How do rockets fly? Teams design, build, and launch a rocket made from a two-liter bottle to explore forces on a rocket such as Newton's Laws of Motion.  During the design phase, young engineers draw a diagram of their rocket and include a list of materials needed. After the launch, teams complete a reflection sheet on the performance of their rocket.

Concepts

rockets, newton's first law of motion, newton's laws of motion, newton's second law of motion, newton's third law of motion, technology resources

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Instructional Ideas

• Use an altitude tracker for older learners to determine the height of the rocket
• Have teams develop a presentation on how their rocket compared to other rockets, both in peformance and design

Classroom Considerations

• If not using a kit or building a launch pad, be careful that rockets are stable on the ground so they launch upward

Pros

• The resource contains seven pages of reading material for background information
• Contains an optional challenge of carrying a payload on their rocket

Cons

• The plans either require knowledge of how to build a water rocket, or how to use a kit or other resource in order to build the rockets