this?” ask them, “How could you figure this out for yourself?” or “Maybe Juan
could help you.” They will then learn how to rely on themselves and one another.
You may also want to encourage or challenge the groups with questions and
comments such as:
•
•
•
•
“I wonder what would happen if…?”
“How did you do that?”
“Could you do it again?”
“Another group did it this way. I wonder if you could?”
Students also learn a great deal in both literacy and science when they come
together to talk about their work as a large group. They are practicing an
important part of scientific inquiry and that is to compare and debate findings,
new ideas, and conclusions just as scientists do. Frequent whole-class discussions
help children see the relationship between specific activities and the challenge as
a whole. They are also an important assessment tool.
Many teachers shy away from these discussions because they and their students
need to learn new skills and strategies to make the discussions successful. In
some classrooms, such discussions may already take place in literacy and/or
mathematics, and the skills of both teachers and students can be easily adapted to
a science discussion. Following are some helpful tips for establishing and facilitating
discussions in your classroom.
Setting the Stage/Managing
• Have students meet in a circle on the floor or some other configuration
where they can all see each other’s faces rather than in audience style.
They pay more attention to each other that way.
• Have physical props—one set of materials—to help focus the discussion
and support the students’ description of a phenomenon they have
observed or a conclusion they have reached. If students struggle with
communicating their ideas, offer them the materials to use at that time.
• Develop an explicit set of norms and expectations for the discussions
(e.g., Don’t talk when someone else is talking. Stay on focus. Listen to the
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speaker). The skills needed to follow these norms and expectations will
need to be taught and practiced if students have never used them before.
(Videotaping children’s discussions and sharing the result with them can
help students develop their discussion skills.)
When to Hold Discussions
• Hold numerous whole-group discussions, for example:
At the beginning to identify students’ prior knowledge
Near the beginning to discuss why they are doing what they
are doing
In the middle when they have completed a task or are developing
a new idea
At the end when final conclusions need to be drawn
Facilitation Strategies
• Start with a productive question or comment.
• Use wait time (time between when a question is asked and when an
answer is given and time after an answer is given).
• Use strategies that allow students to rehearse what they might say: turn
and talk or quick write.
• Redirect student responses so that the talk is not always directed at you.
• Intervene to keep the discussion:
Focused on the topic
Student-to-student
Shared among all the students
Reminding Students of Work in Previous Activities
Oftentimes, there is a lengthy period between activities. When this happens, you
may need to remind students of their prior work. The following strategies may help
jog students’ memories:
• Quickly recap what students did in their last AWIM activity. Then, toss
a small, soft ball to a student and ask a review question. If the student
answers the question correctly, he or she chooses who to throw the ball to
next. If the student answers the question incorrectly, he or she throws the
ball back to you, and you pick the next student.
• Draw a tic-tac-toe grid on a piece of chart paper or a whiteboard. Split
the class into two teams. Ask the first team a question about the last
activity. If the team answers the question correctly, they fill in a space on
the tic-tac-toe grid. Then ask the second team a question, and so on.
• Break the content from the last activity into four or five important concepts
that you want students to remember (these could be represented as either
pictures or words). Make each concept into jigsaw puzzle, with five or six
pieces per puzzle. (Paper plates work great for this!) Jumble the pieces
in each puzzle, and give one puzzle to each team of students. When
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viii
students have assembled their puzzles, they share what their puzzle
reminded them of from the previous activity.
Many of the discussion skills will need to be taught to students prior to undertaking
the challenges. AWIM challenges assume students have the skills but do not include
time or guidance for teaching them.
Visual Representations
Considered a 21st-century skill, interpreting and conveying ideas visually is a crucial
aspect in the literacy development of students. It involves having students create
and explain their ideas and experiences through different types of representations,
including drawings, symbols, graphs, charts, pictures, and images. Throughout the
challenges, students have ample opportunities to create drawings conveying their
observations and graphs to help them draw conclusions based on data.
Science Notebooks
Role of Science Notebooks
The science notebook is the student’s record of his or her work. It is chronological
and includes writing, drawing, diagrams, charts, and graphs: whatever is needed
to have a full record of their work. These include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Investigations they undertake
Toys they explore
Tests they carry out
Results of those tests
Questions they ask themselves, other students, or the teacher
Their own ideas, discoveries, and reflections
The Form of the Notebook
The notebook is a chronological document and a complete record of student’s
work. Therefore, it is important that the form and format support this. Some
possible formats include:
•
•
•
•
Bound notebook with any separate pages glued or stapled in
Papers held together with brads so that students can add each new page
A clamp binder
Three ring-binder (but be careful it doesn’t open easily)
Notebook Strategies
If students have not had to keep science notebooks in the past, they will need
guidance as to how to keep their notebooks. To aid students in keeping their
notebooks, the following should be provided:
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ix
• Models of what a notebook entry should look like
• A checklist of important elements
• Explicit instructions on various notebook strategies, such as observational
drawing, graphing, bulleted lists, and diagrams
• Reminders that students record regularly
• Regular feedback to students on their use of notebooks
Authentic Use
A notebook is a record of work for the student, not a project for the teacher.
Students need to realize that it is part of their work and necessary to it. A number
of instructional strategies facilitate this learning:
• Ask students to use their notebooks to find evidence for the ideas they
are discussing.
• Encourage students to look back at previous tasks to help think about
new ones.
• Remind students to use their notebooks to gather evidence when they
are getting ready to share a conclusion.
• Facilitate looking at previous notebook entries by asking questions
during class.
• Refer to reflections and ideas students have written.
Student Teams
Forming Teams
Before teaching any of the challenges, plan how to divide the class into teams.
Encourage girls to participate in the hands-on construction activities. Studies
show that girls often stay in the role of notetaker, particularly in science activities.
Watch to see that girls participate equally in the hands-on construction and
testing activities. In some cases, same-sex team groupings may be appropriate to
encourage equal participation and discussion.
Discuss with students strategies for working together, especially if they are not
accustomed to working in teams. Young students often have trouble negotiating the
sharing of the objects involved in the challenges. Emphasize to students that every
student should have the opportunity to engage in the investigation equally. Assign
roles to students and rotate the roles throughout the challenge. Specific roles for
this challenge are described on page xvi.
Managing Student Teams
In addition to the suggestions given earlier, consider the following ideas when
planning how to organize and manage the student teams.
• Design the teams so that each member brings something different. For
example, try to balance energy levels, ability to get along with other
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x
•
•
•
•
students, and reliability in getting work completed.
Help students develop teamwork skills. Be prepared to rearrange teams
as necessary. As you observe teams while they work, remind students that
they need to share responsibilities.
Accent the positive by commending students whenever you see them
demonstrating good teamwork skills.
Build in opportunities for teams to share what they have learned. Students
can learn a lot from one another and begin to use each other as resources.
Visit each team as often as possible and make notes on your
conversations. Having regular conversations about what students are
doing and their questions and observations can be a rewarding exchange
for both you and your students.
Student Assessment
The exploratory nature of the challenges invites the use of a variety of assessment
techniques. Assessment opportunities and strategies that you may want to adopt
are suggested here:
• As students are testing their toys, observe how they carry out their testing
of the models. Daily monitoring can reveal how careful students are in
taking measurements and how attentive they are in keeping good records.
• Gauge students’ understanding through their participation in class
discussions and the work of their team. Reproducible masters found in
each challenge can help you to assess student work.
• At the end of the challenge, ask students to write letters to their parents or
guardians about what they did. This activity will give them an opportunity
to reflect on their experience. Parents will appreciate getting such
thoughtful letters from their children.
