Flying and Falling - lhsgems.org · Flying and Falling Appendix B: ... slowly, you’ll have to test it by comparing it with the one you just made. Drop the two parachutes side by

© 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

SCIENCE IN AFTERSCHOOL POST TRIAL VERSIONLawrence Hall of Science2007

Exploring

Flying and Falling

Appendix B: Exploring Flying and Falling

I n t r odu c t i o n �© 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

Exploring Flying and Falling: Introduction

Overview

Children naturally love to build things and watch them fly. They will drop a parachute or launch a rocket over and over again. This guide helps afterschool instructors take students’ natural curiosity about flying things and turn that excitement into a learning experience. In each session, students build a simple flying thing, test it, change the design, and see what happens as a result of their changes. As they do this, they discover important things about how gravity and air resistance work.

This guide is written for the afterschool setting. The activities are designed to be fun and exciting, even after a full day of school. You don’t need to know a lot of science to lead the activities.

There are four sessions with four cool projects that teach science and engineering ideas. In the first two sessions, students build parachutes and “droppy-coptors” to explore the concept of air resistance. In the third session, they “ooh” and “aah” as simple home-made rockets soar sky high. In the final fourth session, students are challenged to send a rocket as high as possible but then land it as gently as possible with the help of a parachute or droppy-copter. Each session is designed for a 45-minute period, but can be completed in about 30 minutes if that’s all the time you have

As students build and play, they also learn science. They learn that science can be an interesting way to explore the world. They observe how different shaped objects fall, float, and fly. They wrestle with ideas about gravity and air resistance, even if they don’t use those words. As they design and build flying things, they use science in the same ways engineers do. Students learn how to not give up if something doesn’t work exactly right the first time.

As you take your students through the sessions, we encourage you to think about your role. This unit is designed to let you be a “guide on the side,” rather than a formal classroom teacher or science expert. You can best help your students by preparing the materials, watching what they do, and asking questions about what they are doing. Encourage them to follow their natural curiosity. The goal is for students to be excited by science and to think about things they find interesting. The students learn science by doing science.

� I n t r odu c t i o n © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

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All four sessions follow the same basic structure – Engage, Explore, and Make Sense. This format reflects one way real working scientists do experiments. Each session begins with a “question of the day” designed to engage students and get them thinking. From here, students quickly launch into the main activity where they explore, build a flying thing and see what happens as they make changes to the basic design. The majority of each day will be spent exploring. Each session ends with a short activity to help students reflect on the “question of the day” and to make sense of what they did and saw. After each day’s activity we hope students leave thinking, “science is cool and I can do it!”

In this teacher’s guide, you will find all the information you need to lead the sessions:

• an introduction• scientific background information• a list of the materials you need• how to prepare for the activity• step-by-step instructions on how to

guide the activity• teaching strategies• suggested questions to ask students to

get them thinking and exploring more deeply

In addition, for each session, there is a 1 page “quick reference sheet” to help remind you about the most important steps in setting up and leading the activity. You may find it helpful to keep the quick reference sheet with you as you teach. But read the full description in the teacher’s guide first!

Please Note: The quick reference sheet is not a substitute for the teacher’s guide. to be most successful in leading the activity, you should read the full step-by-step instructions with teaching tips and science background found only in the complete teacher’s guide. the quick reference sheet is there to help remind you about each of the major steps as you lead the session. Much of the quick reference guide will not make sense without reading the complete teacher’s guide first.

© 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

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EXPLOREI n t r odu c t i o n �

Session 1: Parachutes. In this session, students discover some basic things about air resistance by building simple parachutes out of coffee filters, string, and binder clips. Through simple experiments, students figure out how parachutes work and how air resistance affects things as they fall. Will it still work if you take off the binder clip? What happens if you tape a bunch of coffee filters together to make a bigger parachute? How long should the strings be?

Session 2: Droppy-copters. Droppy-copters are fascinating paper helicopters that spin like a top as they fall. Students build different versions—big or small, with long skinny wings or short fat wings, big weights or little ones— and see how these differences change the way the droppy-copters fall. After trying many different designs, they share what they learned from their tests.

Session 3: Stomp Rocketry. While parachutes and droppy-copters are big and wide to catch air as they fall, rockets need to be sleek and streamlined so they can fly fast and high without catching very much air. Students learn about this difference by building rockets out of paper and then launching them from a Stomp Rocket® launcher. Students love watching their rockets soar up to 100 feet in the air!

Session 4: Flying High and Falling Gently. In the final session, students put together everything they learned in previous sessions. They are challenged to send a rocket as high as possible—but to get it to fall as slowly and softly as possible. Students figure out ways to attach parachutes and droppy-copters to their rockets to find out what happens. Whether or not the students’ designs work the way they expect, students use their newfound knowledge about air resistance to build something to meet a challenge.

� Se s s i o n 1 © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

Session 1: Parachutes

Before You Begin

Overview:

session 1: Parachutes

Before you Begin

overview: In this first session students build, observe, and modify simple parachutes out of coffee filters, string and binder clips. To get students thinking, the instructor shows students three coffee filters that have been crumpled and twisted into different shapes. The question of the day is, “Which one would fall the slowest? Which one would fall the fastest? Why?” Students then have a chance to build their own parachutes. They try different designs and see what happens when they drop them, then they can use their experiences to help answer the question.

session goals:• Recognize that air is a substance that is all

around us here on Earth • Learn that air resistance makes objects move

more slowly through the air • Discover how changes in a parachute’s

design, such as weight and area, affect air resistance

science BackgroundWhen an object is dropped, gravity pulls it towards the ground. The object will speed up more and more as it falls.

But the air around the object can slow it down. This is called air resistance. Air will resist the movement of things that try to move through it. Whatever direction the object is moving, air resistance pushes the opposite way. If a parachute is falling down, air

resistance pushes up. Instead of the parachute falling faster and faster, gravity and air resistance eventually balance each other out. Soon, the parachute is drifting down at a steady, unchanging speed.

The shape of an object has a big effect on the air resistance acting on it. Usually, air resistance has a bigger effect on objects that are wide and that trap a lot of air. Also, the lighter an object is, the sooner air resistance and gravity balance each other out. A large, light parachute will fall more slowly than one that is smaller and heavier.

For upper elementary students, it is not necessary to explain air resistance completely. It is not even necessary to define the word in this session. Try not to tell your students that their parachutes should be wide, light, and trap a lot of air. Discovering this idea on their own is part of the excitement and fun, and they’ll probably remember it better than if you just told them.

Se s s i o n 1 �© 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

3. Prepare trays of materials. Prepare one tray of parachute building materials for each group of 4 students. Each tray should include coffee filters, string, scotch tape, paper clips, binder clips and scissors. If you have a separate area for discussion, then these items may be put on the worktables now. If you do not, then put these trays aside on a separate table or countertop until after the Engage discussion.

4. clear space for dropping parachutes. Clear out space near the tables or in a central part of the room where students can safely test their parachutes.

