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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
http://aigrocketexperiment.weebly.com/

Lesson #1 What is a rocket anyway?
Lesson #2 Houston we have a problem!
Lesson #3 Rockets, are they only good for exploding?
Lesson #4 What will your grandchildren do with rockets?
“Join us as we discover the ways that rockets contribute to a more convenient life on
Earth. While space tours might be in our near future, we often overlook our dependency
on rockets to provide effective communication and detailed information about Earth.
Rockets can give us a new PERSPECTIVE of our world and beyond. Be a scientist for a
week as you design and test your own rocket!”

How has rocketry helped to shape life on Earth?

Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss
SPED 6402 Spring 2015
East Carolina University

BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

CONTENT RESEARCH PAPER
Introduction
Probably the best warning about the dangers of rockets is a quote from
Astronautics in 1937, “A good rule for rocket experiments to follow is this: always
assume that it will explode.” If the general population was polled for a definition of a
rocket, the majority would explain rockets almost solely as a means of space travel. The
fact is, the history of rockets dates all the way back 2,300 years ago, proving that there is
so much more to rocketry than people today may realize (Miller, 1999). What is a
rocket? “A rocket is a type of engine.” The uniqueness of that engine is that the direction
of thrust isn’t some position on the surface of Earth, as with other vehicles, but vertically
into the atmosphere, if not into space. Its power, when compared to other engines its
size, is 3,000 times greater (Miller,1999). The history of the rocket spans from early and
quite unpredictable fireworks- on to aim-able, but not necessarily track-able warheads
and finally- space vehicles that are either human driven or remotely controlled with
great precision. The progression of these events shows not only the many uses we have
today, but also how much of an influence they have had on our history. Because of this
technology, we have been able to put a man on the moon, launch hundreds of satellites
into space, and visit other planets with robots. This invention that very well could have
been discovered by accident has significantly changed our world.
History
The beginning of rockets is first recorded with the Chinese. They first used them
as a type of firework to ward off evil spirits (Holmes, 1967). It was not until 1232 that
they began to use them in warfare (Holmes). The Chinese had discovered that by leaving
one end of the bamboo holding the explosives open, the rocket could be thrust in one
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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

direction. This eventually led to the invention of cannons, guns, and other weapons for
war (Miller, 1999). A more personal impact was the use of rockets by England on the 13
colonies. It is still remembered today in the United States’ national anthem as “the red
rockets’ red glare” (Newby, 1988).
The rocket was not seen as a possible means of space travel until the early 20th
century. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, a Russian scientists, is one of the most famous early
dreamers of space flight that actually did work to make it possible (Miller). He used
Newton’s Third Law of Motion to calculate the possibility of launching a rocket into
outer space and then being able to steer it. He found this to be true with the use of
liquid-fuel rockets and multistage rockets (Miller). Both of these were necessary in order
to reach Earth’s escape velocity of 7 miles per second (Miller). This design would
revolutionize the development of rockets. Today, liquid propellant multi-stage rockets
are the most widely used in the world because of their light weight and the ability to
control the thrusters. They are however incredibly dangerous to transport and store
(Neal, 1995).
The United States really began to get involved with rocketry when Robert
Goddard started doing research of his own. In 1916 he did experiments to prove that a
rocket could work in a vacuum, and even reach the moon. When Charles Walcott read
his research, he got the Smithsonian to give Goddard $5,000 to help fund future
experiments (Miller). Unfortunately WWI interrupted his work and he began to help
make weapons for the military, including the bazooka (Miller). Goddard was finally able
to test his first liquid fuel rocket in 1926 (Miller). The majority of America’s involvement
in rocketry came at the end of WWII when the German scientists surrendered
themselves to the US soldiers. The United States found other warehouses in which
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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

rocket research and experiments were taking place, and took documents, supplies, and
spare parts (Newby). The research continued with the German scientists in America.
As America continued to improve their rockets, so did other countries. By 1955,
the Space Race was on. On October 4, 1957 the Soviets launched Sputnik, the first
satellite (Miller). It is thought that the US lost the space race because so much of their
attention was on launching nuclear weapons instead of launching into space (Newby).
However, their attention quickly turned, and on January 31, 1958 the US launched their
first satellite, Explorer I (Newby). Many other firsts came quickly. In 1961 Alan Shepard
was the first American launched into space. In 1962 John Glenn was the first to get into
Earth’s orbit. In 1965 Edward White was the first American to go on a space walk
outside of the spacecraft (Miller). The Apollo missions had a main focus of reaching the
moon. Many test flights were done, and by the time they reached Apollo 10, NASA was
ready to land on the moon (Miller). Finally with Apollo 11, launched on July 16, 1969,
Armstrong, Collins, and Aldrin made it to the moon and successfully walked on it. After
the return of Apollo 17, the US stopped its lunar missions (Miller). The United States did
continue space missions. Voyager 1, a deep space probe, was launched in 1977. It has
now passed by all of the planets in our solar system and is soon to reach interstellar
space. It currently resides more than 11 billion miles from our sun, and takes 17 hours
for the data to return to Earth (Brown, 2012).
As space missions are difficult to fund, many private companies are looking into
space tourism. While it has not been fully developed yet, it is thought to be a short
amount of time before one can buy a ticket to orbit the Earth (Miller). One of the designs
in theory is a half helicopter half rocket. It uses the helicopter design to take off and