Implementation Ideas
Refer to this section for ideas on materials and classroom management.
Materials Management
Students’ engagement and interest in building the toys often tempt them to use
materials liberally. Remind students about the limited amount of materials. Develop
systems for tracking the inventory of materials, including organizing materials in
containers, creating inventory checklists, and giving responsibility for materials to
individual teams.
Consider the following ideas when planning how to organize and manage the
materials students will be using:
• Plan ahead so that each team will have a place to work on its design and
sufficient space to store the materials.
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• Give each team a shoe box or plastic tub to store materials.
• Emphasize that materials are limited. Students need to plan carefully so
that they do not waste supplies.
• Set up a repair area in one corner of the classroom to save materials and
provide students with an additional opportunity to develop and practice
manipulative and problem-solving skills.
Classroom Management
Most of the classroom management issues in challenges like these typically center
on student involvement, grouping issues, and organization. One of the biggest
considerations is finding a place where students can safely test their toys. If there is
insufficient space in the classroom, corridors outside classrooms, the cafeteria, and
the gym are good testing areas when not being used by other students. Always
keep safety in mind when students are doing independent work.
Consider the following ideas when planning how to organize and manage
the classroom:
• Include students in making rules for working on the challenge and working
in teams. List expectations in the classroom and keep them visually
accessible at all times.
• Establish clear rules for testing outside the classroom to avoid disturbing
other classes.
• Provide ample room for testing—a hallway, cafeteria, or another large
room is ideal. If practical, schedule testing during times when the space is
not being used.
• Facilitate students’ efforts and help them maintain focus on clearly stated
expectations.
Obtaining Materials for the Challenges
SAE International offers a classroom Materials Kit for each of the four challenges in
A World in Motion for kindergarten to grade 3. Each classroom kit contains most
of the materials needed for a classroom of 24 or 28 students. Additional materials
are listed in the Before You Teach section of each challenge.
Most of the materials in the kits can be purchased at hardware and office supply
stores. If you prefer to purchase the materials yourself, use the list in the Before You
Teach section of each challenge. You may need to modify some parts.
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BEFORE YOU TEACH
straw rockets
STRAW ROCKETS MATERIALS
SAE International offers three levels of kits: Basic, Complete Classroom
and Deluxe Classroom for a class size of 28 students.
Straw Rockets Materials Kit
Kit Materials
Basic
Complete
Deluxe
International Space Rockets Poster
1
1
1
Kid Size Goggles
7
14
28
Straws (Individually Wrapped)
2
2
2
Straws (5.5 mm)
20
40
60
Straws (6 mm)
20
40
60
Straws (6.5 mm)
20
40
60
Straws (7.5 mm)
20
40
60
Straws (12 mm)
20
40
60
Cellophane Tape
5
10
15
Kids safe Tape Measures
3
6
9
Modeling Clay
1
1
1
12
24
36
Ball of string
1
1
1
Sticky Flag dispenser packets
3
6
9
Wooden Pegs
4
8
12
10
20
30
Student Reader
1
2
6
Teacher Manual On CD
1
1
1
Cardstock Paper
Index Tabs (Packs)
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Additional Materials
These additional materials are required for the challenge:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 roll of scotch tape per student team
1 pair of scissors per student
1 bottle of white glue per student team (1.25 FL OZ)
1 glue stick per student team
1 resealable plastic bag per student (1 gallon size)
Chart paper or whiteboard
Square-ruled chart paper
Markers
Cardstock paper
Science notebooks (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
These additional materials are optional for the challenge:
• 1 individually wrapped straw for each student
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STRAW ROCKETS CALENDAR
Most activities in Straw Rockets are approximately 30–40 minutes long. Consider the calendar below as
you plan to teach this challenge to your students.
Week
Length
(Min)
Before
You
Teach
Time as
needed
10
10
1
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Familiarize yourself with the Teacher
Guide and materials
1.
Up, Up,
and Away!
2.
How Do
Our Rockets
Go?
3.
Straw
Length
6.
Create
Your Own
Rockets!
6.
Create
Your Own
Rockets!
Continued
7.
Rocket
Contests
10
4.
Nose
Weight
5.
Fins Aren’t
Just for
Fish!
10
10
10
10
2
10
10
10
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PREPARING TO TEACH
Student Groups
In this challenge, students will work in teams of four when they investigate the
materials. If you already use student teams in your classroom, use the structures
you have in place. If your students are not familiar with working in teams, be sure
to introduce teamwork prior to engaging in this challenge. Refer to the Introduction
section (page x) for additional information.
Teams of students are often easier to manage when each team member has a
specific role. Examples of such roles include:
•
•
•
•
Recorder – Records information on the reproducible master
Materials manager – Tracks materials and packs them back up for storage
at the end of the activity
Judge – Decides where the rocket hits the ground
Facilitator – Ensures the procedure is being followed correctly
It is important that students rotate their roles throughout the challenge.
Because teams will only be creating one recording sheet, make sure that you can
make copies of the recording sheet so that each team member can include a copy
in his or her science notebook.
Experimentation Area Set Up
Be sure to find an area large enough for students to explore their rockets prior
to teaching this challenge. Rockets can fly up to 8 meters, and students will need
enough space to test their rockets. Consider using the cafeteria, hallway, or gym
should space be needed for flying the rockets.
Adult Volunteers
This challenge requires that students measure the distances flown by the
straw rockets they create. Students sometimes find it difficult to take accurate
measurements and having one or more adult volunteers (parents or AWIM
volunteers) in the room while they are testing their rockets will help to smooth the
process.
Additionally, having one or more adult volunteers in the room while students are
experimenting will allow you to spend at least a few minutes with each team as
they investigate.
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STRAW ROCKETS
SCIENCE NOTES
What Do Students Explore in this Challenge?
In this challenge, students are experimenting with straw rockets. They explore air
pressure as a means of thrust to launch their rockets, demonstrating Newton’s First
Law. They then explore how the length of a rocket changes its flight distance—a
longer straw is filled with more air, which pushes on the straw for a longer time,
causing it to speed up and fly farther. They also examine how fins and nose weight
affect a rocket’s stability (or its ability to fly in a smooth and uniform direction).
The science behind these phenomena is explained in further detail below.
Note
These science notes are
resources for you. The
information here is not meant to
be taught directly to the students.
Why Do Straw Rockets Fly?
Newton’s Laws of Motion
Straw rockets are great for demonstrating Newton’s Laws of Motion. The laws are
as follows:
1.
2.
3.
An object at rest remains at rest. An object in motion continues in motion
with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an
unbalanced force.
Force is equal to mass times acceleration.
For every action, there is always an opposite and equal reaction.
A straw rocket poised on its launcher demonstrates Newton’s First Law. The rocket
will stay at rest unless a force acts on it. In the case of the straw rocket, the force
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that acts on it is a puff of air introduced by blowing into the launch straw. When
air enters into the launch straw, it puts pressurized air into the chamber formed by
the launcher and the straw rocket. When the force of the air exceeds the force of
gravity, the straw rocket is launched.
The rocket will continue to move until gravity and friction (the unbalanced forces)
cause it to slow and fall.
The Second Law of Motion is represented by the fact that a larger force (puff of air)
will lead to greater acceleration of the rocket. A greater mass will result in a slower
acceleration.
Newton’s Third Law is demonstrated when the rise in air pressure inside of the
launch straw/straw rocket combination rises (an action) and the straw rocket takes
off (an opposite and equal reaction).
What Are the Forces Acting on the Straw Rockets?
