Make a spacecraft: Learn about rockets, how they work, and their role in space exploration through interactive activities and hands-on experiments.
Trigger questions: What do you know about rockets?, Have you ever seen a rocket launch? Show pictures and videos of rockets taking off, in space, and landing. Explain the basic parts of a rocket: nose cone, body, fins, and engine. Use a simple diagram to illustrate these parts. Discuss how rockets work, focusing on the concept of thrust and how fuel helps propel rockets into space. Continue to engage in discussions asking: Why do rockets have pointed noses? and What do you think happens inside a rocket during launch? The children will then be asked to design a rocket initially on their whiteboards. They will discuss their designs within their groups and use these simple designs to create rockets using vitamin tablet tubes and card. They will be encouraged to add a nose cone and fins. Then the children will be ready for the rocket launch using the Space Week – Make a Spacecraft experiment. Explain the science behind the experiment, focusing on the chemical reaction that produces gas and builds up pressure to launch the rocket. The groups will be asked to reflect on their launch, did it work? What could have been done differently? etc. When the rockets have been tidied up and to calm the class after the excitement, I would read “Roaring Rockets” by Tony Mitton.