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

land. The rockets actually do not come into effect until it reaches the point where Earth’s
atmosphere is too thin and the propellers are unable to function (Miller).
Today rockets are used for more than just space travel. Fireworks are still in use,
as well as many military weapons such as the bazooka, nuclear bomb, jets, and many
others. Rockets have also revolutionized our society with the invention of satellites,
television, radios, GPS, and cell phones. None of these devices would be possible if it
were not for rockets. Scientists are constantly trying to explore farther and understand
more about matter outside of our planet.
Summary:
Barbara Tversky describes the relationship between man’s perception of his
environment (intrinsic), time elements (temporal) and space (spatial) as a central
interest of scholars from every discipline of study (Bloom, 1999). Defying the limitations
of perception using the senses, space, and time is an endeavor in which rocketry has
deep roots.
The expert we have selected for this topic readily admits that his interest in NASA
projects was piqued with the documentary Moon Machines, which detailed the history
of the Apollo missions. Kaveh Darafsheh shared with the Charlotte News and Observer
(O’Gorman, 2013), “What people see is one person dangling on the moon, but it was the
collaborative effort of 400,000 people.”
Recent box office hits such as “Gravity” and “Interstellar” prove that American
curiosity with space is as alive as ever. The news is full of rocket launches, and their
failures. High School students in Virginia were the recent subject of national news when
their heat shield design was chosen for testing on the Orion rocket (Trotta, 2014). Space

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
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exploration and the dependency on rocketry is as fresh and full as it was in 1960. But in
2015, the unknown is the competition and the unexplored is the goal.

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

References

Brown, D. "NASA Voyager 1 Probe encounters new region in deep space." NASA. NASA, 3 Dec.
2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2015. Retrieved from
http://www.nasa.gov/
Bloom, P. (1999). Language and space. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 487.
O’Gorman, C. (2013, May 29). Charlotte student earns prestigious NASA internship. Charlotte
Observer. Retrieved February 1, 2015, from
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/05/24/v-print/4059804/charlotte-studentearns-prestigious.html
Holmes, R. (1967). The early history of rockets. The Contemporary Review, 210, 245.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.jproxy.lib.ecu.edu/docview/1294642425?
accountid=10639
Miller, R. (1999). The history of rockets (pp. 1-128). New York: Franklin Watts.
Neal, V., & Lewis, C. (1995). Spaceflight: A Smithsonian guide (pp. 1-208). New York:
Macmillan USA.
Newby, J. (1988). The history and mathematics of rockets. Physics in Technology, 23(5), 172180. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from iopscience.iop.org
Trotta, A.M. (2014). High school students create winning design for NASA’s first flight of
Orion. Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/high-schoolstudents-create-winning-design-for-nasas-first-flight-of-orion/#.VNABfkfF-So

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Expert:
Kaveh Darafsheh is a NASA Ambassador and a graduate student at East
Carolina University, studying Computer Science. He is currently
conducting research on safety critical avionics systems at NASA Langley
in Hampton, Virginia. The Langley Aerospace Research Summer
Scholars (LARSS) Project is intended to encourage high-caliber college students to both
pursue and earn graduate degrees and to enhance their interest in aerospace research by
exposing them to the professional research resources and facilities of the Langley
Research Center.
Mr. Darafsheh received a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering
from UNC Charlotte in May 2009. While at UNCC, he also was involved in the Charlotte
Area Robotics Club and the Charlotte Programming Union. He also interned at Hand
Held Products Inc., working on a remote audiology solution to enable doctors to test
patients' hearing without the need to be present at the same location.
He believes the NASA internship will provide “a valuable hands-on experience
and a great networking opportunity.” After graduating from East Carolina, he would
love to work for a large IT company like Google or Intel Corp. He also hopes to receive
his doctorate in computer science and become a professor.
We found Mr. Darafshehk through the NASA Ambassador website. He is willing
to be a subject matter expert, consulting with us through email and telephone as we
develop our unit. He has also agreed to be our guest at the Summer AIG Camp.
Contact Information:
[email protected]