A force is a push or a pull that causes changes in motion.
There are four forces that affect the flight of a rocket:
•Weight. The force of gravity pulling on the rocket
•Thrust. The force that propels the rocket
•Lift. The force that acts perpendicular to the flight
of the rocket and causes the rocket to pivot around its center of gravity.
•Drag. The force that acts against the rocket’s
direction of motion and is caused largely by
friction. Friction is a force between two moving
objects that tends to resist motion and dissipate
energy. Friction exists between air and an
object moving through it, such as the straw
rocket. Ultimately, friction is a force that acts on
the rocket to slow it down.
What Exactly Are These Forces?
Gravity
No one really knows exactly what gravity is, but we do know how gravity behaves.
Gravity is an attractive force that exists between two objects. The force of gravity
depends on the mass of the objects and the distance between them. Mass is
a measure of how much matter (anything you can physically touch) an object
contains. On Earth, mass can be determined using a scale and is often, but not
always, related to size.
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Because the earth is so massive, it has a large gravitational pull. Earth’s gravity is
the force that pulls the rocket down toward the ground as it flies.
Thrust
Thrust is simply the force put on the rocket that launches it. In the case of the
straw rockets, thrust is provided by the puff of air blown into the launch straws by
students.
Lift
Lift is generated by the nose cone, body, and fins of a rocket. The drag of a rocket
is usually much greater than the lift.
Drag
Drag is a force on an object that resists its motion through a fluid. When the fluid
is a gas like air, it is called air resistance (or aerodynamic drag). From a scientific
standpoint, drag is a fairly complicated phenomenon. Drag is calculated using a
complex formula. In general, drag is affected by many variables:
•Density. The denser the fluid, the greater the drag it creates (remember, air
is a fluid). A denser fluid has greater mass and resists moving out of the
way more. Imagine the difference between dragging your hand through
water and dragging it through air.
•Area. Drag also increases as an object’s surface area increases. A larger
surface area means that more of the object is in contact with the fluid,
which increases its drag.
•Speed. Drag also increases as speed increases. A boat sitting still in the
water creates no drag. When the boat starts to move, it pushes against the
water (which resists). The faster the boat moves, the more resistance the
water provides.
• Other variables. Drag can be affected by many other factors, such as
shape, texture, and viscosity, meaning that rockets with different shapes or
made from different materials may perform differently.
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What Variables Affect the Flight of the Rocket?
Launch
A stronger puff of air will provide more thrust and cause the rocket to accelerate
more quickly and fly farther. It is important that students understand that one student
might be able to launch a rocket farther than another based simply on the strength
of his or her initial exhalation.
Straw Length
The longer the straw, the more force necessary to get it to lift off, but also the
more thrust it will have. Of course, the longer the straw, the heavier the rocket will
be. There will be a point at which the larger mass of the rocket overwhelms the
increased thrust, causing the rocket to fly less far.
Nose Weight
A higher nose weight will result in less range (again because of Newton’s Second
Law). However, nose weight can help to stabilize the rocket and increase its range
because the nose weight offsets any tumbling motion.
Fins
Fins on a rocket cause the rocket to fly straighter because of drag. When a fin is at
an angle to the air, it causes drag. Drag pushes the fin until the narrow edge of the
fin is facing directly into the oncoming air (a position in which there is less drag).
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Technically Speaking:
How Do Scientists Describe Motion?
This section provides deeper background information about the terms used by
scientists to describe motion and the formulas for those terms.
Velocity
Velocity describes how fast an object travels. In other words, it is the rate of change
of distance over time. For example, if an airplane travels 100 miles in 2 hours, its
velocity is greater than that of an airplane that travels 100 miles in 3 hours.
The equation for velocity is:
Velocity =
Distance Traveled
Time
Acceleration
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time. For example, if Airplane
A changes its velocity from 20 mph to 40 mph in 5 minutes, and Airplane B
changes its velocity from 20 mph to 60 mph in the same amount of time, then the
acceleration of Airplane B is greater than the acceleration of Airplane A.
Anything falling through the air will accelerate (up to a maximum velocity). The
equation for acceleration is:
Acceleration =
Velocity
Time
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straw rockets activities
1 · Up, Up, and Away!
SET GOALS
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
Students begin to explore rockets made from plastic drinking straws. Student teams
build straw rockets of different sizes and informally investigate how they fly when
launched by blowing through a second straw.
A-ha!
Robert Goddard, “The Father of
Modern Rocketry,” persevered
to create a rocket that could fly
into space.
Objectives
Students will:
• Investigate straw rockets
• Examine rocket designs to identify their features
Time
50–60 minutes
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Materials
For the teacher:
•
•
•
•
•
1 individually wrapped straw
1 copy of Letter from EarthToy Designs, Reproducible Master 1
Permanent marker
Chart paper or whiteboard
Markers
For the class:
• The Rocket Age Takes Off! book
• International Space Rockets poster
For each team:
• Cellophane tape
For each student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 straw (5.5 mm diameter)
1 straw (6 mm diameter)
1 straw (6.5 mm diameter)
1 straw (7.5 mm diameter)
1 straw (12 mm diameter)
1 resealable plastic bag (1 gallon size)
Protective Goggles
1 copy of Build a Straw Rocket, Reproducible Master 3
Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
1 individually wrapped straw (optional)
1 copy of Our Team, Reproducible Master 2 (optional)
Copy of The Rocket Age Takes Off! book (optional)
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Preparation for the Activity
Determine how students will be teamed up during the challenge. Refer to the
Introduction section (page x) for additional information on creating teams.
Decide whether you are going to have teams make up names and logos for
themselves. If they are, hand out one copy of Our Team, Reproducible
Master 2, to each student.
Find a large area in which you can carry out some of the challenge activities.
Straw rockets can travel a fair distance, so larger spaces are necessary for doing
this challenge. If possible, make arrangements to use the gym, the auditorium, the
cafeteria, or an outdoor space.
Read the storybook The Rocket Age Takes Off! Recognize the points in the story
where you will stop to engage students in conversation. These points include
the following:
•
•
•
•
At
At
At
At
the
the
the
the
end
end
end
end
of
of
of
of
page
page
page
page
1
5
16
26
Each of these points provides an opportunity to discuss why the events of the story
unfolded as they did.
Optional: Make copies of the book The Rocket Age Takes Off! so that students can
follow along while the book is being read aloud.
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity – Whole Group
1. Gather students for a class discussion.
2. Open the wrapped straw by ripping the wrapper about 2
inches from the end of the straw, leaving the 2-inch section of
wrapper on the straw and discarding the rest.
3. After getting students’ attention, blow into the end, shooting
the paper wrapper off like a rocket.
Teacher Tip
It is important to discuss safety
with students, as they may have
the inclination to launch their
straws at each other. Make
sure that all students wear their
protective goggles and that they
understand rockets should not be
launched at other people.
4. Ask students if they have ever made a straw wrapper
rocket before.
If students have not, you may wish to show them the rocket again or allow
students to launch their own wrapper rockets.
5. Ask students to think about why the wrapper launches so
fast and far.
Students should recognize that it is the air blown into the straw that
launches the wrapper. Students may even use the term air pressure.
6. Ask, “What types of things do you know about that use air
pressure to launch or propel an object?”
7. Make a list of students’ responses to the question on a piece
of chart paper or a whiteboard.
Students may mention some of the following:
•
•
•
•
•
8.
Stomp Rockets®
Balloon-powered toys (releasing an untied balloon)
Blow guns
Pneumatic tools (nail guns, etc.)
