This inquiry “launched” with a challenge from Carol to her students: design and build your own mini-rocket. From there, a classroom of young engineers got to work and over six weeks, they proceeded from initial drawings to an exciting day of mini-rocket launches in the park!
We have adapted Carol’s inquiry into a unit you can bring into your own classroom. Students will follow a structured process: They will draw a first draft, construct a model, test the model, and use the information to revise their first draft. Get ready to blast off into a hands-on, curiosity-driven experience!
Part 1 - Introduction to Rockets: Designing a Mini-Rocket
This initial lesson opens with a brainstorming session where students share what they already know about rockets, before transitioning to workspaces where they draw their first drafts of their rocket designs. Encourage students to use previous experiences, observations, ideas, and inquiries to create their design!
Part 2 - 2-D to 3-D: Building Our Mini-Rockets
Time to build! Using recycled materials (such as juice cartons, plastic food containers, cardboard tubes/boxes, and construction paper) students translate their 2-D drawings into 3-D creations. They then share their designs with their classmates and explore each other’s work.
Part 3 - Exploring Measurement: How Will We Measure Our Flight Distances?
In preparation for launching their mini-rockets, students explore non-standard units of measurement and use classroom materials to develop their own system for measuring how far their mini-rockets will travel.
Part 4 - Mini-Rocket Launch Day!
It’s launch day! In a large indoor or outdoor space, students take turns watching their rockets get blast off from a home-made launcher and measure how far they fly. Each rocket gets launched twice, and students see their results recorded on a class chart.
Part 5 - Launch Debrief: Assessing and Modifying Our Designs
Back in the classroom, students look at their results again and determine which rockets flew furthest. They then compare the flight distances and rocket designs to uncover which features allow rockets to travel furthest. Using their new discoveries, they redesign their original rockets!