Activity- Making Rockets
Students will learn about rockets and how they work by building and launching their own simple rockets.
Materials Needed:
- Balloons
- Drinking straws
- String or fishing line
- Tape
Introduction to Rockets:
- Begin by asking the students, “What do you know about rockets?” and “What do rockets do?”
- Show picture cards or posters of rockets and space exploration.
- Explain that rockets are powerful machines that help us travel into space and explore other planets.
- Discuss how rockets work: they use fuel to create thrust, which pushes them up into the sky.
- Explain the basic parts of a rocket: the body, fins, and nose cone
Making a balloon rocket:
- Thread a piece of string through a straw. The string should be long enough to stretch across the room or yard.
- Tie one end of the string to a chair or doorknob and hold the other end tightly.
- Inflate a balloon but don’t tie it. Instead, tape the balloon to the straw.
- Pull the straw to one end of the string and let go of the balloon. Watch as it zips along the string like a rocket!
- Allow the children to decorate their rockets using different art materials.
Discuss how the air escaping from the balloon creates thrust, propelling the rocket forward.
Launch Time:
- Take the students to an open space for launching their balloon rockets
- Allow each child to launch their rockets and observe the results.
- Encourage them to experiment with different designs and see how changes affect the rocket’s flight.
Discussion:
Gather the students and discuss what they observed during the rocket launches.
Ask questions like, “What made the rocket go?” and “How did different designs change the way the rocket flew?”