Pop guns
Teacher Tip
Students may offer brands or
names of toys. If you are not
familiar with them, ask students
to describe the toys and how
they work.
Read Letter from EarthToy Designs, Reproducible Master 1,
to students.
The letter explains that students will be building new toys that fly. Over
the course of the challenge, teams will be conducting experiments so they
can design their own straw rocket toy. Their goal is to design and build a
rocket that both travels a long distance and is fairly accurate.
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9. Assign teams and distribute science notebooks.
Tell students that they will be working in teams of four during
exploration time.
10. Optional: Hand out one copy of Our Team, Reproducible
Master 2, to each student and ask teams to come up with a
name and a logo for their team.
Use this activity to build team rapport. Students should complete
the following:
• Write their name and their team members’ names on Our Team,
Reproducible Master 2.
• Pick memorable names for their teams. They might choose a name
that incorporates a favorite color (the Red Roosters) or base it on their
town, street, or neighborhood (the Lexington Leopards).
• Design a unique logo for their team.
Teacher Tip
If students are unfamiliar with
the term logo, discuss examples
of familiar corporate icons,
such as the “golden arches,”
clothing designer logos, or
other popular and recognizable
company emblems. Discuss
how companies use logos to
project an easily recognized and
attractive image.
Remind students to include their completed reproducible masters in their
science notebooks.
Facilitating Student Exploration – Teams
11. Explain that teams will be testing a variety of straws to see
how they work as rockets.
Distribute the following to each student:
•
•
•
•
1 gallon-sized resealable plastic bag
Protective goggles
1 copy of Build a Straw Rocket, Reproducible Master 3
1 straw in each of the following sizes: 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.5, and 12 mm
Teacher Tip
If possible, invite an AWIM or
parent volunteer to be present
during the Facilitating Student
Exploration time over the course
of the challenge.
Show students how to tape the end of a straw by folding it over and
wrapping cellophane tape around it. If you think they may have problems
following the instructions, you may want to model how to do this.
Explain that the plastic bag is for storing their materials and that they
should label their bags with their names.
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12. Show students how
to launch the rockets
by blowing through
the launcher.
13. Give students time to
build and play with their
straw rockets.
14. After students have had
20–25 minutes to explore
with their rockets, ask
them to write their observations in their science notebooks.
Explain that they should write about what they did and what they noticed
about their rockets.
Sharing and Interpreting – Whole Group
15. Gather all students for a class discussion. Discuss what they
observed during exploration time. Keep track of students’
observations on a piece of chart paper or a whiteboard.
Teacher Tip
Post the chart so that students
can refer to it over the course of
16. Ask students to examine the different rocket designs on the
International Space Rockets poster.
Have students identify the ways in which the rockets are different and the
ways in which they are similar.
17.Ask, “In what ways could we change a straw rocket to see
how it changes the flight of the rocket?”
On a separate piece of chart paper, make a class list of all of the aspects
of a rocket that students can imagine varying.
Students might suggest some of the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Weight of the straw
Length of the straw
Width of the straw
Width of the launcher
Weight and shape of the front of the rocket
Launch mechanism
the challenge.
Teacher Tip
You might choose to introduce
the book in guided reading
groups. If you do so, prepare
some literacy activities for groups
with which you are not reading
the book. For examples of
literacy activities, please check
the links on the AWIM website.
18. Optional: Hand out copies of The Rocket Age Takes Off!, one
to each students.
Explain that you will be reading the story aloud, and they can follow
along using their copy.
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19.Read The Rocket Age Takes Off! aloud to the class or
introduce the book in guided reading groups.
As you read, you may want to stop in different parts of the book to assess
students’ reading comprehension.
20. Stop at the end of page 1.
Ask students to think about how long ago Dr. Goddard started to test his
rocket. Discuss inventions that didn’t exist in 1926.
21. Stop at the end of page 5.
Ask students to think about ways in which they experiment. For example:
• Have they ever tried to see what happens if they mix baking soda
and vinegar?
• What happens when they focus the light of the sun through a
magnifying glass?
22. Stop at the end of page 16.
Ask students, “Why do you think gas is not a great fuel? What’s the
difference between a solid (like gunpowder), a gas, and a liquid?”
23. Stop at the end of page 26.
Ask students, “How many people do you think were involved with
inventions or research that helped make human spaceflight possible?”
24. Conclude the activity by making connections between the
rockets in the book and the straw rockets.
Explore the features of the rockets that students noticed in the book. Ask
students, “What launches the rockets in the book? How is it different from
how we launch our straw rockets?”
Teacher Tip
Inventions that were invented after
1926 include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Antibiotics (1928)
Jet engine (1937)
Computer (1941)
Microwave oven (1945)
Laser (1960)
Digital camera (1975)
Compact disk player (1982)
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Letter from EarthToy Designs
EarthToy
Designs, Inc.
Dear Students:
We need your help! The mission of EarthToy Designs, Inc., is to develop and promote
toys that are fun and exciting. EarthToy Designs is creating a rocket toy that is based
on the age-old game of shooting the wrapper off of a plastic drinking straw by
blowing through the straw. We are trying to design a rocket game that is similar to
the game of horseshoes. The object of the game will be to launch a straw rocket and
have it land in a small ring placed between 5 and 8 meters from the player. The best
part is that the game will fit in your pocket!
Our EarthToy engineers are seeking fresh ideas from young people like you. That’s
why we need your help! We need you to test the materials from which our rockets will
be made. We suggest that your teams take the following steps to help us:
1. Experiment with all sizes and shapes of rockets to see how changes in size and
shape change how the rockets fly.
2. Conduct experiments to figure out what makes a rocket fly farther/less far.
3. Design a toy rocket that can be launched with a puff of air and can travel at
least 5 meters and land within a ½-meter diameter circle.
Good luck with your research!
I. M. Green
I. M. Green
President
Our Team
My name: ___________________________________________________
My teammates’ names: ______________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
Draw your team logo.
Build a Straw Rocket
1.Select a straw and fold one of its ends over.
2.Wrap a small piece of cellophane
tape around the folded end.
3.Take a straw with a smaller diameter (the launch
straw) and insert it into the straw rocket.
4.Your completed rocket and launcher
should look like this.
5.Launch your rocket by blowing through
the end of the launch straw.
2 · How Do Our
Rockets Go?
BUILD KNOWLEDGE
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
Students continue exploring rockets made from plastic drinking straws. They test
their rockets in a systematic manner, and discuss their observations about the flight
distances and patterns of the different rockets. They begin to hypothesize about
why those differences might have occurred.
A-ha!
The larger the rocket, the more
air that can escape between
the launch straw and the edges
of the rocket, decreasing thrust
and, therefore, the range of the
rocket’s flight.
Objectives
Students will:
• Investigate straw rockets systematically
• Measure the distance that straw rockets fly
• Hypothesize about the features of a straw rocket that might affect the
rocket’s flight
Time
30–40 minutes
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Materials
For the teacher:
•
•
•
•
1 individually wrapped straw
Permanent marker
Chart paper or whiteboard
Markers
For the class:
• The Rocket Age Takes Off! book
• International Space Rockets poster
For each team:
• 1 retractable tape measure
• Cellophane tape
• 1 copy of Blast Off!, Reproducible Master 4
For each student:
•
•
•
•
2 straws (7.5 mm diameter)
2 straws (12 mm diameter)
Protective goggles
The gallon-sized resealable plastic bag containing the student’s rockets
and launcher from the previous activity
• Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
Preparation for the Activity
There is no prior preparation for this activity.
