NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The information in this document was accurate as of the original publication date.

Audience: Educators & Students
Grades: 3-5


This lesson will help your students answer the question:
How can I determine if different propellants will make a rocket travel faster?

In this lesson, students will
-- Gather data by measuring the height an object is launched.
-- Use data to describe the results of the different simulated propellant combinations.
-- Develop a conclusion based upon the results of this experiment.
-- Compare individual results to class results to look for patterns.

Speed It Up Activity
>  For educators [657KB PDF file]
>  en español

>  For students [338KB PDF file]
>  en español

The Speed It Up Activity is the lesson that accompanies How Can We Travel Faster in Space?, one of the topics in the 21st Century Explorer series. Each exploration topic in NASA's Kids Science News Network™ 21st Century Explorer series has a 30-second newsbreak videoclip, online Web explanation (background information), hands-on activity guide based on national education standards, online glossary and quiz.

All components of How Can We Travel Faster in Space? are available on the 21st Century Explorer topic page  →.

Also in this series:
Those Who Have Come Before Me Activity
Food For Spaceflight Activity
Get a Leg Up Activity
Designing a Crew Exploration Vehicle Activity
What's Hidden Inside Activity
Moon Mining Activity
Let's Investigate Mars Activity
Cleaning Water Activity
Making Regolith Activity
Ray Shielding Activity
Cool Suits Activity


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