Kindergarten Mini Rocket Inquiry: Part 4
Early Years (Age 3 – 6)
Curriculum Goal
Kindergarten: Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours
- Investigate (e.g., using a number line, a hundreds carpet, a board game with numbered squares) the idea that a number’s position in the counting sequence determines its magnitude (e.g., the quantity is greater when counting forward and less when counting backward)
- Select an attribute to measure (e.g., capacity), determine an appropriate non-standard unit of measure (e.g., a small margarine container), and measure and compare two or more objects (e.g., determine which of two other containers holds the most water)
- Investigate strategies and materials used when measuring with non-standard units of measure
Context
- This is Part 4 of a mini-rocket launching inquiry.
- In Part 3, students learned about nonstandard measurement tools in order to measure how far their mini-rockets travel when launched.
Materials
- Mini-rockets (each student brings the one they have built)
- Units of measurement (as agreed upon by the class in the previous lesson)
- Chart paper (Appendix B) – draw a table on the chart paper with each student’s name and two spaces to record the distance their mini-rocket traveled (each student’s mini-rocket will be launched twice)
- Mini-rocket launcher – you may have your own design. We suggest leaning a board against a small chair to create a ramp. Halfway up the board we attached two hooks – one on each side of the top of the board (the flat surface facing away from the chair). To these hooks we attached a wide elastic. When the elastic is pulled back and released, it will launch the mini-rocket off the board.
- To ensure all students’ mini-rockets receive the same amount of energy from the elastic, put a mark on the board indicating how far back the elastic will be pulled each time.
Lesson
Introduction:
- Tell the class that today we will be launching our mini-rockets!
- Have each student carry their mini-rockets to the space where you will conduct the launch (e.g., the school yard, a park, or the gymnasium).
Lesson:
- Show the class how the mini-rocket launcher has been set up.
- Explain how you have laid the units of measurement out.
- This will likely look like several of your largest units of measurement lined up end-to-end in front of the mini-rocket launcher base. Have your smaller units of measurement nearby to be used when needed. You may choose to do demonstrate how the units of measurement will be used to measure the distance their mini-rockets travel.
- Explain that the results of their flight will be recorded on the chart paper. As each student’s mini-rocket will be launched twice, show the class how both measurements will be listed.
- Remind students that the point of this experiment is not to launch their mini-rockets the furthest distance, but to be able to learn about what features help mini-rockets go furthest so that they can improve their designs if this process was carried out again.
- Using the mini-rocket launcher, proceed through the class list twice so that each student has two opportunities to see their mini-rocket get launched.
- We recommend that the teacher be the one to use the mini-rocket launcher while the student observes their mini-rocket’s flight.
- Have fun with this! The whole class can count down from five or 10 before each rocket launch, and shout “blast off!” as the mini-rocket “takes off.”
- After each student’s mini-rocket is launched, indicate on the ground where the mini-rocket landed. Assist each student to measure how far their mini-rocket flew. Ideally, you will have the support of another adult or educator to carry this out. Students will use the smaller units of measurement as needed to determine the final distance (ie. Two metre sticks, three pencils, and two blocks). The student reports their measurement to the teacher, who writes it on the chart.
Conclusion:
- After all mini-rockets have been launched twice, show students the final chart so they can see the distances all the mini-rockets flew.
- Suggested questions: Whose went the furthest? Whose went the shortest distance? Did anyone’s mini-rockets travel the same distance or close to the same? Do these mini-rockets look alike?
- Have students bring their mini-rockets back to the classroom for safekeeping
Look Fors
- Are students comprehending the units of measurement to measure the distance their mini-rocket travels?
- Are students understanding how differently sized units can be combined to allow for accurate measurement?
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