5. decide whether or not students can stand on chairs. You should decide whether to let students stand on a chair to get a longer fall. Think about the type of chairs in the room, the type of floor, the maturity of your students, and anything in the room that might be dangerous if a student fell or bumped into it.

time frameLonger times listed make 45-minute sessions.Shorter times are 30-minute sessions.

materialsfor each table of 4 students

• 30 coffee filters• 30 pieces of string (each 8 inches long)• 2 rolls of scotch tape• 20–30 paper clips in a small box or cup• 1 box of 10-12 small binder clips• 1 box of 10-12 medium binder clips• 2 large binder clips• 2 scissors• 1 roll of string (uncut)

for the instructor• 3 coffee filters• 3 pieces of string (each 8 inches long)• 1 binder clip• 1 roll of scotch tape• Optional: board at the front of the classroom

or a sheet of poster paper and something to write with

PreParation

1. set up tables. Arrange the tables or desks so students can sit comfortably in groups of at least four students. They will be working on their own but need to be able to reach the parachute building supplies from their seats.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very difficult to introduce an activity or lead a discussion when students are near science materials. If you have a separate space where students can sit in a group away from the work tables, like a carpet or a group of chairs, then use it for the Engage and Making Sense sections. That way you can set the materials out on the tables before class.

If you don’t have a separate area for discussion, wait until after the Engage discussion to set out the parachute building materials. Clear them away again for the Making Sense discussion. Put the trays of materials on a separate, but nearby, table or countertop.

2. cut string. Cut the string into 8-inch-long pieces. Each student needs at least six pieces.

Session 1: Parachutes

Engage 5 minutesExplore Build Basic Design 5 minutes Try Something New 10–20 minutesClean up 5 minutesMaking Sense 5–10 minutes


EngagE (5 minutes)

step 1: introduce today’s session on parachutes.Say, “Today we will be building parachutes. What should a parachute do – fall slowly or fall fast?” Invite students to share their thoughts and explain why they think the way they do. Accept all answers but challenge students to explain why they think what they do.

step 2: introduce the question of the day. Before making parachutes, it is important to think about how the main parachute material, the coffee filter, falls by itself. Show the group three coffee filters. Leave the first one open and set it on the table. Crumple the second one into a loose ball the size of a tennis ball. Don’t crush it too tightly. Set the crumpled ball on the table. Get a third coffee filter and pinch it in the center. Starting from the center pinch, tightly twist the filter into a pointed dart shape.

Hold up all three filters (or have some student volunteers help you). Tell the group, “Every day, I will ask you a “question of the day” to start off the session. I want you to think about this question as you do the activity. At the end of the day, we will use what we did and what we saw to help answer the question. Here’s the question for today…”

quEStion of thE daY:

Which coffee filter—open, crushed, or twisted into a dart-shape—will fall the slowest? Which will fall the fastest?

Depending on your group, you may want to write the question of the day on the board at the front of the room or on a large sheet of poster paper.

step 3: give strategies to answer the question through today’s activity.Students should not answer the question now. Instead, students should carefully watch their own parachute and see what happens when changes are made to it. Their own observations will help them answer the question of the day. In addition, they may want to compare their own parachute with other people’s or try dropping coffee filters of different shapes to see what happens. Give students some hints and answer any questions students have about the process. If anyone tries to answer the question now, gently tell him or her to keep thinking about it until the end of the session when there will be time to talk about it.

guiding the activity


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ExPlorE Build Basic Parachute (5 minutes)

step 1: Build a parachute.Build a basic parachute with your students. Set out the materials if they are not already on the worktables. Take students slowly through the following steps. Show them what to do with your own parachute, then help any students who are having trouble.

a. Get a coffee filter, 3 strings, and a small binder clip.b. Tape the 3 strings to the inside of the coffee filter. Try to space the strings evenly around the edge of the coffee filter.c. Hold the free ends of the strings together so that the coffee filter hangs down underneath like a basket. d. Use a small binder clip to clip the free string ends together. Very young children may need help with the binder clip.

step 2: explain the rules of the day.Before the students stand up and drop their parachutes, describe the rules for the activity. Say, “Drop your parachutes. Do not throw them.” Explain your rules about chairs. If you have decided to let them stand on chairs, say, “You may very carefully stand on a chair to drop your parachute from higher up. But don’t jump off the chair. Step down carefully.”

step 3: try the basic parachute.Try them out! Move to the launching area, let them go, and watch them drift to the ground. Have students figure out the best way to drop their parachutes.

try something new (10-20 minutes)

step 1: introduce the next part of the exploration.Gather the students back at the table and quickly ask what they noticed. Tell them, “Raise your hand if you think you could make a better parachute. That’s your challenge—to make a new parachute that is better than the one you just made. You can change the design of your new parachute in any way you want. Be creative!” Get some ideas from the students about ways they might want to change their parachutes. Some ideas might be:

• Change the “passenger” (the weight at the bottom of the strings)

• Change the number or length of the strings• Cut out a different parachute shape• Tape several filters together into a big sheet• Stack filters on top of each other, like a layer

cake• Cut slits or vent holes• Clip more than one parachute to the passenger


EXPLORESay, “To find out if your new parachute falls more slowly, you’ll have to test it by comparing it with the one you just made. Drop the two parachutes side by side so you can compare how well they fly.”

Remind students that what doesn’t work is often just as important as what does work. Tell your students, “If it doesn’t do what you want the first time, change it, and then test again until your new parachute does what you want it to do.”

If a jungle gym, balcony, or stairwell is available, you can let your students know that they will have a chance to drop their best new design from higher up at the end of the day.

step 2: students explore.Give students 10 to 20 minutes to build a new design and compare it to their basic parachute.

step 3: check in with each group.As they work, check in with each group, asking questions and encouraging them to think about their design choices. Questions might include:

• Whatdidyounoticeaboutyourparachutecomparedtothebasicone?

• Lookathowyourparachutefell.Isthatwhatyouexpectedittodo?

• Whichonefellmoreslowly?• Whatdoyouthinkwouldhappenifyou

changed…Tryit!• Whatelsecouldyouchange?• Whatdoyouwantyournewdesigntodo?

Whatelsecouldyouchangetogetittodothatbetter?

Students will often try their new design without comparing it to the first, basic parachute. Use the words, “Ready, set, drop!” to remind the students to drop both parachutes at the same time. Making a comparison is very important to help them notice differences in how the parachutes are built and differences in how they fly. Help your students realize that differences in how they are built are related to differences in how they fly. If you use a paperclip in one and a binder clip in another, that difference might be the reason the parachute flips over. Use questions to help your students make these connections. For example, “I noticed your new parachute flipped over but the basic one didn’t. What’s different about your new design that might have made it flip over?”

step 4: clean up. (5 minutes)When it’s time for students to clean up, have them come back to the worktables. You can let students keep their best parachute to bring home, but the rest should be taken apart. Binder clips and paper clips can be returned to their boxes for later sessions. You will need trays with everything but the string and coffee filters for the next session.


Making SEnSE (5–10 minutes)

step 1: students sit away from the materials.If you have a discussion area, tell students to sit there. If not, remove the materials and tell them to sit at the tables.

step 2: students vote on question of the day. Hold up the three coffee filters from the beginning of the day. Ask students to vote on which of the three coffee filters would fall the slowest. Hold each one up in turn and have students raise their hands to vote. Ask for a volunteer who predicted the open filter will fall slowest to describe why they think what they do. Encourage other students to share things they saw today that supports their idea.

Next, ask students to vote which filter would fall the fastest. Again, ask for a volunteer who chose the dart-shaped filter to explain why they think what they do.

optional step 3: super high drop.If possible, lead the students to a jungle gym or stairwell for one final, super high drop!

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10 Se s s i o n 2 © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

Session 2: Droppy-Copters

Before You Begin

Overview:

The day begins with a quick review of the last session on parachutes, which leads into the idea of air resistance - how objects that catch more air, fall more slowly through the air. Today, students build droppy-copters—paper helicopters that spin their way to the ground. The question of the day is: “If you change a droppy-copter so it catches more air, how does that change the way it flies?” Students use sticky notes to make the wings bigger and see how this changes the way they fall. Students then design their own droppy-copters and test different designs.