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity – Whole Group
1. Remind students of the rockets they created and explored in
the previous activity.
Highlight some of the observations they made.
Teacher Tip
Refer to the Introduction section
(page viii) for ideas on helping
2. Explain that, in this activity, students will be doing some
more systematic investigations of the rockets.
Facilitating Student Exploration – Teams
3.Pass out an individually wrapped 6.5 mm straw to
each student.
Have students label their straws with their initials using permanent
markers. Students will use the same launch straw throughout the challenge,
so make sure that the straws are labeled legibly.
students remember previous
work if a lengthy period passes
between activities.
Teacher Tip
Remind students that they need
to wear protective goggles and
ensure that students understand
they are not allowed to launch
their rockets at each other.
Explain that this straw is the launcher that they will be using throughout
the challenge.
Have extra 6.5 mm straws available if students lose their original straws.
4. Hand out one copy of Blast Off!, Reproducible Master 4, to
each team.
Students will make and test rockets built from two differently sized straws.
Assign tasks to team members (roles should rotate each activity so that all
students have a chance to perform all jobs):
• Materials manager – Keeps track of materials, handing them out at
the beginning and storing them at the end.
• Judge – Notes where the rocket lands and marks the location with a
sticky flag
• Facilitator – Makes sure that the proper procedures are being followed
• Recorder – Records names of the launchers and the distances flown
and makes notes about how the rockets fly on the reproducible master
(didn’t spin around, went in a specific direction)
All students should watch the path of the rocket as it flies and describe any
interesting information about its flight to the recorder. When the recorder
is launching his or her rocket, another student can fill in as recorder.
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5. Hand out the remaining materials to students.
These materials include:
•
•
•
•
2 straws (7.5 mm diameter)
2 straws (12 mm diameter)
Protective goggles
Plastic bags
Teacher Tip
The tape measure has measurements in both inches and centimeters. Be sure to tell students to
use the meters units.
6. Demonstrate to students how to use the guide on their
reproducible masters to measure straw diameters and how
to use the tape measure to record the distance their straw
rockets travel in meters.
7. Remind students that they must talk to the rest of their team
about their observations and back up their opinions with
evidence.
Teacher Tip
Having students discuss what
they are doing serves three purposes: (1) helps students focus
their observations and clarify
8. Check in on teams as necessary to remind students to focus
on the task at hand or to ask them what they have observed.
9. When students finish with their initial testing, have them
store their materials in their plastic bags.
and deepen their understanding
by trying to put their thoughts
into words; (2) helps students
slow down as they work through
the experience; and (3) lets them
practice the skill of articulating
observations, which is necessary
10. Make copies of each team’s recording sheet to give to team
members and have students add their team’s reproducible
master to their science notebooks.
for good scientific investigation.
Sharing and Interpreting – Whole Group
11. Gather all students for a discussion. Discuss what they
observed during exploration time.
If students are having a hard time articulating their observations, refer
them to the completed reproducible master. In addition, encourage
discussion by asking:
• How do you think the straw size affects how far a rocket travels?
• How did your rockets behave in the air?
Record students’ observations on the chart paper or whiteboard.
12. Ask students what they think can be done to the straw rocket
to make it travel farther and more accurately.
Be sure to highlight the variables (weight, straw length, launching angle,
and fins) that students will be exploring in this challenge.
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Blast Off!
My name: ___________________________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
Straw
Rocket Size
Launcher’s
Name
Distance
Notes
Continued
Which straw rocket performed the best?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Why do you think it performed best?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3 · straw length
BUILD KNOWLEDGE
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
In this activity, students experiment with different straw lengths. They systematically
test how straw length affects travel distance and accuracy.
A-ha!
The longer the straw, the more
force that will be needed to get
it to lift off, but also the more
thrust it will have. Of course,
Objectives
the longer the straw, the heavier
the rocket will be. There will
be a point at which the larger
Students will:
• Systematically test how changing the straw length of a rocket affects flight
distance and performance
• Learn the importance of conducting trials
mass of the rocket overwhelms
the increased thrust, causing the
rocket to fly a shorter distance
(although, the slightly increased
weight of the straw in these tests
will likely not be a factor).
Time
30–40 minutes
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Materials
For the teacher:
• Square-ruled chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers
For the class:
• The Rocket Age Takes Off! book
• International Space Rockets poster
For each team:
• Sticky flags
• 1 retractable tape measure
• 1 copy of Does Length Matter?, Reproducible Master 5
For each student:
•
•
•
•
3 straws (7.5 mm diameter)
1 pair of scissors
Protective goggles
The gallon-sized resealable plastic bag containing the student’s rockets
and launcher from the previous activity
• 1 copy of Rocket Length Reflection, Reproducible Master 6
• Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
Preparation for the Activity
Make a tally sheet, labeled like the one shown below, on a piece square-ruled
chart paper or on a whiteboard.
Which rocket flew the farthest?
Teacher Tip
You may want to precut samples
of the different straw lengths
in the event that students have
problems measuring and/or you
Results
are running short on time.
Predictions
8 cm
14 cm
20 cm
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity – Whole Group
1.
Gather students for a class discussion.
2.
Direct students’ attention to the rocket poster. Ask students
what they notice about the lengths of the rockets depicted on
the poster.
3.
Remind students of the straw exploration that they did in the
previous activity. Ask students which straw they think will be
the best one for the EarthToy Designs toy.
Students may have found that one size straw seems to fly the farthest at
this point. Students may also recognize that the straw that fits the launch
straw the most closely seems to go the farthest.
4.
Ask students to explain why they think particular straws or
launcher/straw combinations worked best.
Students likely have their own theories about why a particular straw or
combination seemed to perform best. Some students may be able to
articulate a theory that involves the tightness of the fit between the straw
and the launcher.
5.
Explain that students will be testing different lengths of
straws in this activity. Ask students how they think the length
of a straw will affect the distance flown.
Keep a record of students’ responses on chart paper or a whiteboard.
6.
Ask students, “When you launched the rockets in the last
class, were there ways that you could launch them that made
a difference in the distance the rockets flew?”
If students don’t suggest anything, demonstrate some rocket launches:
• Puff out your cheeks, making a show of how much air you are filling
them with. Blow audibly and forcefully.
• Blow softly and quietly.
Discuss the differences that students noted. Demonstrate two
other launches:
• Aim the rocket straight up into the air.
• Aim the rocket directly in front of you.
Discuss the differences that students noted with these two launches.
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7. Ask students, “How can you make sure that you are testing
how the length of the rocket affects how far it flies?”
Remind them of your earlier launch demonstrations. It is important that
students understand why you carried out the launching demonstration,
which was to emphasize the following:
• Different launch procedures yield different results.
• It is important that they use similar methods every time they launch
their rockets.
Teacher Tip
If time allows, you may want
students to vote on how the
rockets will be launched for
testing purposes from this point
forward in the challenge.
8. Ask students to predict which rocket will fly the farthest and
discuss why they think so.
Keep track of students’ predictions on the tally sheet you created in
Preparation for the Activity.
Facilitating Student Exploration – Teams
9. Make sure that all students have their own launch straw.
If not, give students new 6.5 mm launch straws and make sure that they
label them with a permanent marker.
10. Ask students to get into their teams. Give each team an area
in which they can work. Explain that it is their job to explore
how far each length of rocket flies.
11. Hand out the plastic bags containing the students’ rockets,
a retractable tape measure (one per team), and materials
for rockets.
Each student should have a pair of scissors and three straws (all the
same size).
