"Two-Liter
Pop Bottle Rockets may well be the GREATEST PHYSICAL SCIENCE TEACHING
TOOL EVER CREATED!!" The Secondary Science Education Department
at the University of Nebraska hears this statement frequently from
teachers. Bottle rockets can be used at the middle grades and high
school levels to allow students to experience the nature of science
at its best:
Designing, building and flying a bottle rocket provides students
with a real-world application of the scientific method. Students must
research a problem, propose an answer, test the
answer, and analyze the data produced by the test to figure out
if they have the answer or not. Math and science studies are
necessary to complete the process . . . they are tools that an engineer
uses to solve a problem. When students have the tools, then they
can attack a problem--that's what engineers do!
These supplementary classroom materials have been
developed for use with students in grades 5-8 and 9-12, as well
as lifelong learners. They are aligned to the following National
Standards:
Science
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Design
and conduct a scientific investigation.
Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and
interpret data.
Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models
using evidence.
Think critically and logically to make the relationships between
evidence and explanations.
Demonstrate an understanding of properties and changes of
properties in matter.
Demonstrate an understanding of motions and forces.
Demonstrate an understanding of transfer of energy.
Implement a proposed design.
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Mathematics |
Extend
an understanding of the concepts of perimeter, area, volume,
angle measure, capacity, and weight and mass. |
Technology |
Use
content-specific tools, software, and simulations (e.g., Web
tools) to support learning and research. |
Science |
Design
and conduct scientific investigations.
Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and
communications.
Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using
logic and evidence.
Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and properties
of matter.
Demonstrate an understanding of motions and forces.
Demonstrate an understanding of the interactions of energy
and matter.
Implement a proposed solution.
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Technology |
Select
and apply technology tools for research, information analysis,
problem-solving, and decision-making in content learning. |
Assessments: Pre- and Post online
quizzes are available to assess and compare the students' knowledge
before starting and after completing the exercises. Pre-Assessment,
Post-Assessment.
Use the questions below to begin a discussion of
the aeronautics of water rockets.
- Do I have to use water? Why can't I just use pressurized air?
- Is more water better?
- How can I modify the design of the rocket to increase the duration
of the flight?
- What effect will the wind have on the way I launch the rocket?
- How will the wind affect the rocket after it is launched?
- How can I modify the design of the rocket to increase its chances
of making a field goal or reaching a goal?
Your
students' exploration will be guided by Rocket Research 101, 102,
and 103. Additional materials for each lesson are given below as
MS Word documents:
Rocket
Research 101: (Covers the Laws of Motion, Thrust, and Acceleration)
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding
of the effect of changes in amounts of air and water on the flight
of the rocket.
Link
to additional materials for Rocket Research 101. - (MS Word
File)
Rocket
Research 102: (Covers Stability, Center of Gravity)
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding
of how to design a bottle rocket for flight stability.
Link
to additional materials for Rocket Research 102. - (MS Word
File)
Rocket
Research 103: (Covers Drag)
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding
of how to minimize the effect of drag on the performance of the
rocket.
Link
to additional materials for Rocket Research 103. - (MS Word
File)
After
completing the lessons and developing their "best" bottle
rocket design using RocketModeler II, the students will be ready to
"test" their design by building and launching an actual
water bottle rocket.
Instructions will lead them safely through
the process.
Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated via a comparison of their findings using
the computer simulation with the bottle rocket's actual performance.
Additional Lesson Plans:
Design a challenge project that will allow students
to experience designing a rocket to solve a particular problem or
accomplish a stated goal using RocketModeler II. Then have the students
test their design by building and launching a bottle rocket.
Please share lesson plans that you develop using
RocketModeler II by completing the form found here.
Follow these links
to information on inquiry-based, problem-based, and project based
learning. As you develop lesson plans, be sure to incorporate the
5 E's, a five-stage instructional model for inquiry-based learning.
Recommended
Extension Activity:
NASA Student Involvement Program: Aerospace
Technology Engineering Challenge - found at this
Website http://www.nsip.net/download.cfm
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Any comments, concerns, or questions should be addressed
to: |
Developer: David
Mazza
Responsible NASA Official: Jo Ann Charleston
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