Session goals:• Learn that air resistance makes objects

move more slowly through the air • Discover how changes in a droppy-copter’s

design, such as weight and surface area, affect air resistance

passenger(binder clip)

strings

parachute(co�ee �lter)

Parachute

passenger(paper clip)

Droppy-Copter

body

wings

Science backgroundIn a way, a droppy-copter is just a very strange parachute. The wings are like the parachute. The body is like the strings. The paper clip is the passenger, like the binder clip used for the parachute in the previous session.

Air resistance works the same way with both objects. While gravity pulls the object down, air resistance will push the object up, keeping it from falling as quickly.

The same things that make parachutes fall more slowly make droppy-copters fall more slowly too. When you enlarge the wings of the droppy-copter, you catch more air and get more air resistance. Thus, a droppy-copter with big wings falls more slowly than a droppy-copter with small wings. If you add weight, like a bigger binder clip, then air resistance doesn’t balance out gravity as well and the heavy droppy-copter will fall more quickly.

Se s s i o n 2 11© 2007 by The Regents of the University of California

MaterialsFor each table of 4 students

• 8 small droppy-copter patterns• 8 medium droppy-copter patterns• 8 large droppy-copter patterns• 1 pad of small 1 ½" x 2" sticky notes• 1 pad of medium 3" x 3" sticky notes• 2–4 pairs of scissors• 20–30 paper clips in a small box or cup• 1 box of 10–12 small binder clips• 1 box of 10–12 medium binder clips

For instructor• 1 medium droppy-copter pattern• 1 pair of scissors• 1 paper clip• 1 pad of small 1 ½" x 2" post it notes• Optional: paper cutter• Optional: board at the front of the

classroom or a sheet of poster paper and something to write with

Preparation1. Set up tables. Arrange the tables or desks so students can sit comfortably in groups of at least four students. Each student should to be able to reach the supplies from where they are sitting.

2. Photocopy droppy-copter patterns. Photocopy the three different droppy-copter patterns. If possible, the small, medium, and large patterns should be copied onto different colors of paper. While you are at it, make a few extra copies of the big pattern for Session 4. Several droppy-copter patterns are on each sheet of 8 1/2” x 11” paper. If you have a paper cutter, it saves class time and makes less of a mess to separate the patterns, rather than having students cut them out.

3. Prepare trays of materials. Prepare one tray of droppy-copter materials for each group of four students. Each tray should include patterns, sticky notes, scissors, paper clips, and binder clips. If you have a separate area for discussion, then you can put these materials on the worktables now. If you do not, then put these trays aside on a separate table or countertop.

4. Clear space for dropping droppy-copters. Clear out space near the tables or in a part of the room where students can safely test their droppy-copters.

5. Decide whether students can stand on chairs. Decide whether or not to let students stand on chairs to get longer drops and establish safety rules as needed.


Time Frame

Longer times listed make 45-minute sessions.Shorter times are 30-minute sessions.

n ENGAGE (5 minutes)

Step 1: Start a discussion. Begin a discussion about air resistance with a question like, “Who has ever been in a car with an open window and played with the air as the car moves? What does it feel like on your hand?” Encourage the students to share their experiences and memories. You can keep the conversation going with more questions like, “What happens if you put your hand out flat?” “What happens if you put your hand in a fist?”

Step 2: Introduce the idea of air resistance. Lead the discussion to a point where it feels natural to talk about air resistance by name. Describe what air resistance is – air pushing back against things that are moving or falling through the air. Give examples of objects that catch a lot of air and have a lot of air resistance (like parachutes, an open hand near a car window, an open coffee filter) and examples of objects that catch less air and have less air resistance (like binder clips by themselves, a closed fist near a car window, a crumpled coffee filter). Invite students to join in and add their own examples.

Step 3: Connect air resistance to parachutes. Ask your students to think about the last session and about the air resistance on parachutes. For instance, say, “Last time, we made parachutes. Parachutes move through the air too. What happens if a parachute catches more air and has more air resistance? What happens if it catches less air and has less air resistance?” Encourage students to share stories from the session on parachutes.

Step 4: Introduce today’s question of the day. Briefly describe today’s activity and emphasize how a droppy-copter is similar to a parachute in that it catches the air as it falls. Lead into today’s question of the day…

Session 2: Droppy-Copters

Engage 5 minutesExplore Build Basic Design 5 minutes Try Something New 10–20 minutesClean up 5 minutesMake Sense 5–10 minutes

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EXPLORE

question of the day

If you change a droppy-copter so it catches more air, how does that change the way it flies?

Encourage students to think about this question and see if they can figure out the answer as they explore. You may want to write the question of the day on the board at the front of the room or on a large sheet of poster paper.

n EXP LORE (15–25 minutes)

PART 1: Build Basic Design (5 minutes)

Step 1: Build a droppy-copter. Build a basic droppy-copter with your students. Set out the materials if they are not already on the worktables. Take students slowly through the following steps.

1. Get a medium-sized droppy-copter pattern.

2. Use a pair of scissors to cut along the solid lines. DO NOT cut the dotted lines.

3. Fold one wing toward you along the dotted line and fold the other wing away from you.

4. Attach a paper clip to the bottom of the body.

Step 2: Explain the rules of the day. Before the students stand up and drop their droppy-copters, describe the rules for the activity. Say, “Drop your droppy-copters. Do not throw them.” Explain your rules about chairs. If you have decided to let them stand on chairs, urge carefulness, and say, ”Don’t jump off the chair. Step down carefully.”

Step 3: Try the basic droppy-copter. Try them out! Move to the launching area and see how they fly. Give students enough time to try their droppy-copters at least three or four times. If they aren’t spinning, make sure that the wings are facing in opposite directions and that the wings angle slightly upward rather than being folded down tightly next to the body of the droppy-copter.


PART 2: Try Something New (10–20 minutes)

Step 1: Introduce the next part of the exploration. Gather the students back at the table and quickly find out what they think about their droppy-copters. Keep this part as short as possible since your students will have a difficult time listening to you for very long while they are sitting at the work tables with all the materials and. Tell them, “Like last time with the parachutes, your challenge is to try to make a new droppy-copter that’s different than this one. The goal isn’t to make it fall more slowly, but to find out how change the copter to make it fall differently.”

Get some ideas from the students about other ways they might want to change their designs. Show them the big- and small-sized patterns. Some ideas might include:

• Change the “passenger” to a binder clip• Use a different sized pattern• Fold the wings a different way• Change the wing shape with sticky notes• Make the body shorter or longer

Remind your students, “You won’t know if your change has made a difference unless you compare your new design with the basic droppy-copter you already made. Drop the two side by side so you can see the difference in how they fall.”

Step 2: Demonstrate how to change wing shape to catch more air. Say, “Before you begin, I want to show you something you can do to change the shape of your droppy-copter. This will help you answer the question of the day: If you change a droppy-copter so it catches more air, how does that change the way it flies?”

Take two small sticky notes and stick one to the tip of each wing to make each wing bigger. Say, “I’ve made the wings bigger. Now they will catch more air. I can compare this new one with big wings to my basic one with regular wings to see if it flies differently.”

Step 3: Students explore. Give students 10 to 20 minutes to build a new design and compare it to their basic droppy-copter.

Step 4: Check in with each group. Move around the room and check in with each group. Ask lots of questions to encourage students to think more deeply:

• Is the new design spinning faster or slower than before?

• Which direction is the droppy-copter spinning? Can you make the droppy-copter spin the other way?

• What happens if you bend the wings a different way?

• How does the weight of the passenger affect the way it falls?