12. Hand out one copy of Does Length Matter?, Reproducible
Master 5, to each team and go over it with students.
Explain that students will be testing how rocket length affects flight
distance. Assign each team member a role.
13.Point out the word Trials at the top of the table. Ask students
what they think a trial is.
If students do not have an answer, encourage them to examine the table.
What is directly below the word Trials in the table? If students still are
unable to answer, discuss whether any of them have heard the word trials
used in other circumstances. For example, there are often trials in sports,
such as track and field and motorsports.
14. Have each student build three straw rockets of varying
length: 8, 14, and 20 cm (full length).
Teacher Tip
If you are running short of time
for this activity, you may want
to provide student teams with
samples of the different straw
lengths to serve as templates. A WORLD IN MOTION
STRAW ROCKETS
22
15. In their teams, have students launch their rockets and have
the recorder keep track of distances they fly on the team
copy of Does Length Matter?, Reproducible Master 5.
If necessary, demonstrate how to use the tape measure to measure the
distance flown by a rocket.
16. Remind students to take turns launching the rockets.
17. After 10–15 minutes, distribute Rocket Length Reflection,
Reproducible Master 6, and ask team members to write
about one observation.
Tell them, for example:
It is time for us to finish up this activity. As scientists, we need to write
down what we’ve noticed. On your reproducible master, write a
paragraph about one interesting thing that you observed today.
18. Make copies of each team’s recording sheet to give to team
members and have students add their team’s reproducible
master to their science notebooks.
Sharing and Interpreting – Whole Group
19. Record students’ results on the tally sheet you created in
Preparation for the Activity.
You can have students make their own tally marks or you can have
students call out their results.
20. Discuss students’ results.
Did all teams get the same results? If not, probe students with questions
such as the following:
<This team> said that the longer rocket flew the farthest most of the time,
but you found that the shorter one flew the farthest. Why might this have
happened? What should we do now?
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23
Does Length Matter?
My name: ___________________________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
Straw
Length
8 cm
8 cm
8 cm
8 cm
14 cm
14 cm
14 cm
14 cm
20 cm
20 cm
20 cm
20 cm
Launcher’s
Name
Distance
Trial Trial Trial
1
2
3
Notes
Rocket Length Reflection
My name: ___________________________________________________
Write a paragraph about one interesting thing that you observed today.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4 · nose weight
BUILD KNOWLEDGE
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
In this activity, students continue to explore their straw rockets. They experiment
with how adding weight to the rockets’ noses affects their performance. Students
continue to test their rockets systematically and explore the concept of welldesigned or fair tests.
A-ha!
A higher nose weight results in
a decreased range because the
weight slows the acceleration of
the rocket (acceleration = force/
mass). However, nose weight
can help to stabilize the rocket
Objectives
and increase its range because
the nose weight offsets any
tumbling motion.
Students will:
• Systematically test how changing the nose weight of a rocket affects flight
distance and performance
• Explore the notion of a well-designed or fair test
• Identify variables that affect test performance
Time
30–40 minutes
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27
Materials
For the teacher:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Square-ruled chart paper or whiteboard
2 different rubber balls
2 straws (7.5 mm diameter)
1 ball of clay
1 wooden peg
Cellophane tape
Markers
For the class:
• The Rocket Age Takes Off! book
• International Space Rockets poster
For each team:
•
•
•
•
1
1
1
1
retractable tape measure
ball of clay
wooden peg
copy of Nose Weight Results, Reproducible Master 7
For each student:
•
•
•
•
2 straws (7.5 mm diameter)
1 pair of scissors
Protective goggles
The gallon-sized resealable plastic bag containing the student’s rockets
and launcher from the previous activity
• Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
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28
Preparation for the Activity
Make two straw rockets of different lengths. Poke one straw about 5 mm into
a piece of clay. Pull it out and use a peg to tamp the clay farther into the straw
before folding the straw over.
Make a tally sheet, labeled like the one shown below, on a piece of square-ruled
chart paper or a whiteboard.
Which rocket flew the farthest?
Results
Predictions
No weight
Weight
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29
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity – Whole Group
1. Gather students for a group discussion.
2.Pass around the two example rockets you made (see
Preparation for the Activity) for students to examine.
Ask students to note the similarities and differences between the two
rockets. If students do not notice both differences, direct their attention to
the noses of the rockets.
Teacher Tip
You may wish to refer to the list
of variables students made in
Activity 1.
3. Ask students if they think it would be a good test (also known
as a fair test or a well-designed test) of how weight impacts
flight performance using these two rockets.
If students do not recognize that there is more than one variable in each
rocket, you may need to help them reach that conclusion. Ask them,
“Would they perform similarly if I removed the weight from the noses?”
Based on their experimentation in the previous activity, students should
recognize that the length of a rocket affects performance. Therefore, trying
to determine how nose weight affects performance using two rockets of
different lengths would not make sense.
Here is another way to help students understand the concept of
fair testing:
• Ask students to imagine trying to test how bouncy a ball is.
• Hold two different balls in the air, one higher than the other and ask,
“If I drop these balls now, will you be able to determine which ball
is bouncier?”
Students should recognize that the different heights from which the ball is
to be dropped will affect how much the ball bounces.
4. Stress with students the importance of making sure that their
test will give information only about how nose weight affects
performance.
In a well-designed test, only one aspect of the test (variable) is changed.
In the case of the rockets, the two rockets should have all of the same
characteristics except one. For this activity, the variable that changes is the
weight on the nose of the rocket.
Reinforce this concept by asking students what the variable was in the
previous set of tests they carried out. Students should recognize that the
variable was straw length.
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30
Have the rockets students created in the previous activity available for
observation as needed.
5. As a class, discuss how students think the added weight will
affect flight distance and accuracy.
Keep track of students’ predictions about flight distance on the tally sheet
you created in Preparation for the Activity.
Facilitating Student Exploration – Teams
6. Make sure that each student has two launch straws.
If not, give students new flexible straws and ensure that they label them
with a permanent marker.
7. Have students break into their teams and give each team an
area in which they can work.
Remind students that it is their job to explore how the weight on the nose
of a straw rocket affects its flight distance and accuracy.
8. Each student should build two rockets, one with a weighted
nose and one without.
9. Hand out one copy of Nose Weight Results, Reproducible
Master 8, to each team.
Assign roles to students. Explain that the recorder will use this sheet to
keep track of the rockets that are tested.
Remind students that the recorder will make notes about each trial in the
Notes box. Notes might include information about how the rocket flew or
any other information students might care to note.
10. Remind students to take turns launching the rockets.
11. After 10–15 minutes, ask teams to make any additional
notes in their science notebooks about the procedures they
followed and what they observed.
Stress the importance of keeping a good record of the procedures that
were followed and the observations that were made.
12. Make copies of each team’s recording sheet to give to team
members and have students add their team’s reproducible
master to their science notebooks.
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31
Sharing and Interpreting – Whole Group
13. Record students’ results on the tally sheet you created in
Preparation for the Activity.
You can have students make their own tally marks, or you can have
students call out their results.
14. Discuss results.
Did the results match students’ predictions? Did all teams get the same
results? If not, probe students with questions such as the following:
<Student’s name> said that the rocket with the weighted nose flew farther
than the one without the weighted nose, but you found that the one without
weight flew farther. Why might this have happened? What should we
do now?
Students should recognize that similar rockets should perform similarly. If
teams did not generally find the same results, it is important for them to
retest to make sure that their data are valid.
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32
Nose Weight Results
My name: ___________________________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
Nose
Weight?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Launcher’s
Name
Distance
Trial Trial Trial
1
2
3
Notes
5 · Fins aren’t
just for Fish!