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

Books:
Return to the Moon- Harrison Schmidtt, a former astronaut, and current astrogeologist,
businessman, and space advocate brings the reality of colonization of the moon from
futuristic to realistic.
Taking Science to the Moon: Lunar Experiment and the Apollo Program- Donald
Beattle describes the difficulty of designing rockets that have scientific instrumentation
onboard. He also takes the reader inside the political side of the U.S. space program.
The History of NASA- Ray Spangenburg and Kit Moser summarize the history of NASA
in 112 concise and visually appealing pages. The book includes a timeline and various
reader- friendly historical summaries, all framed in a rich visual background.
The History of Rockets - Ron Miller goes through the entire history of rockets from the
very beginning to the late 1990s. He describes the evolving of the rocket and explains
their involvement in many of the world’s famous historical moments.
The X-15 rocket plane: flying the first wings into space. Michelle Evans puts readers in
the driver’s seat by interviewing dozens of pilots of the experimental vehicle and
detailing all of the lessons learned through some near-disastrous missions.
Websites:
NASA Newsroom- The latest news on missions and fact sheets of previous discoveries.
http://www.nasa.gov/news/releases/latest/index.html
Jet Propulsion Laboratory- An interactive and visually rich site with latest information
on instrumentation. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
National Air and Space Museum- This educational site is dedicated to every aspect of
flight, with special pages dedicated to space flight and planetary studies.
http://airandspace.si.edu/
National Space Society- Over the last 20 years, the NSS has sponsored a contest for
students to enrich innovative space settlement projects.
http://www.nss.org/settlement/nasa/Contest/index.html
The Planetary Society- An educational site with a goal of empowering people to develop
and share space technology. http://www.planetary.org/explore/
SpaceX – A company that designs and launches rockets. They have helped to
revolutionize space technology. http://www.spacex.com
JPL – Describes past, present, and future space missions. It is centered around rocketry
and expanding our knowledge of space. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov
SpaceProbes – You can view pictures taken from our deep space probes. spaceprob.es
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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
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CONNECTION TO THE THEME
What are PERSPECTIVES? You and your partner need to operationalize
your own definition of interactions. (2-4 paragraphs)
Perspective originates in perception of one’s environment through the senses. A
person’s perception of their world is typically confined to their sensual experiences.
They only know what they have seen, felt, smelled, tasted, and heard. It can also be
describes as one’s point of view. The way a person understands a topic or idea influences
their perspective. Perspective is a central topic in topics from art to politics and has
many interpretations.
Education is used to broaden an individual’s perspective. This allows students to
experience things they would not normally be able to and to give them understanding of
space and time outside of their reality. Visual aids are used to allow students to see
places around our world that they may not be able to individually visit. Natural disasters
are a good example of this as well. Even dangerous events, such as an earthquake or a
tornado can be related without personal involvement in the situation. Can you imagine
trying to describe a giraffe to someone who has never seen one?
Even people with similar experiences can have different perspectives. If two
people read the exact same book, and then are asked to describe the characters and
places in that book, it is unlikely that they would have the exact same answers. That is
because the perspective they have of that book differs depending on how they
constructed the visual in their head. Ultimately everyone is different and we all have
different perspectives of the world around us.

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

Our unit will explore the topic of rocketry with emphasis in the shifts of thinking
in relation to spatial, temporal and intrinsic perspectives. We are intrigued by the ability
to explore each of these and the depth of thinking each student will bring to the unit.
How is the concept of PERSPECTIVES depicted by your topic? Thoroughly
explore how PERSPECTIVES are depicted in your topic, especially in relation
to your definition. (approximately 2 pages double spaced)

When beginning a physics unit, one of the first things we have to teach students is
to identify the frame of reference. It sounds like it should be obvious, but it isn’t.
Students who are gamers, in particular, are accustomed to assuming a reference point
within the action. As we embark on the adventure of rockets, we will ask students to
identify and recall perspectives that are a subtle part of everyday life. For example, one’s
current perspective of a rocket may be that of the part of a spaceship that blasts it into
space. If this is suggested, it will serve as the starting point for our definition of a rocket.
The independent motion of the Earth, as a part of the Solar System and within
the Universe is absolute relationships that are not a conscience part of our spatial
perspective. Relative to those constants are the ways objects (and people) move within
the system. When students consider the distances that rockets are able to span, it may
be too abstract for them initially. We hope to give them enough information to bridge
the gap between the abstract and concrete perception of space.
Naturally, temporal perspective will be addressed as we try to connect the speed
of objects in space with distance and time. Historical and future endeavors will also fit in
the continuum of time. We will address the temporal perspective by constructing a
timeline of historical rocketry milestones and measuring the time each trial launch of
the rockets stay aloft.

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

At the foundation of the design, we hope to make experimentation and
innovation a lesson in their own thinking (intrinsic perspective) as they explore realworld application of thinking that’s out of this world!
Whenever rockets are mentioned, most people think about space travel and
launching objects into space. Many people aren’t aware of rockets’ capabilities, or even
what makes a vehicle defined as a rocket. During our session, we will provide students
with a new perspective of rockets. While we do want them to understand the functions
and mechanics of the rockets , we also want them to see that there is so much more to
them. It is our goal to broaden their perspective of this world through the use of rockets.
It is also our goal for students to see how the perspective of rockets varied
throughout the world, and how it changed over the course of history. Some cultures
used them to ward off spirits, while others used them for fighting in battles. The idea
that one day people would ride on rockets to the moon would be thought of as insane a
couple hundred years ago. It is even more far fetched that we would fly to space and
build these structures that allow people to have a detailed view from a single device that
is a camera, telephone, geographical locator, radio, calculator, clock, etc.; and it allows
them to access any information in a split second. Mankind’s perspective is constantly
changing, and rockets are not at all excluded.
By the end of the week we would like our students to be considering future
possibilities for a rocket. Society has made rocket science appear as an unobtainable
goal that only the most intelligent people in the world are capable of doing. We want our
students to leave knowing that they too can be a part of the future of rockets, and
improve our current technology just as much as we have improved in the past 50 years.

