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Goal

My goal with this lesson is to have students accomplish the task of building a model rocket, to experience the thrill of flying a model rocket that they built by hand, and along the way for them to learn about the science of rocketry, including concepts of chemistry, force & motion, and electrical circuits. 

 

What will be done with my students

Students will work in pairs to complete this build project. Each team will be issued a Messenger Rocket kit, which contains all parts and instructions for building a flying model rocket. Students will practice following a written procedure, with scaffolding assistance from their STEM teacher as needed. They will be challenged to carefully cut out and sand the balsa wood fins, to use measurements in crafting the engine mount and the shock cord assembly, and gluing all pieces properly together, over a span of several days. Finishing the rockets with colorful paint will be a fun way to engage creativity. Then we will head to the field for launch day, where we can have competitions for highest altitude, closest to launch site recovery, and best artistic design. 

 

Benefits to my students

Middle graders learn about force and motion, as well as units of measurement. This lesson will introduce them to newtons (the SI unit of force). It will reinforce the Big Ideas of Force and Changes in Motion, that it takes energy to change the motion of objects. Our 8th graders will connect this to their intro to chemistry studies, as the chemical change which takes place in the solid rocket fuel produces a great deal of energy. Students will gain experience in building a working model from a kit, working in a team to carefully follow written procedures, and to complete the kinesthetic challenge of loading their model onto the launch pad, properly connecting the electrical wires to their engine, and launching the rocket. If they have built their model correctly, they will be able to recover it for many more flights! 

 

Describe the Students

The STEM Academy at Seminole Middle works with students from a wide range of abilities and exceptionalities. I teach all three grade levels and have some very bright achievers, and a high percentage of students who receive ESE services. These include those with SLD condition, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, and other medical conditions. Many of these same students possess personalities that are most engaging, and they exhibit noteworthy performance when tasked with tactile learning projects! 

 

Budget Narrative

We will need 8 of the Messenger Rocket 12-packs, for a total of 96 kits [$71.00 x 8 = $568.00]. For large classes on the big field, 2 launch pads ($46 each) with launch controllers ($39.45) will suffice. The engines come in packs of 24, so four of those (58.99 each from AMain Hobbies) provides for 96 flights. The recovery wadding protects the inside of the rocket during flight, $10.99 each (x2). 

 

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