BUILD KNOWLEDGE
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
In this activity, students experiment with adding fins to their straw rockets to see
how they affect the rocket’s flight. Students systematically test how adding fins
affects travel distance and accuracy.
A-ha!
Fins on a rocket cause the rocket
to fly straighter because of drag.
When a fin is at an angle to the
air, it causes drag. Drag pushes
the fin until the narrow edge
Objectives
of the fin is facing directly into
the oncoming air (a position in
which there is less drag). When
Students will:
• Systematically test how fins attached to a rocket affect flight distance and
performance
• Gather qualitative data
the rocket flies straighter, it also
should fly farther.
Time
30–40 minutes
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35
Materials
For the teacher:
•
•
•
•
Chart paper or whiteboard
Markers
1 straw (7.5 mm diameter)
3 fin labels
For the class:
• The Rocket Age Takes Off! book
• International Space Rockets poster
For each team:
• 1 retractable tape measure
• 1 copy of Fins in Flight, Reproducible Master 8
For each student:
•
•
•
•
•
1 pair of scissors
2 straws (7.5 mm diameter)
3 fin labels
Protective goggles
The gallon-sized resealable plastic bag containing the student’s rockets
and launcher from the previous activity
• Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
Preparation for the Activity
There is no preparation for this activity.
A WORLD IN MOTION
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36
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity – Whole Group
1.
Gather students for a class discussion.
2.
Direct students’ attention to the rocket
poster. Ask students if anyone can point
out the fins on one or more rockets on
the poster.
Keep a record of students’ responses on chart
paper or the whiteboard.
3.
Explain that students will be exploring
how the addition of fins will affect rocket
flight in this activity. Ask students to
predict how fins will affect rocket flight.
If students have difficulty locating the fins, you may
wish to ask them what a fin is.
4.
Ask students, “How can you make sure that you are testing
only how fins affect the rocket’s flight?”
If students do not suggest that everything but the addition of fins needs to
remain consistent, remind them that changing multiple variables will
produce results that cannot be easily interpreted.
5.
Demonstrate how to add a fin by folding a label in half and
using the excess to affix the label to the straw.
This is sometimes a difficult procedure for students. It might be helpful to
suggest that one student hold the straw while another affixes the fin. It may
also help to remove only the covering
on one side of the tab, stick that half
of the tab to the base of the straw, and
then remove the other covering.
A WORLD IN MOTION
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37
Facilitating Student Exploration – Teams
6.
Make sure that each student has his or her own launch straw.
If not, give students new launch straws and make sure that they label them
with a permanent marker.
7.
Ask students to get into their teams. Hand out a pair of
scissors, 2 straws, and 3 labels to each student.
Explain that students
will be adding three
fins to their rockets.
8.
Have each student build one rocket with fins and one rocket
without fins.
9.
Once students have completed their rockets, give each team
an area in which they can work.
Explain that it is their job to explore how the addition of fins to the rocket
affects its flight.
10. Hand out one copy of Fins in Flight, Reproducible Master 8, to
each team.
Explain that the students will be testing rockets with and without fins.
Assign roles to students. Explain that the recorder will use this sheet to
keep track of the rockets that are tested.
Go over the reproducible master with students.
11. In their teams, students launch their rockets, and the recorder
notes the distances they fly and the way they fly on Fins in
Flight, Reproducible Master 8.
Hand out one retractable tape measure to each team. If necessary,
demonstrate how to use the tape measure to measure the distance in
meters flown by a rocket.
12. Explain that part of what students will do in this challenge is
to explore the effect of adding fins to the rockets.
Students test rockets with and without fins to learn how fins impact flight
performance. Students who are not launching should observe the rockets
launched by the other students and describe the differences they see in the
various flights to the recorder.
13. After 10–15 minutes, ask teams to make notes in their
science notebooks about what they observed.
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38
14. Make copies of each team’s recording sheet to give to team
members and have students add their team’s reproducible
masters to their science notebooks.
Sharing and Interpreting – Whole Group
15. Gather students together to discuss their impressions of how
the addition of fins changed the flight of the rockets.
Did all teams get the same results? If not, probe students with questions
such as the following:
<Student’s name> said that the fins made the rocket spin around, but your
team found the opposite. Why might this have happened? What should
we do now?
16. On a piece of chart paper or whiteboard, list students’ ideas
on how the fins changed their rockets’ flight.
17. Discuss all of the variables that you have tested so far.
Students should recognize that they tested the following variables:
•
•
•
•
Straw length
Presence or absence of nose weight
Presence or absence of fins
Straw diameter (informally)
18. Ask students if there are any other variables that they
could test.
Keep track of their suggestions on a piece of chart paper or whiteboard.
Students may mention the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Teacher Tip
Be sure to save the lists of ideas
generated by students. They will
be needed in the next activity.
Also, the rockets that students
created during this activity will
be needed in the next activity.
Fin position
Number of fins
Straw width (formally)
Launch straw width
Launch straw length
Amount of nose weight
A WORLD IN MOTION
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39
Fins in Flight
My name: ___________________________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
Fins?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Launcher’s
Name
Distance
Trial Trial Trial
1
2
3
Notes
6 · Create Your
Own Rockets
DESIGN/BUILD AND TEST
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
In this activity, students use the knowledge they’ve gained over the course of
the challenge to build a rocket that can fly at least 5 meters and land within a
small circle.
A-ha!
Students will use the knowledge
they’ve gained over the course
of the unit to build a rocket that
is accurate and flies at least 5
meters. Some teams may want to
Objectives
Students will:
experiment with other variables
to determine how to create the
best rocket design.
• Use the knowledge they’ve gained over the course of the challenge to
build a rocket that meets EarthToys Designs’ specifications.
Time
60−80 minutes (or more)
A WORLD IN MOTION
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41
Materials
For the teacher:
• 1 copy of Letter from EarthToy Designs, Reproducible Master 1
For the class:
• The Rocket Age Takes Off! book
• International Space Rockets poster
For each team:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 retractable tape measure
10 straws of each size (5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.5, and 12 mm diameter)
10 sheets of cardstock paper
Clay
Cellophane tape
White glue
Glue stick
String circle target
For each student:
• Protective goggles
• The gallon-sized resealable plastic bag containing the student’s rockets
and launcher from the previous activity
• 1 pair of scissors
• 1 copy of Make Our Team Rocket, Reproducible Master 9
• 1 copy of Our Rocket, Reproducible Master 10
• Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
Preparation for the Activity
This activity can be undertaken in a single session or in multiple sessions, depending
on how much time you wish to give students to experiment with their designs.
Determine how much time you will allow teams to work on their rockets.
Read the storybook The Rocket Age Takes Off! Recognize the points in the story where
you would like stop to engage students in conversation (including, the end of page 2).
For Facilitating Student Exploration, teams will need space where they can build and
test their rockets.
A WORLD IN MOTION
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42
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity
1.
Gather students for a class discussion.
2.
Reread Letter from EarthToy Designs, Reproducible Master 1,
to the class.
Explain that teams will now have a chance to design the rocket that was
requested by EarthToy Designs. It is each team’s job to build a rocket using
the materials they will be given.
3.Reread The Rocket Age Takes Off!
4.Point out the passage on page 2 where Dr. Goddard named
his rocket Nell.
Ask students to name their rockets as well.
5.
Discuss how Robert Goddard went through many trials to
design his rocket.
Ask students to think about the many different designs they could use for
their rockets, based on the testing they’ve done.