• What if you add even more sticky notes?• Can you make it fall more slowly?


Step 4: Clean up. (5 minutes) When it’s time for students to clean up, have students come back to the work tables. Students should keep their favorite droppy-copter from the day. In addition, you should keep several basic, medium-sized droppy-copters. All the rest should be taken apart. Binder clips and paper clips can be returned to their boxes. Paper can be recycled. You will need scissors for the next session, Session 3, and you’ll need droppy-copter patterns for the last session, Session 4.

n Make Sense (5–10 minutes)

Step 1: Students sit away from the materials. If you have a discussion area, tell students to sit there with their favorite droppy-copter. If not, remove the materials and tell them to sit at the worktables.

Step 2: Lead discussion about the question of the day.

Hold up one of the basic, medium-sized droppy-copters. Say, “Please hold up your droppy-copter if the wings catch more air than the basic one I am holding. It should have bigger wings than the one I have.” From the students holding up their droppy-copters, ask for a few volunteers to describe how their droppy-copter fell compared to the basic one. Choose 2-3 volunteers, being careful to select students that used paper-clips for passengers. Avoid choosing students that used binder clips for passengers since that will make the discussion more complicated. If a student isn’t completely sure how their droppy-copter flies compared to the basic one, give them a basic one and they can compare them side-by-side in front of the class.

Once several students have shared, say, “Great! Now let’s think about the question of the day, If you change a droppy-copter so it catches more air, how does that change the way it flies? What do you think?” Allow students to share their ideas. Encourage students to give examples to back up what they think.

Optional Step 3: Super high drop. If possible, lead the students to a jungle gym or stairwell for one final, super high drop!

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Session 3: Stomp Rocketry

Before You Begin

Overview:

Parachutes and droppy-copters are designed to catch air and have a lot of air resistance. Rockets are the opposite. Rockets are designed to cut through the air and have very little air resistance. Students learn about these differences in shape and design by building rockets out of paper and sending them sky high with a Stomp Rocket® launcher. During their exploration, students discover how fins and rocket shape can change their rocket’s flight.

PLEASE NOTE: For this session, you need an outdoor space, a gymnasium, or a room with at least 30 foot ceilings. Rockets can fly up to 50-100 feet in the air! Worktables for building the rockets must be in the same space so that students can move freely between the worktables and the Stomp Rocket® launcher. A large picnic table or two next to a playground is ideal.

Session goals:• Students explore how differences in shape

affect air resistance.• Students test how changes in a paper

rocket’s design such as fins and nose shape affect the rocket’s flight

Science background

Stomp Rockets® are probably the most simple and safe way for children to experiment with model rockets. This type of rocket is also known as an air rocket because it is powered by air.

There are two parts to a Stomp Rocket® – the launcher and the rocket. The launcher is made of an air pump attached to a pipe by a flexible tube. The rocket is simply a hollow tube that fits snugly around the launch pipe. This tube forms the body of the rocket. One end of the rocket is sealed tightly by a nose cone. When the rocket is put over the launch pipe, the air inside the launcher is trapped. Thus, when someone stomps on the air pump part of the launcher, the air inside gets compressed. The compressed air can only escape by pushing the rocket off the tube. This sudden release of compressed air is what makes the rocket fly.


So how come some rockets fly higher than others? First of all, the rocket needs to be as air-tight as possible. If air can leak out of a hole in the nose cone, then the compressed air in the launcher will try to escape through the hole instead of pushing the rocket off the launcher. Also, if the body of the rocket doesn’t fit tightly around the launch pipe, air can escape out from under the rocket and the rocket won’t fly as high. Fins can also make a big difference to a rocket. The number of fins and their size, shape and placement will have a big effect on how the rocket flies. Other things that can change how high the rocket will fly are air resistance, the length of the rocket’s body, and the size of the pump.


• 1 cafeteria tray or box lid• 2 lengths of pipe with a 11 ⁄16" outer

diameter• 12 sheets of 8 ½" x 11" paper, multicolored

if available• 8 nose cone patterns• 2-4 pairs of scissors• 2 rolls of scotch tape

For instructor• 1 Stomp Rocket® launcher• masking tape, string, or stick to mark the

front of the line of students waiting for a turn to launch their rocket

• Optional: paper cutter

Preparation1. Set up tables. Arrange the tables so that students can sit comfortably in groups of at least 4 students. They will need to be able to easily reach the supplies from where they are sitting.

2. Photocopy nose cone patterns. Photocopy the nose cone patterns. While you are at it, make a few extra for Session 4 as well. Several patterns are on each sheet of 8½" x 11" paper. If a paper cutter is available, it saves class time if you separate the patterns from one another rather than letting the kids cut them out from the large sheet on their own.

3. Prepare trays of materials. Prepare one tray of rocket building materials for each group of 4 students. Each tray should include pipe, paper, nose cone patterns, scissors and tape. If you have a separate area for discussion, then put these materials on the worktables now. If you do not, then put these trays aside on a separate table, bench or countertop. If you don’t have a separate table, bench or countertop because you are outdoors, then cover each tray of materials with a box lid or extra cafeteria tray so that they are out-of-sight and out-of-reach during the starting discussion.

4. Set up rocket launcher. Follow the directions provided in the kit to put together your Stomp Rocket® launcher. Put the rocket launcher in an open place and aim it upwards, or mostly upwards, away from where the students will be lined up to use it. Use masking tape, a stick, or a string to mark a line a few feet away from the launcher. Students need to stay behind this line while they are waiting to launch their rockets. This keeps students from entering the launch zone and prevents crowding around the launcher.


Time FrameLonger times listed make 45-minute sessions.Shorter times are 30-minute sessions.

Guiding the Activity


Step 1: Review parachutes and droppy-copters. Find several students that were there during the previous sessions. Ask them to share their experiences and talk about which designs seemed to fall the most slowly. After several students have shared, summarize their observations with a statement like, “Great! It seems like shapes that are wide and catch a lot of air have a lot of air resistance and move slowly through the air.”

Step 2: Introduce today’s activity. Introduce the idea that sometimes you want very little air resistance instead of a lot of air resistance. For example, what if you wanted to fly fast and far through the air. Ask students to describe what these shapes might look like. Encourage all answers. After several students have shared, summarize their ideas with something like,

5. Build a rocket and try it out. Build yourself a rocket and try it out! Rockets are more complicated than parachutes and droppy-copters. This extra practice will help the session with your students go much more smoothly. Directions are on page ___. Session 3: Stomp Rocketry (45 minutes)

Engage 2–5 minutes (If you have only 30 minutes, skip directly to Engage, Step 3)

Explore Build Basic Design 10 minutes Try Something New 8–20 minutesClean up 5 minutesMake Sense 5 minutes


2. Roll the paper around the piece of pipe. The roll should be as tight as possible while still allowing the pipe to slip out from inside the roll. If it is too tight, then the rocket won’t come off the launcher. If it is too loose, then the rocket won’t fly very high.

3. Pull the pipe out from the roll of paper. Put the pipe back on the tray or give it to another student who needs it.

4. Tape the roll shut along the seam. Then set the roll aside.

5. Get a nose cone pattern and a pair of scissors. Cut along the solid black lines around the shape. DO NOT cut along the dotted lines.

6. Fold the shaded part over along the dotted line. The shaded part should now be on top of the rest of the shape.

EXPLOREGuiding the Activity

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“Great! Skinny shapes that can slip through the air without catching it have very little air resistance. These shapes fly fast and far.” Use this to introduce today’s activity – rockets! Since rockets are meant to fly fast and far, these are going to be skinny and should catch very little air.