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
It is our goal that throughout the week, students will learn a lot about how
rockets work and were designed to fit the needs of our world. Being a rocket scientist is a
very highly esteemed position, and we want our students to know that they can be
involved in the process as well. Every day students will have the opportunity to modify
their rocket design and record data about what changes were made and how it affected
the rocket.
We plan to have use mobile devices with photography, data recording, analysis,
and graphing capability. They will also be valuable for visual data including pictures and
video clips. Students will be asked to review specific websites that will guide the
discussion of the day. Students will also use them to access online space programs at
NASA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory websites that are potential opportunities for them.
At the end of each day, students will create a short blog about what happened on a
Weebly website we will create. Students can go read what others in the class did and
make changes based on their own discoveries as well as those of their classmates. They
can also comment on each other’s blog posts at home in order to come up with ideas to
test out the following day.
Water bottle rockets will be launched with an air pressurized launcher. We will
need access to electricity to pressurize the bottles to 60 psi. Since the students will have
limited time for test launches, we would like to use a mobile electric air pump instead of
manually pressurizing the bottles. The launcher will utilize an interaction of a volume of
water (to be determined by the students during trials) to provide the optimum lift off.
Parameters of flight will be recorded as test launches occur. Students will use
altimeter trackers to find the total height of the launch. The altitude could be computed
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with a simple clinometer and use of the trigonometry formula to find the height.
Students will be introduced to each method, but in interest of age appropriateness and
time, we will measure using the alti-tracker. There will be computations required to
convert the angle of altitude to total height using a table. Students will also use stop
watches embedded in mobile devices to record time aloft. Precision of the flight will be
measured by using a metric wheel and determined by the distance of the landing from
the launch.
Students will be able to record the acceleration of the rockets using data loggers
and CBL units, which are motion detectors that calculate acceleration. These are
probeware sets that are much more accurate in measuring the motion of moving objects
than sight timing and stopwatch measuring the same data. These units will record,
store, and graph data. Each day the students will record data on the spreadsheet so that
they can compare exactly what changed. Of course all of this will be done on ipads or
laptops, whichever is available for use.
We also will have students using cameras (this can be their phones or digital
cameras) to record their launches and take pictures of their rocket designs. Cameras will
be mounted at a fixed position to create a control factor in the experimental process. The
pictures will be uploaded on their blog so others can compare results with the style of
the rocket. At the end of the week the students will be able to see a progression of how
their rocket developed.
If our NASA Ambassador is available throughout the week by Facetime, we will
interact with him as students progress through the unit. He will be able to talk to
students about rocket design and functionality. He also can offer opportunities for the
students to get involved in rocketry.
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We have chosen these technologies to utilize in the rocket unit because they are
the best tools for student-centered learning with a valuable hands-on component. We
have been determined to make our unit a true inquiry unit.

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Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

CONTENT OUTLINE
1. What makes a rocket, a rocket.
a. Firework/Explosive type- not necessarily used for transportation
i. Many people consider rockets a big explosion. That explosion may
just be for holiday show or to move a spaceship.
b. Engine type- controlled flight and descent
i. The actual definition of a rocket is an extremely powerful engine.
ii. Science and math behind the engine
1. Newton’s Three Laws of Motion: Students will learn how
these affect a rocket.
a. 1st law- students will understand the importance of
overcoming interia in order for motion to occur.
b. 2nd law- students will understand the relationship
between mass and acceleration.
c. 3rd law- students will understand the relationship
between action and reaction.
2. Altitude equation and the alti-tracker device: Students will
need to know how alti-trackers used to avoid the
computation of height using Pythagorean’s theorem. The
height of the triangle to determine the height of the rocket.
3. Controlled flight and descent: Students will need to
understand what constants and variables are factors in
determining a controlled flight and descent. This
understanding will lead them to the modification of rockets
to include fins, nosecone and parachutes.
2. How did we get to where we are today?
a. How did rocket uses change over the years?
i. Firework
1. The Chinese first used rockets for celebration and to ward off
bad spirits.
ii. Weapon of war
1. It was then constructed to help win wars by means of a
cannon, gun, and missiles.
iii. Transportation/Space exploration
1. Eventually the rocket was used to create jets and spaceships.
b. Obstacles
i. How did the change from solid fuel to liquid fuel affect the rockets
ability?
1. Liquid fuel was able to be controlled unlike solid fuel.
ii. Will a rocket work in the vacuum of space?
1. In order for a rocket to work, it must follow Newton’s 3rd
Law of motion. Since space is a vacuum, then the rocket has
nothing to push against.
iii. Can a rocket reach Earth’s Escape Velocity?
1. Earth’s Escape velocity is 7 miles per second. This means
that an object must be traveling at a speed of 7 miles per
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second in order to be moving fast enough to not be brought
back down by Earth’s gravitational pull.
3. What would life be like without a rocket?
a. Modern conveniences that have a component in space delivered by
rockets:
i. Satellites
ii. Cell phones
iii. GPS
iv. Dish TV
b. Knowledge of space
i. Space probes (spaceprob.es)
4. What does the future hold for the rocket?
a. Separating fact from fiction in film- students will debate the viability of the
vehicles depicted in the following films. This is a critical thinking exercise
with no right or wrong answers, but only reasonable explanations of their
opinions.
b. Do the movies have it right?
i. Iron Man
ii. Enders Game
iii. Men in Black
iv. Avengers
v. Wall-E
vi. Back to the Future
vii. Interstellar
1. Are the rocket powered transportation devices created in
these movies an actual possibility for us?
c. Life sustaining planet in another galaxy?
i. Jupiter’s moon Europa is a possible place for humans to live
ii. Our space probe Voyager 1 has left our solar system, where will it go
next?
iii. Space tours

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

LESSON #1
What is a rocket anyway?

