RocketsAssignment: “Propel a straw ‘rocket’ through the air” – and that’s what a group of  students grades 4-7 did on January 12, 2018, after

an instructional seminar led by Fraser River Valley Lion and educator/scientist Charlie Teichman and his fellow Lions assistants

Florice Lietzke, Kent and Jancie Hughes, and High School counselor Ben Polonowski.

Materials required included a squeezable bottle, adhesive-backed foam, 3 straws, and a soft foam piece about 2.5 cm (1″) long

with a smaller diameter, a pencil sharpened to use as a tool, adhesive labels (return address) or stiff paper to use for fins – glue or tape as needed to attach fins.

Students are challenged to make changes to one rocket to compare to another rocket in order to create a higher, more controlled, or longer flight.

Keeping the same angle, launch a second rocket; did one fly farther or straighter?  What caused the difference in performance?

What is the science behind the activity? “Objects at rest stay at rest unless acted upon by force,” as demonstrated by the flight of the straw rockets.

The students tested different launch angles, noting how the flight differed.  In this activity students use the scientific method

(hypothesize, experiment, collect data, analyze)   – students discover the  basic principles of motion – classic Newtonian physics in action!

This journalist needed a course on Newton’s laws of motion: i.e., every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion

unless an external force is applied to it. (inertia) For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  Rocket design is classic Newtonian physics in action!

The plan is to launch a propelled rocket on January 19, weather permitting. I believe we are observing our next generation of scientists right here

in Grand County, Colorado! Be ready, NASA!

Facts we should know about East Grand Middle School:  one of the top 5 middle schools in the state; is accredited with Colorado’s highest ranking performance;

74% of East Grand Middle School teachers have their Masters’ degrees! And RAFT (resource area for teaching) “helps educators transform the learning

experience through affordable hands-on activities that engage students and inspire the joy and discovery of learning.”