Step 3: Introduce the question of the day Today’s question of the day will prepare students for the show-and-tell session at the end of the day. Introduce today’s question of the day to your students…

question of the day

Describe one change you made to your rocket today. How did this change affect the way your rocket flew?

Make sure all students understand the question since everyone will be asked to share their experience at the end of the day.

n Exp l o r e (15–25 minutes)

Build Basic Rocket (10 minutes)

Step 1: Build a rocket.Build a basic rocket with your students. Take students slowly through the following steps. If you have young students (below 3rd grade), then see the suggested modifications on the next page.

1. Get a sheet of paper and a piece of pipe. Two students may share one pipe.


EXPLORE7. Fold along the other dotted line. The new

flap should COVER UP the shaded part of the shape.

8. Tape along the seam where it says “TAPE SHUT”.

9. Put a finger into the bottom of the triangle and pop it open into a three-dimensional cone.

10. This cone should fit nicely over the end of the paper roll you made earlier. If it doesn’t then the roll is too loose and should be rolled more tightly before going on. Tape the nose cone in place, making sure to completely seal off any gaps between the nose cone and the rocket’s body.

PLEASE NOTE: Young children may have a hard time rolling the paper around the pipe. These students may need one-on-one help or you can make the rolls yourself before the session begins.

In addition, young children find making the nose cone difficult. If most of your students are 3rd grade or younger, consider not making the nose cone at all (steps 5-10). Instead, fold one end of the roll over and tape it down. Rockets made this way don’t look as rocket-like and are a bit less stable in the air. But they work just fine and save a whole lot of time and trouble when working with young children.

Step 2: Show students how to add fins. Tell students that fins are optional and may be of any shape, size, or number. Then, show students one way to make a simple fin. Cut a corner off a sheet of paper to make a triangle. Take a piece of tape and put the tape along one edge of the triangle, leaving some of the sticky side free. Use this sticky side to attach the fin to the body of your example rocket.


Step 3: Explain the rules of the day. After most students are finished building but before the students get up to try their rockets, describe the rules for the activity. Some rules that work well include:

• Students have to form a line behind the launcher. Everyone needs to wait their turn to launch their rocket.

• Do not come near the launcher in the launch zone until it is your turn.

• Before stomping on the launcher, make sure that nobody else is in the launch zone and that the launcher is aimed away from all people.

This last rule is very important to keep everyone safe. Make sure there is a consequence for breaking this rule, such as not allowing that person to launch their rocket by themselves anymore. An adult can do it for them.

Step 4: Give each student one turn. Try them out! Have students line up and try out their rockets. Make sure students are following the rules, especially checking that nobody is in the launch zone (except the person stomping). When all students have tried their rocket once, pick up the launcher and have all students bring their rockets back to the worktable. They will want to keep trying out their rockets, but encourage them to go back and make their rockets better before trying them again.

Try Something New (5–15 minutes)

Step 1: Observations about rocket flight. Once students are seated at the worktables, spend 1 minute getting quick responses to the question, “What did you think about your rocket?” If any student had trouble with their rocket, give them suggestions for how to fix it. Some common problems include rolls that are too tight or too loose, nose cones that fall off, and gaps between the nose cone and roll.

Step 2: Review the question of the day. Remind students that at the end of the day, everyone will need to be able to describe one change they made and tell everyone how that changed the way the rocket flew. If you want, get some ideas from the students about ways they might want to change their designs. Some ideas might include:

• Make the body longer• Add different numbers or shapes of fins• Add big fins like airplane wings• Add streamers at the back

Step 3: Students explore. Set up the launcher again in the launch zone. Give students 5-20 minutes to build new rocket designs and try them out on the launcher.

Step 4: Check in with each student. As students work on their rockets and test them, check in with each student. Here are some questions you might ask:

• Do you see any holes around the nose of your rocket where air could escape? Make sure to cover any holes with tape.

• Does your rocket wiggle on the rocket launcher? What do you think would happen if you make a new rocket that fits the launcher tighter?

EXPLORE


• What do you think would happen if you made the rocket’s body longer or shorter?

• How did your new design fly compared to your basic rocket?

• I love those giant fins! What do you think the fins will do?

• How high do you think your rocket went? Can you make it go higher next time? What will you try?

Step 5: Clean up. (5 minutes). Two minutes before it is time to clean up, tell students that everyone gets one last turn at the launcher. Afterwards, pick up the launcher and have all students bring their rockets back to the worktable. Have students help you put materials back on the trays, stack any remaining paper nicely, and throw away or recycle any paper scraps that are on the table or floor. You will need all of today’s materials for the next session.

n Make Sense (5 minutes)

Step 1: Students sit away from the materials. If you have a discussion area, tell students to sit there with their rocket. If not, remove the materials and tell them to sit at the worktables.

Step 2: Show-and-tell. Remind students about the question of the day (Describe one change you made to your rocket today. How did this change affect the way your rocket flew?). Go around the room and have each student share what they tried and what happened.

Optional Step 3: Last launch. If you have a little extra time, students are usually more than happy to keep launching their rockets over and over. You could also suggest trading rockets with another student to see if someone else’s rocket flies any differently.

MAKING SENSE


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Session 4: Flying High and Falling Gently

Before You Begin

Overview:

Today students put together everything they have learned so far. They are given the challenge to build a rocket that can fly as high as possible but then fall as gently as possible. To be successful, students will need to use what they have learned about air resistance and the engineering process. Parachutes, droppy-copters, and wings are attached to rockets as students look for a way to make something fly high but fall gently.

PLEASE NOTE: Like last session, for this session you will need an outdoor space, a gymnasium, or a room with at least 30 foot ceilings. Worktables should be in the same space so students can move freely from the worktables to the launcher. A large picnic table or two next to a playground is ideal.

Session goals:• Students explore how differences in shape

affect air resistance• Students develop creative engineering skills

by building a device that solves a problem

Science Background

There are two parts to today’s challenge. First, a rocket must fly high. As it goes up into the air, it should have very little air resistance. The second part is to fall gently. As it falls back down again, it should have a lot of air resistance.

How do you build something that has a little air resistance on the way up but a lot of air resistance on the way down? Here are some instructor only tips to help you and your students feel more successful:

• Parachutes usually work best if the strings are attached near the nose.

• To launch a rocket with a parachute, it usually helps if the parachute is wrapped loosely around the nose of the rocket.

• Parachutes usually work best if the rocket is aimed almost straight up.

• Droppy-copters usually work best when it is attached to the tail of the rocket with the wings hanging down.

These hints should not be shared with the students right away. It is important that the students be given a chance to make discoveries on their own. If you tell the student what to do, the student won’t get to feel the pride that comes from figuring something out by yourself. Usually, one student will discover a “trick” that works well and other students will copy him or her.



• 8 coffee filters• 30 pieces of string (each 8" long)• 4 large droppy-copter patterns• 2 pieces of pipe with a 5/8" outer diameter

(each 12” long)• 12 sheets of 8 ½" x 11" paper, multicolored

if available• 8 nose cone patterns• 2-4 pairs of scissors• 2 rolls of scotch tape

For instructor• 1 Stomp Rocket® launcher• masking tape, string, or stick to mark the

front of the line of students waiting for a turn to launch their rocket

• 1 assembled parachute• 1 assembled droppy-copter • 1 assembled rocket• Optional: paper cutter

Preparation1. Set up tables. Arrange the tables so that students can sit comfortably in groups of at least 4 students. They need to be able to easily reach the supplies from where they are sitting.