LESSON
OBJECTIVE
POINT TO
PONDER
ESSENTIAL
QUESTION
CONTENT
Outline the
content you will
teach in this
lesson.

I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT
Students will understand how to define rocketry and measure
height, time aloft, and accuracy in the launch of a bottle rocket.
Rockets are complex tools used for a widening range of tasks and
their uses are without foreseeable limits.
What makes a rocket, a rocket?
How are they measured for success and accuracy (height, time
aloft and accuracy of descent)?
1. What makes a rocket, a rocket.
a. Firework/Explosive type- not necessarily used for
transportation
i. Many people consider rockets a big explosion.
That explosion may just be for holiday show
or to move a spaceship.
b. Engine type- controlled flight and descent
i. The actual definition of a rocket is an
extremely powerful engine.
ii. Science and math behind the engine
1. Newton’s Three Laws of Motion:
Students will learn how these affect a
rocket.
1- 1st law- students will understand
the importance of overcoming
interia in order for motion to
occur.
2- 2nd law- students will
understand the relationship
between mass and acceleration.
3- 3rd law- students will understand
the relationship between action
and reaction.
2. Altitude equation and the alti-tracker
device: Students will need to know how
alti-trackers used to avoid the
computation of height using
Pythagorean’s theorem. The height of
the triangle to determine the height of
the rocket.
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/educat
ion/rocket/rkthowhid.html
3. Controlled flight and descent: Students
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will need to understand what constants
and variables are factors in
determining a controlled flight and
descent. This understanding will lead
them to the modification of rockets to
include fins, nosecone and parachutes.

What will students
UNDERSTAND as
a result of this
lesson? How does
this connect to the
Essential
Question?

What will students
be able to DO as a
result of this
lesson?

II. PRE-PLANNING
Students will discuss their understanding of why we have rockets,
how Newton’s Three Laws of Motion applies, and how the
mechanics of a rocket are applied when launching. Part of their
understanding will be discovery and observation of teacher
demonstrations. In order to address the essential question,
students will need to critically think about the examples of rockets
and how they apply to the definition they have outlined in a
hypothesis statement. As the unit progresses, this definition, their
understanding, and the future of rocketry will deepen their
definition of a rocket.
Students will be able to calculate the accuracy of the rocket they
are creating, and come up with new designs for testing. Students
will be using an inquiry process of modification in which they will
decide what changes need to be made to their rocket, and will be
justifying changes by explaining the purpose of any feature they
are adding to their rocket. While rocket types will be displayed in
the room in models and pictures, students will not be “taught” why
certain rockets look different than others. Students will discover
through experiment test flights of their bottle rockets why each
aspect of the rocket is necessary. At the conclusion of the flights for
that day, students will discuss what worked and what did not work
in order to make their own improvement for the following day.

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HOOK
Describe how you
will grab students’
attention at the
beginning of the
lesson.
BE CREATIVE.

III. PLANNING
TIME: 10 minutes
“A good rule for rocket experiments to follow is this: always assume
that it will explode.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=513pBdok0p0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIKOp4_gkOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMwjC0wI2-I
We will show these videos to students to not only get them awake
and smiling, but also to help demonstrate the importance of safety
when launching rockets.
TIME: 40 minutes

INSTRUCTION
Explain Step-bystep what you will
do in this lesson.
Be explicit about
ties to Points to
Ponder, Essential
Question, and
Interactions here.
Include ALL
support and
teaching materials
with your unit.

In order to study, design, and build rockets, first we will define a
rocket. It is an engine. However, it is much more powerful than a
normal vehicle engine. We will begin by asking students their
PERSPECTIVE of rockets. At the end of the day, and again at the
end of the unit, we will see how their PERSPECTIVE has changed.
Rockets, like all moving objects, follow Newton’s Three laws of
motion. We will do experiments to explain how all three laws work.
Teachers will Demonstrate Newton’s Three laws of Motion:
1st Law: Inertia vs. Momentum
The following picture is a magic trick where the card is removed
and the coin drops in the cup. Most people would think that the
coin would move with the card, but the card has momentum due to
the force of the operator, but the inertia of the coin keeps it in place.
1- Teacher will place cup on table
2- Teacher will place card on cup
3- Teachers will place coin on card
4- Teacher will quickly pull card off of cup
5- Teacher will ask students to explain “WHY the coin fell in the
cup instead of moving with the card.”
6- If students do not use terms inertia and momentum in their
explanations, teacher will offer the following definitions:
i. Interia- object’s resistance to change
ii. Momentum- force require to set an object in motion.
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iii. Newton’s 1st law of motion- every object will remain at
rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless
compelled to change its state by the action of an
external force.

