Submitted by: Kenneth Bouwens
School: John Rolfe Middle School
Summary
Students complete research and experimentation to determine the best way to build a water rocket using recycled materials. Each student must complete a design brief while constructing their rocket that takes them through the design process step by step. The student use various methods such as Internet research, blogging, a virtual water rocket simulator and real-world testing to determine how to create the best rocket they can. As an added challenge, each student must send an astronaut (egg) up with their rocket and are responsible for bringing the astronaut back to earth safely.
TIPC Ratings
Ideal/Target: The students are instructed on appropriate Internet research skills and use those skills to do both directed research and free search. This allows student to learn the key concepts that the instructor desires and also gives students the ability to discover information that they are interested in to further their educational experience.
Ideal/Target: While working on the research section of the projects, students post their finding on a dedicated blog. This allows students to communicate with each other about the information they have learned, while giving contributors outside of the school the ability to get involved and post comments or suggestions on the blog. While working on the rocket simulator and the rocket construction students also collaborate and discuss how high their virtual rocket went and their plans for rocket construction.
Ideal/Target: In order to design high quality rockets, students must problem-solve and think critically about the design choices they make. This lesson involves a large amount of testing and comparing results to determine the best solutions. The students must combine systems to solve multiple problems involved with rocket flight.
Ideal/Target: Students are challenged to think creatively about the materials they are using to construct their rockets. They are asked to re-purpose materials that would otherwise end up in the trash in innovative ways to solve an advanced, authentic problem.
Student Artifact
Download Files
Recycled Rocketry Downloads
Contents:
- Lesson Plan
- Rubric
- Design Brief
- Design Brief, completed
- Pictures of Students Working