2. Photocopy nose cone patterns. You may have made extra templates when you prepared for session 3. If not, photocopy the nose cone patterns and use a paper cutter to separate the templates from one another.

3. Prepare trays of materials. Prepare one tray of materials for each group of 4 students. Each tray should include coffee filters, string, droppy-copter patterns, pipe, paper, nose cone patterns, scissors and tape. If you have a separate area for discussion, then put these materials on the worktables now. If you do not, then put these trays aside in a separate area or cover each tray with a box lid or extra cafeteria tray so they are out-of-sight and out-of-reach.


Guiding the ActivityEN

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4. Set up rocket launcher. Set up the rocket launcher in an open area. Use masking tape, a stick, or a string to mark the edge of the launch zone and to show students where to line up.

5. Prepare an example rocket, an example parachute and an example droppy copter. Build yourself a rocket, a parachute, and a dropy copter. These are available as examples for any students that were not able to come to all the sessions. If you have time, attach the parachute and/or the droppy-copter to your rocket and try it out. Trying things out on your own will help you predict and solve problems your students might run into during the session.

Time Frame

Longer times are for 45-minute sessions.Shorter times are for 30-minute sessions.


Step 1: Introduce today’s challenge. Encourage students who made a rocket last session to describe how their rocket flew. Then ask how their rockets landed and what might happen if an astronaut was on board. Allow this to lead into today’s challenge. Part of the discussion might go something like this:

Instructor: “What did it look like when the rockets fell back to the ground? How did they land?”

Student 1: “It fell down fast and crashed into the ground!”

Student 2: “Mine hit so hard its nose got bent.”

Instructor: “What would happen if a person like an astronaut was riding in a rocket that landed that way?”

Student 1: “They would get really hurt or die.”

Instructor: “How could you make the rocket land more gently so that an astronaut riding in your rocket could land safely?”

Invite students to be creative and invent ways to keep the astronaut from getting hurt. They will quickly suggest attaching a parachute. Keep probing. If you are patient they will come up with other, more creative solutions.

Step 2: Discuss the challenge. Describe the goal of today’s activity. For example, say, “Your job today is to design a rocket that can fly as high as possible but then fall down gently so that an astronaut inside the rocket wouldn’t get hurt.”

Session 4: Flying High and Falling Gently

Engage 5 minutesExplore 15–30 minutesClean up 5 minutesMake Sense 5 minutes


Step 3: Show examples. Show your students an example of a rocket, parachute and droppy-copter. For the students who missed one or more sessions, drop the parachute and droppy-copter to show what they look like as they fall. Consider different ways to attach the parachute to the rocket. Invite your students to offer their opinions on where to attach the parachute and why.

Also, offer different ways to attach the droppy-copter to the rocket. Encourage students to talk about which place they think it will be best to attach the droppy-copter and why.

During this discussion, it may be helpful to ask some questions that can give your students a hint but still give them a chance to make discoveries on their own. For instance, “Let’s say I use a parachute. Which way do you think it will fly higher? If I launch the rocket like this with the parachute wrapped around the top or like this with the parachute dragging behind the rocket during lift off?”

Step 4: Introduce today’s question of the day. Today’s question of the day is meant to encourage students to learn from their mistakes and not give up. Tell the students the question and encourage them to think about it during the day.

question of the day

What is one problem that you encountered today or in a previous session? How did you fix the problem?


EXPLOREStep 5: Explain the rules of the day. Before the students begin building, describe the rules for the activity. Some rules that work well include:

• Students have to form a line behind the launcher. Everyone needs to wait their turn to launch their rocket.

• Do not come near the launcher in the launch zone until it is your turn.

• Before stomping on the launcher, make sure that nobody else is in the launch zone and that the launcher is aimed away from all people.

This last rule is very important to keep everyone safe. Make sure there is a consequence for breaking this rule, such as not allowing that person to launch their rocket by themselves anymore. An adult can do it for them.

n Exp l o r e (15–25 minutes)

Step 1: Build a rocket. Set out the materials if they are not already on the worktables. Students that were here during Session 3 will probably need very little instruction. For students that were not there, slowly take them through the process of building a rocket. Here are the main steps. You can find detailed instructions in Session 3 (page _).

1. Roll a piece of paper snugly around a pipe.

2. Tape the roll of paper shut.

3. Cut out a nose cone and fold it into thirds.

4. Tape the seam shut and pop it open into a three-dimensional cone.

5. Tape the nose cone onto the end of the rocket.

6. Seal any holes or gaps with tape.

Step 2: Help students attach fins, parachutes, and droppy-copters. Once all the students have a basic rocket, help them build and attach different additions. Encourage them to use only just as much tape as they need for these additions or else it will be hard to change later on if the student wants to attach it in a new place.

Step 3: Students explore. When a few students have a rocket they want to test, set up the launcher in the launch zone. Give students 10 - 20 minutes to build new rocket designs and try them out on the launcher.

Step 4: Check in with each group. As students work on their rockets and launch them, check in with each student. Ask lots of questions and give lots of praise and encouragement.


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n Making Sense (5–10 minutes)

Step 1: Students sit away from the materials. If you have a discussion area, tell students to sit there with their rockets. If not, take away the materials and tell the students to sit at the worktables.

Step 2: Students share in pairs. Ask students to find a partner (groups of three are okay) and share a problem they encountered today or in a previous session and how they fixed the problem. Give students 2 or 3 minutes to discuss the question of the day with their partner.

Optional Step 3: Discuss a quote by Thomas Edison. If you want, you can end the discussion as a large group by thinking about this quote from the great inventor, Thomas Edison (he invented the light bulb!): “I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” What does this quote mean to you? How does his advice apply to making flying things or to life in general?

MAKING A ROCKET LAUNCHER AT HOME: Many students want to know where to buy their own rocket launcher or how to build one. The Stomp Rocket® launchers provided in the kit are made by D & L Company and can be ordered from their website: http://www.stomprocket.com/ Many toy stores also carry Stomp Rockets®. You can also build your own rocket launcher from a 2 liter soda bottle and some simple things from the hardware store. The book, Math Explorer, published by the Exploratorium, has detailed instructions as well as a whole lot of fun things to try with your rockets. The instructions are also on the Exploratorium’s website: http://www.exploratorium.edu/math_explorer/tfl_bottleblastoff.html

Some students may need extra encouragement if they try a few times to get their parachute to work but can’t. You can give these students hints in the form of questions:

• “Whatdoyouthinkwouldhappenifyouattachedtheparachuteupherenearthenoseinstead?”

• “Whenyoulaunchtherocketwiththeparachutehangingunderneath,itlooksliketherocketdoesn’tgoveryhigh.Haveyouthoughtabouttryingadifferentwaytoarrangetheparachuteontherocketbeforeyoulaunchit?Likewhatifyouputitontopoftherocketlikeahat?”

• “Whatifyouattachedthedroppy-coptersoitfacesadifferentway?”

Step 5: Clean up. (5 minutes) 2 minutes before it is time to clean up, tell students that everyone gets one last turn at the launcher. Afterwards, pick up the launcher and have all students bring their rocket back to the worktable. Have students help you put materials back on the trays, stack any remaining paper nicely, and throw away or recycle any paper scraps that are on the table or floor.