2nd Law: Force, Mass and Acceleration relationship
Using a simple slingshot and varying masses (different sized balls),
students will observe that a fixed force will only project a massive
object a fraction of the distance of a smaller object.
1. Teacher will ask students to arrange the group of balls from
least to greatest mass.
2. Teacher will explain that the slingshot has a fixed amount of
force (elastic energy).
3. Teacher will ask students to hypothesize about the distance
each ball will travel after being shot from the slingshot.
4. Teacher will shoot the balls in the order of mass.
5. Students will conclude that mass is a function of acceleration
since a slingshot with a fixed force was able to shot lesser
masses much further than those with greater mass.

3rd Law: Action – Reaction
1. Using a straw with a line strung through it and tied to each
side of the classroom.
2. Inflated balloons with be taped to the straw and released.
3. Students will measure distances using a metric wheel and
compare to the amount of air released (Volume of the
balloon).
4. This will demonstrate that whatever force is put on an
object, that object will produce an equal amount of force.

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After going over Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, we will go outside
and demonstrate how the bottle rocket launcher works. Before
heading outside, we will first go over all safety instructions to
ensure that no one is hurt and no materials or tools are damaged.
Safety instructions:
 Students will observe safe launch distances by using a
countdown method to clear launch area.
 Students will not throw any object on the ground or to
another person.
 Students will look to make sure everything is clear before
launching.
 Water will be handled very carefully around all electronics.
We then will launch a plain soda bottle having no modifications.
This shows the students the basics of the launcher. As part of the
final assessment, and for data purposes, students will each practice
launching a bottle filled with varying amounts of water. This gives
the students hands on experience with the launcher and allows
them to determine what amount of water is best (500mL). Today,
students are just deciding on the constants before they start adding
modifications. Constants include: using a 2 liter bottle, 60 psi of
pressure, and 500 mL of water. During this time, we will
demonstrate exactly how to use the alti-tracker by holding the
trigger and pointing it at the rocket as it ascends. We will also teach
them how to measure the distance the rocket went using the metric
wheel, and at exactly what moments to press the start and stop on
the stopwatch.
Stage (Day) 1:
Students will practice launching 2 liter soda bottles in order to
learn launching and safety procedures.
The soda bottle has 500mL of water. Students will test greater and
lesser quantities (plus or minus 50 mL for each student) of water in

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order to observe the effect of a varying amount of force and how it
propels the bottle. This will build a greater understanding of
Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, and will lead to modifications for day
2. By the end of day 1, students will have come to the conclusion
that the water bottle must have 500mL of water in order to be the
most successful.
Safety criteria will be identified once we establish a launch site. We
will flag the launch position as well as measuring and observing
positions once we are assigned an outdoor space. Students will be
instructed what tools will be used at what areas once we have the
layout of the space.
ASSESSMENT
(Performance
Task) What will
the students DO
to demonstrate
that they have
mastered the
content? Be
specific and
include actual
assessment with
unit materials.

TIME: 20 minutes
Students will have their first hands on practice (SPATIAL
PERSPECTIVE) with launching a bottle rocket. They will also use
the alti-tracker, stopwatch, metric wheel, and camera set up.
This day will be dedicated to training them in each data collection
method.
They will be required to master each tool of measurement
(TEMPORAL and SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE).
Students will be tested to ensure that they know how to use the altitracker, launcher, metric wheel, and stopwatch.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the alti-tracker by
having them measure the height of a determined item (flag pole,
root antenna, roof top, etc. Whatever is available).
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the launcher by
successfully launching a plain bottle containing only water.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the metric wheel by
measuring the distance across our classroom.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the stopwatch by
getting into pairs and measuring the amount of time that their
partner can hold their breath. This is only so they can practice
measuring time with a stopwatch.

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE
STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE?
YES OR NO

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ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Insert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.
Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have
been submitted for this lesson.
Materials
Rocket accessories (fins, nose cone, parachutes, bottle, etc.)
Rocket launcher
Water
Laptop
Projector
Speakers
Either ipads, laptops, or cell phones (some method in which students can access the
internet depending on what is available)
Alti-tracker
Stopwatch
Metric wheel
Measuring cups
Camera
Cup
Card
Coin
Sling shot
Small ball
Balloon
Straw
Tape
String

Building Rockets from a Soda Bottle
This is an inquiry process. We will not be teaching the parts of a rocket, or their purpose.
We are firmly convinced that middle school students signing up for the course would be
able to draw a rocket with appropriate nosecone, fins, and a parachute. If they are not
knowledgeable about these basic features, the pictures we have displayed in the room
will steer them in the right direction. We will answer questions and respond with
enough information to drive their search for information. All modifications to the rocket
will require a justification of the features added. Students will be tempted to treat
additions as decoration so that their bottle simply looks more like a rocket, without
understanding the purpose for each.
There will be no handouts or slide shows to reveal these options. The materials we are
using are physical materials. They are not teaching materials in a traditional sense. Each
day we will have buckets of these materials available for students to add whatever they

