Rockets

Rochelle Ingram                Delano School
                               3937 W. Wilcox St.
                               Chicago IL  60624
                               (312) 534-6620

Objective:

This miniteach is designed for grades 3-8.  The student will be able to design
or build their own rocket.

Materials Needed:

Materials listed are for groups of five.
rocket kits
ditto paper
tape 
glue gun
3/4 in. dowel rod
corrugated paper
ruler
scissors
1 in. coffee straw
engine
hanger
recovery wadding

Strategy:

The students will construct the model rocket.

1.  Buy the model rocket kits and engines.

2.  Read the instructions carefully and construct the model rockets.

3.  Attach the engine as directed to the bottom of the rocket.

4.  Ignite the engine with the jumper cables that will be connected to the 
    battery of a car or buy the electrical launch controller and launch pad.

5.  Your model rocket should be in flight.


The students will now build their own rocket.

1.  You roll up a sheet of ditto paper the same diameter of the 3/4 in. dowel
    rod and tape it.

2.  Glue and slide in the 3/4 in. dowel rod about 2 in. inside the rocket tube.

3.  Cut out three fins for the rocket in the corrugated paper (3 in. x 1 in.).
    Make sure the fins are the same size.


4.  Attach the fins to the rocket with glue about 3/4 in. apart and symmetrical
    around the rocket.

5.  Attach the coffee straw, which is the launch lug, in between the fins about
    2 1/2 in. from the bottom of the rocket.

6.  Make a cone with a piece of ditto paper about 2 in. diameter for the nose 
    of your rocket.

7.  Crumple and insert the recovery wadding and tape on the nose cone.

8.  Prepare the engine and read the instructions very carefully.

9.  Prepare to launch your rocket.

Performance Assessment:

To complete the building of the rocket.  The rocket should successfully launch 
and be in flight.