Session 4: Flying High and Falling GentlyMATERIALS AND PREPARATION QUICK REFERENCE

MATERIALSFor each table of 4 students

• 8 coffee filters• 30 pieces of string (each 8 inches long)• 4 large droppy-copter patterns• 2 pieces of pipe with a 5/8” outer

diameter (each 12” long)• 12 sheets of 8 _” x 11” paper,

multicolored if available• 8 nose cone patterns• 2-4 pairs of scissors• 2 rolls of scotch tape

For instructor• 1 Stomp Rocket launcher• masking tape, string, or stick to mark

the front of the line of studentswaiting for a turn to launch theirrocket

• 1 assembled parachute• 1 assembled droppy-copter• 1 assembled rocket• Optional: paper cutter

PREPARATION1. Read the teacher’s guide. To be successful

today, you should read the fullinstructions found only in the completeteacher’s guide.

2. Set up tables. Arrange the tables or desksso students can sit in groups of four.

3. Photocopy nose cone patterns.4. Prepare trays of materials. See list above.5. Set up rocket launcher.6. Prepare an example rocket, an example

parachute and an example droppycopter. If you have time, attach aparachute and/or a droppy-copter to yourrocket and try it out.

TEACHER’S NOTEHere are some instructor only tips to helpyou and your students feel more successful:

• Parachutes usually work best if thestrings are attached near the nose.

• To launch a rocket with a parachute, itusually helps if the parachute iswrapped loosely around the nose of therocket.

• Parachutes usually work best if therocket is aimed almost straight up.

• Droppy-copters usually work bestwhen it is attached to the tail of therocket with the wings hanging down.

These hints should not be shared with thestudents right away. It is important that thestudents be given a chance to makediscoveries on their own.

TIME FRAMELonger times listed are for 45 minutesessions.Shorter times listed are for 30 minutesessions.

Session 4: Flying High and Falling GentlyEngage 5 minutesExplore 15–30 minutesClean up 5 minutesMaking Sense 5 minutes

Session 4: Flying High and Falling GentlyGUIDING THE ACTIVITY QUICK REFERENCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What is one problem that you encounteredtoday or in a previous session? How didyou fix the problem?

ENGAGE (2-5 minutes)1. Introduce today’s challenge. Encourage

students who made a rocket last session todescribe how their rockets flew. Then askhow their rockets landed and what mighthappen if an astronaut were on board.Then lead into today’s challenge.

2. Discuss the challenge. Say, “Your jobtoday is to design a rocket that can fly ashigh as possible but then fall down gentlyso that an astronaut inside the rocketwouldn’t get hurt.”

3. Show examples. Show your students anexample of a rocket, parachute, anddroppy-copter. Suggest ways to attach theparachute and droppy-copter to the rocketand let students decide which way theywant to try.

4. Introduce question of the day. Studentswill share their thoughts with a partner atthe end of the day.

5. Explain the rules of the day. See page______ in the teacher’s guide.

EXPLORE (15-30 minutes)1. Build a rocket. See page _____ in the

teacher’s guide.a. Roll a piece of paper around a pipe.b. Tape the roll of paper shut.c. Cut out a nose cone and fold it intothirds.d. Tape the seam shut and pop it openinto a three-dimensional cone.e. Tape the nose cone onto the end of therocket.

2. Seal any holes or gaps with tape.

2. Help students attach fins, parachutes,and droppy-copters.

3. Students explore.4. Check in with each group. Some studentsmay need extra encouragement if they try afew times to get their parachute to work butcan’t. You can give these students hints in theform of questions:

• “What do you think would happen ifyou attached the parachute up herenear the nose instead?”

• “When you launch the rocket with theparachute hanging underneath, itlooks like the rocket doesn’t go veryhigh. Have you thought about trying adifferent way to arrange the parachuteon the rocket before you launch it?Like what if you put it on top of therocket like a hat?”

• “What if you attached the droppy-copter so it faces a different way?”

5. Clean up. (5 minutes)

MAKING SENSE (5 minutes)1. Students sit away from the materials.2. Students share in pairs. Ask students tofind a partner and share a problem theyencountered today or in a previous sessionand how they fixed the problem.3. (Optional) Discuss Edison quote. ThomasEdison once said, “I am not discouraged,because every wrong attempt discarded isanother step forward.” What does this quotemean to you?

Session 3: Stomp RocketryMATERIALS AND PREPARATION QUICK REFERENCE


• 1 cafeteria tray or box lid• 2 lengths of pipe with a 11/16” outer

diameter• 12 sheets of 8 1/2” x 11” paper,

multicolored if available• 8 nose cone patterns• 2-4 pairs of scissors• 2 rolls of scotch tape

For instructor• 1 Stomp Rocket launcher• masking tape, string, or stick to mark

the front of the line of studentswaiting for a turn to launch theirrocket

• Optional: paper cutter


today, you should read the fullinstructions in the teacher’s guide.


3. Photocopy nose cone patterns. If youhave a paper cutter, separate the patterns.

4. Prepare trays of materials. See list above.5. Set up rocket launcher. See picture to the

right.6. Build a rocket and try it out. This extra

practice will help the session with yourstudents go much more smoothly.

TEACHER’S NOTEFor this session, you need an outdoor space, agymnasium, or a room with at least 30-footceilings. Rockets can fly up to 50-100 feet inthe air! Worktables for building the rocketsmust be in the same space so that students canmove freely between the worktables and thelauncher. A large picnic table or two next to aplayground is ideal.

Put the rocket launcher in an open place andaim it upwards, or mostly upwards, awayfrom where the students will be lined up touse it. Mark a line a few feet away from thelauncher. Students need to stay behind thisline while they are waiting to launch theirrockets.

TIME FRAMELonger times listed make 45-minute sessions.Shorter times are 30-minute sessions.

Session 3: Stomp RocketryEngage 2-5 minutes(If you have only 30 minutes, skip directly toEngage, Step 3)Explore

Build Basic Design 10 minutesTry Something New 8-20 minutes

Clean up 5 minutesMaking Sense 5 minutes

Session 3: Stomp RocketryGUIDING THE ACTIVITY QUICK REFERENCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Describe one change you made to your rockettoday. How did this change affect the way yourrocket flew?

ENGAGE (2-5 minutes)1. Review parachutes and droppy-copters.

Ask students that were there during theprevious sessions to talk about whichdesigns seemed to fall the most slowly.

2. Introduce today’s activity. Ask studentsto describe what shapes might be better ifyou wanted to fly fast and far through theair. Use this to introduce today’sactivity—rockets!

3. Introduce the question of the day.Students will share their thoughts at theend of the day.

EXPLOREBUILD BASIC ROCKET (10 minutes)1. Build a rocket. See the teacher’s guide for a

full description with illustrations.

a. Get a sheet of paper and a piece of pipe.b. Roll the paper snugly around the pipe.c. Pull the pipe out from the roll of paper.d. Tape the roll shut along the seam.e. Cut out a nose cone pattern along the

solid black lines around the shape.f. Fold the shaded part over along the

dotted line.g. Fold along the other dotted line.h. Tape along the seam where it says

“TAPE SHUT”.i. Pop it open into a cone.j. Tape the nose cone in place.

2. Show students how to add fins.3. Explain the rules of the day. See page

_____ in the teacher’s guide.4. Give each student one turn.

TRY SOMETHING NEW (8-20 minutes)1. Observations about rocket flight. Ask,

“What did you think about your rocket?”2. Review the question of the day. Remind

students that they need to change theirrocket and see what happens.

3. Students explore.4. Check in with each student. Encourage

students to think about what they aredoing by asking questions like:• Do you see any holes around the nose

of your rocket where air could escape?Make sure to cover any holes withtape.

• What do you think would happen ifyou made the rocket’s body longer orshorter?

• How did your new design flycompared to your basic rocket?

• I love those giant fins! What do youthink the fins will do?

• How high do you think your rocketwent? Can you make it go higher nexttime? What will you try?