6.
Remind them of the prior tests they have conducted and
the results they have gathered.
Encourage students to use the data they’ve gathered over the course of the
challenge while they build their rockets. Explain that they are designing
a straw rocket to meet EarthToy Designs’ specifications, not just a coollooking rocket!
Facilitating Student Exploration
7.
Make sure that each student has his or her own
launch straw.
If not, give students new flexible straws and make sure that they label them
with a permanent marker.
8.
Ask students to break into their teams and give each
team an area in which they can work.
Remind students that they are to build a rocket that can fly at least 5
meters and land in the target circle consistently.
A WORLD IN MOTION
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43
9.
Hand out Make Our Team Rocket, Reproducible Master 9, to
each team member. Provide each team with the materials
they will have to use.
10. As teams work, circulate among them to observe what they
are doing and listen to their conversations.
Use this as an opportunity to assess students informally. Pay particular
attention to whether students refer to the experimentation they carried out
previously in the challenge. For example:
• Are students applying what they learned previously to their
toy design?
• Do students refer to the earlier findings when suggesting how to build
their rockets?
• Do students suggest ways to test their proposed designs?
• Will the test they are thinking of running help them redesign
their rocket?
It might be necessary to remind students to hold all but one variable
constant by asking them if a test they are proposing will give them enough
information to make a decision.
Teacher Tip
The building and testing of a
rocket may be constrained to
20–30 minutes, or you may
allow teams more time to build.
You might want to base your
decision on the quality of student
interactions during the design
process. If students are building
and testing different designs to
determine the optimum design
and referring to prior work, it
might be a good idea to give
them more time to work on
their designs.
11. Hand out one copy of Our Rocket, Reproducible Master 10, to
each student.
Have each student draw their team’s rocket and then explain how and
why the team decided to build it the way they did.
Explain to students that they will be presenting their rockets to other teams.
Sharing and Interpreting
12. When students have finished, gather them together in a circle
to share their designs.
Ask a representative or representatives from each team to explain their
design and why they built their rocket the way they did.
Explain that during the next activity each team will compare their rocket to
those built by the other teams.
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44
Make Our Team Rocket
1.With your team, look over the data you collected while testing
rockets. What are the characteristics that make the rocket fly long
distances accurately?
2.Experiment with the materials to decide what you will use to build
your rocket.
3.Build your rocket! Remember, make a rocket that can fly at least 5
meters and be accurate.
Our Rocket
Names: ______________________________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
We used the following materials to build our rocket:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Here is a picture of our rocket:
We designed our rocket this way because:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7 · Rocket contests
PRESENT
INTRODUCTION
What Students Do in this Activity
In the previous activity, students had the opportunity to create a rocket that flew at
least 5 meters and land within 1/2 meter of a target. In this activity, student teams
compete to see which team has created the most accurate and longest-flying rocket.
Objectives
Students will:
•
•
•
•
Demonstrate their toy rockets
Test their rockets against rockets built by other teams
Explore the elements of the rocket that stays in the air the longest
Reflect on what they’ve learned
Time
30–40 minutes
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47
Materials
For the Teacher:
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers
For the class:
• 1 retractable tape measure
For each team:
• Rockets that students built in the previous activity
For each student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Protective goggles
His or her rockets from the previous activity
1 copy of Rocket Contest, Reproducible Master 11
1 copy of My Rocket Advice, Reproducible Master 12
Science notebook (see Introduction, page ix, for more information)
1 copy of My Invention, Reproducible Master 13 (optional)
Preparation for the Activity
Make accessible the rockets that students built in the previous activity. Students will
be moving a lot in this activity as they conduct the races. Make sure that you have
cleared enough space in the classroom to allow teams to move safely around.
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48
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Presenting the Activity
1.
Gather teams for a discussion.
2.
Remind students of the rockets they built in the
previous activity.
You may want to ask students to articulate the requirements for building
the rocket:
• The rocket must fly at least 5 meters.
• The rocket must be accurate enough to consistently land in a small
target area.
3.
Ask student teams to share the toy they built and to explain
why they built it the way they did.
Although students did this in the previous activity, they should briefly
share the toy they built and provide a quick explanation for their design
as a refresher.
4.
Explain to teams that they will have the opportunity to
compare their rocket’s performance to the rockets built by the
other teams.
As a class, discuss how you can ensure that the races are fair.
Take note of students’ suggestions on the chart paper or whiteboard and
then, as a class, decide which suggestions you will put in place for the races.
5.
Discuss how students think they should deal with the issue of
having different launchers for the rockets.
Students may have a variety of suggestions. One possibility is for each
team to elect their best launcher to be part of the competition. Another
possibility is to have every team member launch and to compile or
average the results.
6.
As a class, decide how many times each team’s rocket will
be launched.
7.
Discuss how you will determine the winner of the contest,
considering that there will be both distance flown and
accuracy data.
Students may wish to award titles to both distance and accuracy winners,
or they may have ideas about how to incorporate both types of data into
determining the winner.
Teacher Tip
If you choose to have both
accuracy and distance contests,
you will need to make recording
sheets for each contest.
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49
8.
Distribute Rocket Contest, Reproducible Master 11, to each
student. Go over how the contest will work and how to
record the data on the reproducible master.
Have each team record its data on a separate reproducible master. Tell
students that they will launch their rocket as many times as was determined
by the class.
Ensure that students measure the distance flown for each launch and
remind them to keep track of the number of target hits.
Facilitating Student Exploration
9.
Lay out the retractable tape measure so that it extends
perpendicular to the launch line. Place the target 5 meters
from the launch line.
10. Go over the launching procedures with students.
Have students take turns launching their rockets from the launch line.
11. Gather the teams in the contest area and have teams launch
their rockets.
Observe student reactions and listen carefully to their conversations.
• Are they sharing observations about what they see?
• Is the recorder recording the results onto the reproducible master?
12. Have each team total the distance flown and the number of
hits or misses for their rocket.
Teacher Tip
You may wish to teach students
the concept of mean when
totaling the data.
Sharing and Interpreting
13. After the contest, gather students together for a discussion.
14. Ask a representative of each team to share the total scores
(distance, hits, and misses) for their rocket and record the
scores on chart paper or a whiteboard.
Announce the winning rocket or rockets based on the criteria determined
by the class.
15. Have students discuss why they think the rocket or rockets
that won did so.
Students may have a variety of theories. If the class believes that a rocket
won solely on the basis of a team’s launch power, it might be fun to retry
the contest with a single launcher for all of the rockets.
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50
16. To wrap up, distribute My Rocket Advice, Reproducible
Master 12, to each student.
Ask students to write and reflect about one thing they learned in this
challenge and to include it in their science notebook.
Teacher Tip
You may want to use some of the
completed reproducible masters
to assess student learning.
Literacy Extension
Distribute My Invention, Reproducible Master 13, to each
student. For homework, have students write their own invention story
using the story of Dr. Goddard for inspiration.
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51
Rocket Contest
My name: ___________________________________________________
Team name: _________________________________________________
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Total
Launcher’s
Name
Distance
Flown
Hit
Miss
Notes
My Rocket Advice
My name: ___________________________________________________
What advice do you have for someone who is making a straw rocket?
Write three tips you’ve learned for a friend who wants to make a straw
rocket that flies a long distance. Be sure to include your work in your
science notebook.
1.____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
My Invention
My name: ___________________________________________________
Dr. Goddard’s invention was pretty amazing, and it changed the course
of human history. Write a story in which you invent something amazing.
What is your invention? How did you invent it? What can it be used for?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________