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wish. Many of the materials will not necessarily benefit the rocket design, but they are
welcome to test out anything that they wish.
Student Designed Product: (40 minutes each day)
Depending on the size of the class, modifications will need to be finished within 20
minutes to allow each rocket to be launched and data recorded.
Launching 10 or less rockets will take about 20 minutes.
Progression of rocket launching and measurement:
Each day, a new parameter for overall rocket launch success will be added. Students will
build skills in using measurement tools and collecting data. Our assessment at the end
of day 1 ensures that they will know how to use all of the tools.
Stage (Day) 1:
Students will practice launching 2 liter soda bottles in order to learn launching and
safety procedures.
The soda bottle has 500mL of water. Students will test greater and lesser quantities
(plus or minus 50 mL for each student) of water in order to observe the effect of a
varying amount of force and how it propels the bottle. This will build a greater
understanding of Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, and will lead to modifications for day 2.
By the end of day 1, students will have come to the conclusion that the water bottle must
have 500mL of water in order to be the most successful.
Safety criteria will be identified once we establish a launch site. We will flag the launch
position as well as measuring and observing positions once we are assigned an outdoor
space. Students will be instructed what tools will be used at what areas once we have the
layout of the space.
Stage (Day) 2:
Students will determine success of launch by measuring height of rocket at apex.
Use alti-tracker to measure height of the launch, students will compare measurements
and draw conclusions on the difference in heights. This will lead to modifications for day
3. Students will compare their own rocket to that of their classmates in order to improve
their designs.
Stage (Day) 3:
Modifications to height of launch will be achieved by adding/modifying a nosecone to
their rocket. This will be what our inquiry process will lead to from day 2 launches.
Students will consider the time aloft as a measurement of success.

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Use stopwatches to measure the time between launch and descent. This will lead to
modifications for day 4.
Stage (Day) 4:
Modifications to time aloft will be achieved by adding/modifying a parachute to their
rocket. This will be what our inquiry process will lead to from day 3 launches.
Students will consider accuracy of the launch (landing site that is very close to launch
site) as a measurement of success.
Students will use a metric wheel to measure distance from launch to landing sites.
Modifications to accuracy will be achieved by adding/modifying fins to their rocket. This
will be what our inquiry process will lead to from previous launches.

Unit Product
Students will be using electronic devices (preferable student owned) to record data in
the form of measurements and pictures. Students may create a document or file to
record all of their launch data for each day on their phone. They also will take picture of
their rocket design, and the rocket while in flight, each day for comparison.
They will also have the completed rocket with the daily modifications to take home.
We will have information on space programs which will be a follow up activity to camp
interest building.
While we don’t consider any of these measurable outcomes of specific learning
objectives, they are high quality products that will make a lasting impression on the
students’ PERSPECITVE of their world.

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LESSON #2
Houston we have a problem!

LESSON
OBJECTIVE
POINT TO
PONDER
ESSENTIAL
QUESTION
CONTENT
Outline the
content you will
teach in this
lesson.

I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT
Students will use their knowledge of the evolution of the rocket to
improve their own bottle rocket design.
An object must reach Earth’s Escape Velocity of 7 miles per second
in order to leave our atmosphere.
What obstacles did we have to overcome in order to have the
rockets we have today?
1. How did we get to where we are today?
a. How did rocket uses change over the years?
i. Firework
1. The Chinese first used rockets for
celebration and to ward off bad spirits.
ii. Weapon of war
1. It was then constructed to help win
wars by means of a cannon, gun, and
missiles.
iii. Transportation/Space exploration
1. Eventually the rocket was used to
create jets and spaceships.
b. Obstacles
i. How did the change from solid fuel to liquid
fuel affect the rockets ability?
1. Liquid fuel was able to be controlled
unlike solid fuel.
ii. Will a rocket work in the vacuum of space?
1. In order for a rocket to work, it must
follow Newton’s 3rd Law of motion.
Since space is a vacuum, then the
rocket has nothing to push against.
iii. Can a rocket reach Earth’s Escape Velocity?
1. Earth’s Escape velocity is 7 miles per
second. This means that an object must
be traveling at a speed of 7 miles per
second in order to be moving fast
enough to not be brought back down by
Earth’s gravitational pull. How can we
get something that big and that heavy
to go that fast?
II. PRE-PLANNING
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What will students
UNDERSTAND as
a result of this
lesson? How does
this connect to the
Essential
Question?

What will students
be able to DO as a
result of this
lesson?

Students will understand that with all things, there are obstacles
that will be faced. Overcoming these is where the inventions are
able to take place.
Students will understand that all things can be improved. The
process of coming up with an idea, testing out that idea, gathering
data, analyzing the data, and then coming up with another idea is
an ongoing process. Students will know that they should never
stop attempting to be better. Like any athlete, teacher, or designer,
scientists are always trying to do better. We want our students to
have the same mindset.
Students will be able to take their original rocket design and come
up with ideas for modifications to improve the set criteria.
Students will be able to compare their design and data to that of
others and make improvements.

III. PLANNING
HOOK
Describe how
you will grab
students’
attention at
the
beginning of
the lesson.
BE
CREATIVE.

TIME 10 min
Our hook is two vacuum experiments. Students will understand what a
vacuum is and how it affects different objects. We will perform the
following two experiments with the students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=eLcyhT4Oly8&list=PLK9VcQvW34kDk_qTtvHR9658a1WGrN5_&index=3
We will do the 2nd experiment in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bdgML_rxYsc&index=2&list=PLK9VcQvW34kDk_qTtvHR9658a1WGrN5_
A vacuum is a space with absolutely no matter. There is no gravity or any
type of air molecules. Scientists had to figure out a way to get a rocket to
work in the vacuum of space. These two experiments show how a
vacuum works due to pressure. The scientists had to get a new
PERSPECTIVE in order to overcome this obstacle.