MAKING SENSE (5 minutes)1. Students sit away from the materials.2. Show-and-tell. Go around the room andhave each student share what they tried andwhat happened.3. Optional last launch. Students are usuallymore than happy to keep launching theirrockets over and over.

Session 2: Droppy-CoptersMATERIALS AND PREPARATION QUICK REFERENCE


• 8 small droppy-copter patterns• 8 medium droppy-copter patterns• 8 large droppy-copter patterns• 1 pad of small 1 1/2” x 2” sticky notes• 1 pad of medium 3” x 3” sticky notes• 2–4 pairs of scissors• 20–30 paper clips in a small box or cup• 1 box of 10–12 small binder clips• 1 box of 10–12 medium binder clips

For instructor• 1 medium droppy-copter pattern• 1 pair of scissors• 1 paper clip• 1 pad of small 1 1/2” x 2” post it notes• Optional: paper cutter• Optional: board at the front of the

classroom or a sheet of poster paperand something to write with




3. Photocopy droppy-copter patterns. Ifyou have a paper cutter, separate thepatterns.

4. Prepare trays of materials. See list above.5. Clear space for dropping copters.6. Decide whether or not students can

stand on chairs.

TEACHER’S NOTEAIR RESISTANCE REFRESHERThe air around us has a big effect on thingsmoving through it. Air pushes back againstthings that move through it. Scientists callthis air resistance. When the thing movingthrough the air is big and wide and catches alot of air, we say that it has a lot of airresistance. When the thing moving throughthe air is small and catches only a little air,then we say that it has very little airresistance.

Objects with more air resistance movethrough the air more slowly. When youenlarge the wings of the droppy-copter, youcatch more air and get more air resistance.Thus, a droppy-copter with big wings fallsmore slowly than a droppy-copter with smallwings.


Session 2: Droppy-CoptersEngage 5 minutesExplore

Build Basic Design 5 minutesTry Something New 10–20 minutes

Clean up 5 minutesMaking Sense 5–10 minutes

Session 2: Droppy-CoptersGUIDING THE ACTIVITY QUICK REFERENCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

If you change a droppy-copter so it catches more air,how does that change the way it flies?

ENGAGE (5 minutes)1. Start a discussion. Say, “Who has ever

been in a car with an open window andplayed with the air as the car moves?What does it feel like on your hand?”

2. Introduce the idea of air resistance.Describe what air resistance is and howthings that catch more air have more airresistance.

3. Connect air resistance to parachutes.Share stories from the session onparachutes. Focus on what happens when aparachute catches more air and has moreair resistance.

4. Introduce today’s question of the day.Describe today’s activity then tell studentsto think about the question of the day asthey explore.

EXPLOREBUILD BASIC DROPPY-COPTER (5minutes)1. Build a droppy-copter.

a. Get a medium droppy-copter pattern.b. Cut along the solid lines.c. Fold one wing toward you along thedotted line and fold the other wing awayfrom you.d. Attach a paper clip to the bottom.

2. Explain the rules of the day. Dropcopters, don’t throw them. Tell studentswhether or not they can stand on chairs.

3. Try the basic droppy-copter.

TRY SOMETHING NEW (10-20 minutes)1. Introduce the next part of the

exploration. Challenge students to make anew droppy-copter that falls differentlythan the one you just made.

2. Demonstrate how to change wing shapeto catch more air. Show students how toadd sticky notes to the tip of each wing tomake each wing bigger to catch more air.

3. Students explore.4. Check in with each group. Encourage

students to think about what they aredoing by asking questions like:• Is the new design spinning faster or

slower than before?• Which direction is the droppy-copter

spinning? Can you make the droppy-copter spin the other way?

• What happens if you bend the wings adifferent way?

• How does the weight of the passengeraffect the way it falls?


MAKING SENSE (5–10 minutes)1. Students sit away from the materials.2. Lead discussion about the question of the

day. Get volunteers that made biggerwings to share how their copter fellcompared to the basic one. Then havestudents share their ideas about thequestion of the day.

3. Optional super-high drop.

Session 1: ParachutesMATERIALS AND PREPARATION QUICK REFERENCE


• 30 coffee filters• 30 pieces of string (each 8 inches long)• 2 rolls of scotch tape• 20–30 paper clips in a small box or cup• 1 box of 10-12 small binder clips• 1 box of 10-12 medium binder clips• 2 large binder clips• 2 scissors• 1 roll of string (uncut)

For the instructor• 3 coffee filters• 3 pieces of string (each 8 inches long)• 1 binder clip• 1 roll of scotch tape• (optional) board at front of room or

poster paper and marker




3. Cut the string into 8-inch-long pieces.Each student needs at least six pieces.

4. Prepare trays of materials. See list above.

5. Clear space for dropping parachutes.6. Decide whether or not students can

stand on chairs.

TEACHER’S NOTEIt is very difficult to introduce an activity orlead a discussion when students are nearscience materials. If you have a separate spacewhere students can sit in a group away fromthe work tables, like a carpet or a group ofchairs, then use it for the Engage and MakingSense sections. That way you can set thematerials out on the tables before class.

If you don’t have a separate area fordiscussion, wait until after the Engagediscussion to set out the parachute buildingmaterials. Clear them away again for theMaking Sense discussion.


Session 1: ParachutesEngage 5 minutesExplore:

Build Basic Design 5 minutesTry Something New 10–20 minutes

Clean up 5 minutesMaking Sense 5–10minutes

Session 1: ParachutesGUIDING THE ACTIVITY QUICK REFERENCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Which of these three coffee filters wouldfall the slowest? Which one would fall thefastest? Why?

ENGAGE (5 minutes)1. Introduce today’s session on parachutes.

Say, “Today we will be buildingparachutes. What should a parachute do –fall slowly or fall fast?” Invite students torespond.

2. Introduce the question of the day. Turnthree coffee filters into different shapes(open, crumpled, and dart-shaped).Describe what a “question of the day” is(see teacher’s guide), then introducetoday’s question (see above).

3. Give strategies to answer the questionthrough today’s activity. Encouragestudents to carefully watch their ownparachute and the parachutes of otherstudents.

EXPLOREBUILD BASIC PARACHUTE (5 minutes)1. Build a parachute.

a. Get a coffee filter, 3 strings, and a smallbinder clip.b. Tape the 3 strings to the inside of thecoffee filter.c. Hold the ends of the strings together.d. Use a small binder clip to clip the freestring ends together.

2. Explain the rules of the day. Dropparachutes, don’t throw them. Discusswhether or not students can stand onchairs or not.

3. Try the basic parachute.

TRY SOMETHING NEW (10-20 minutes)1. Introduce the next part of the

exploration. Challenge students to make anew parachute that is better than the oneyou just made. Encourage students tocompare their first parachute with theirnew one side by side with: “Ready, set,drop!”

2. Students explore.3. Check in with each group. Encourage

students to think about what they aredoing by asking questions like:

• What did you notice about yourparachute compared to the basic one?

• Which one fell more slowly?• What do you think would happen if

you changed… Try it!• What do you want your new design to

do? What else could you change to getit to do that better?


MAKING SENSE (5–10 minutes)1. Students sit away from the materials.2. Students vote on question of day. Ask

students to vote on which of the threecoffee filters would fall slowest and whichfastest. Ask a volunteer to explain whythey think what they do.

3. Optional super high drop. If possible,lead the students to a jungle gym orstairwell for one final, super-high drop!

Flying and Falling - lhsgems.org · Flying and Falling Appendix B: ... slowly, you’ll have to test it by comparing it with the one you just made. Drop the two parachutes side by

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