The Stomp Rocket lesson will introduce some rocket history to students, dating back to the 1st century AD. Students will build their own rocket and then go outside for launching.
- Please secure an open field or area for rocket launchers.
- Students need to be on an even, firm surface - either grass or pavement will work, pavement typically works better.
- Please make sure the area is away from cars, since wind may divert the students' rocket. (Most appropriate for grade levels 5-10.)
NOTE: Please have your students collect (empty and clean) 2-liter bottles.
(This lesson cannot be adjusted – launches must be done outdoors.)
Lesson Time: 70-80 minutes
Student Activity: Students will make their own rockets and attach them to a PVC pipe on our rocket launcher. They will attach their 2-liter bottle to the other end of the launcher, and test their force by stomping on the bottle and sending their rocket into the air.
Group work: Students will work on their own while building a rocket, but will launch in groups of 3-4 students. In order to save time, teachers are asked to create the groups before our Wizard arrives.
Science Standards:
4.PS.2: Energy can be transferred from one location to another or can be transformed from one form to another.
5.PS.1: The amount of change in movement of an object is based on the mass of the object and the amount of force exerted.
6.PS.3: There are two categories of energy: kinetic and potential.
6.PS.4: An object's motion can be described by its speed and the direction in which it is moving.
7.PS.3: Energy can be transformed or transferred but is never lost.
7.PS.4:Energy can be transferred through a variety of ways.
8.PS.2: Forces can act to change the motion of objects.
High School Standards:
P.F.1: Newton's laws applied to complex problems
P.F.5: Air resistance and drag.
PS.FM.2: Forces • Force diagrams • Types of forces (gravity, friction, normal, tension) • Field model for forces at a distance PS.FM.3: Dynamics (how forces affect motion) • Objects at rest • Objects moving with constant velocity • Accelerating objects.
PS.FM.3: Dynamics (how forces affect motion) • Objects at rest • Objects moving with constant velocity • Accelerating objects.
Critical Technology Connections:
Space Technologies: This "Stomp Rockets" lesson, involving building and launching rockets, clearly connects to Space Technology. The activity provides a hands-on experience with fundamental rocketry principles, including thrust and trajectory, which are essential for space travel. While simplified, the act of building and launching rockets introduces students to key concepts relevant to the design and operation of aerospace vehicles.