Curated OER
Paper Rockets
Students design, construct, and fly paper rockets that travel the greatest distance possible across a floor model of the solar system. They construct small flying rockets out of paper and propel them by blowing air through a straw.
Curated OER
Rocket Car
Students construct a balloon-powered rocket car from a Styrofoam tray, pins, tape, and a flexible straw, and test it along a measured track on the floor. They experiment with ways of increasing the distance the rocket car travels.
Curated OER
Altitude Tracking
Students construct simple altitude tracking devices for determining the altitude a rocket reaches in its flight. They estimate the altitude a rocket achieves during flight.
Curated OER
Rocket Transportation
Students use problem solving skills to lift a load using a balloon rocket. They construct a rocket out of a balloon and use it to carry a paper clip payload.
Curated OER
Bottle Rocket
Learners construct and launch a simple bottle rocket. Working in teams, they construct a simple bottle rocket from 2-liter soft drink bottles and other materials.
Curated OER
Physics Lab Rockets
Students construct and test balloon rockets and a model rocket. In this rocket science lesson, students use an inquiry-based method to master balloon rockets and have a shoot-off with the goal of attaining the highest altitude. Next,...
Curated OER
Rocket Pinwheel
Students explore the action-reaction principle of Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this rocketry lesson plan, students construct a pinwheel using a balloon, soda straw, and wooden pencil. Students investigate the results.
Curated OER
Balloon Staging
Students explore rocketry using balloon rockets. They demonstrate how rockets can achieve greater altitudes by using the technology of staging. By using two inflated balloons that slide along a fishing line, they simulate a multistage...
Curated OER
Building and Launching Rocket Kits
Students, in groups, build and decorate rocket kits and then launch them.
Curated OER
Physics: Water-Bottle Rockets
Students research how physics laws create motion and propel rockets. They examine how to build water-bottle rockets.
Curated OER
Rocket Pinwheel
Students observe a balloon-powered pinwheel to study the principles of rocketry. They study Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Curated OER
Rockets
Students explain the basics of rocketry and explain the relationships between mass, acceleration, and thrust.
NASA
Ltp: Rocket Principles
Excellent NASA sponsored site on the principles of rockets. The site relates Newton's 3 laws to the flight of a rocket. Site also has links to activities related to rockets in addition to links about practical rocketry.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Solid Motor Rocket Propulsion
What does it take to launch a satellite to explore Mars, or a mission to the moon? This project has several possible variations for exploring the physics of rockets. This is rocket science.
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Water Rocket Launch
The main focus of this lesson is learning about aerospace engineering and the principles of rocketry. To accomplish this, students will work in teams to design, build, and launch a rocket made out of a soda bottle, then present their...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Blast Off
Hands on activity where students focus on aerospace engineering to investigate space flight from the viewpoint of an engineer. They design, build, and launch their rocket, then share their experiences with the class.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Introduction to Force and Motion
How is the motion of an object affected by forces that act on that object? Can you predict how the motion of an object will be affected by balanced and unbalanced forces? Is there a relationship between force, mass, and acceleration? In...
NASA
Beginners Guide to Model Rockets
This resource provides numerous links that will give teachers and students an overview of rocketry.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rocket Power
By making and testing simple balloon rockets, students acquire a basic understanding of Newton's third law of motion as it applies to rockets. Using balloons, string, straws and tape, they see how rockets are propelled by expelling...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Into Space!
While building and testing model rockets fueled by antacid tablets, students are introduced to the basic physics concepts on how rockets work. Students revise and improve their initial designs. Note: This activity is similar to the...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Houston, We Have a Problem!
Students apply their mathematics and team building skills to explore the concept of rocketry.Throughout the design process, teamwork is emphasized since the most successful launches occur when groups work effectively to generate creative...
NASA
Nasa: Rockets Educator Guide: Rocket Races
This lesson allows students to create their own rockets using foam trays and drinking straws that are powered by a balloon. Students will race their rockets on a track and determine why some rockets moved faster than others.
South Carolina Educational Television
Etv: The Hobby Shop: The Rocket
Design your own virtual rocket, and then test launch it. Watch tutorials about Newton's laws of motion and rocket basics to help you improve your rocket's performance.
NASA
Nasa: Rockets Educator Guide: What Comes Next
Learn about NASA's plans for the next 50 years to replace the space shuttle. Discover how the new plan involves two new launch vehicles.