INSTRUCTI
ON
Explain Stepby-step what
you will do in

TIME:
5 min
Brief timeline (temporal PERSPECTIVE) of how rockets evolved from
fireworks to space transportation.
 The Chinese had the first rockets and used them as fireworks and
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this lesson.
Be explicit
about ties to
Points to
Ponder,
Essential
Question,
and
Interactions
here. Include
ALL support
and teaching
materials
with your
unit.







to ward off evil spirits.
The Chinese then started using them was weapons in warfare.
Soon many countries decided to use them in warfare. Thus came
the creation of the gun, cannon, bazooka, missile, etc.
Soon the Germans and Russians started to use them as a means
of launching into space.
Eventually Russia launched the first satellite and America was the
first to walk on the moon.
Now we have thousands of satellites orbiting our planet, a space
probe that has left our solar system, rovers on Mars, and many
space stations.

7 min
Introduce challenges faced by rocket scientists to see what the students
would do when faced with the same challenges. Students can discuss
ideas they think may have worked, and then we can come together to
talk about the inventions that came from it.
Challenges included: getting the rocket off the ground and into outer
space, type of fuel, getting the rocket to work in a vacuum, orbiting a
satellite around the earth, landing on the moon, and landing on another
planet.
Questions to consider:
How can we launch something so heavy that it can escape Earth’s
gravitational pull?
How does a rocket work in the vacuum of space?
How are you going to design your rocket so that is can go as fast as
possible?
3 min
Review of safety instructions from Day 1. These will be modeled and
explained by the teachers. There will be no safety handouts or
powerpoints.
35 min
Students will design their own rockets using the materials provided.
They then will go outside and launch each of their rockets. Students will
measure data such as height, distance from target, and accuracy. They
will then record the data and we will discuss what could be changed to
improve these aspects.
Stage (Day) 2:

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Students will determine success of launch by measuring height of rocket
at apex.
They will use the alti-tracker to measure height of the launch, students
will compare measurements and draw conclusions on the difference in
heights. This will lead to modifications for day 3. Students will compare
their own rocket to that of their classmates in order to improve their
designs.
ASSESSMEN
T
(Performanc
e Task) What
will the
students DO
to
demonstrate
that they
have
mastered the
content? Be
specific and
include
actual
assessment
with unit
materials.

.
TIME: 10 min
Assignment: Type a short response on the student page on our website
describing the challenges you faced today in launching your rocket and
any ideas you have about how you are going to overcome them. Also
include plans you have for improving your rocket for launching
tomorrow and why you think your improvements will make it better.
We will look over student responses so that we will know where students
are headed in their thinking. The main purpose of this assignment is to
get them thinking about revamping their design to be better.

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE
STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE?
YES OR NO
ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Insert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.
Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have
been submitted for this lesson.
Materials
Rocket accessories (fins, nose, parachutes, bottle, etc.)
Rocket launcher
Water
Laptop
Projector
Speakers
Either ipads, laptops, or cell phones (some method in which students can access the
internet, depending on what is available.)
Alti-tracker
Stopwatch
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Metric wheel
Measuring cups
Hot glue gun
Camera
Glass jar
Food dye
Candle
Match
Plastic container
Glass bottle
Straw
Silly putty
Hot plate

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BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
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LESSON #3
Rockets, are they only good for exploding?

LESSON
OBJECTIVE
POINT TO
PONDER
ESSENTIAL
QUESTION
CONTENT
Outline the
content you will
teach in this
lesson.

What will students
UNDERSTAND as
a result of this
lesson? How does
this connect to the
Essential
Question?

What will students
be able to DO as a
result of this
lesson?

I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT
Students will discuss the importance of rockets and analyze the
contributions they have made in the 21st century.
Although building and testing rockets can be a fun hobby (intrinsic
PERSPECTIVE), our world has changed substantially due to the
actual testing and launching of rockets into space.
How have rockets changed our life in the 21st century?
1. What would life be like without a rocket?
a. Modern conveniences we would not have if it were
not for the rocket.
i. Satellites
ii. Cell phones
iii. GPS
iv. Dish TV
b. Knowledge of space that we now have because of
rockets.
i. Space probes
ii. Impact risks and near object safety
II. PRE-PLANNING
Students will see rockets as more than vehicles and delivery
systems, but a major component in technology that we are
dependent on daily. The sequence of the unit to this point has been
on defining and historical setting the stage for rocketry. This
lesson will bring them understanding of their role in current
technologies.
Students will understand the importance of rockets in today’s
society by means of our modern day conveniences in electronics,
and where we would be if we did not have rockets.
Students will identify current rocket dependent life conveniences
and will research the rocket types for specific applications (using
spaceprobes.es)
Modern conveniences include satellite TV, cell phones, GPS,
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Internet, etc.
Students will be able to use the data from yesterday to make
modifications to their bottle rocket design.

HOOK
Describe how you
will grab students’
attention at the
beginning of the
lesson.
BE CREATIVE.
INSTRUCTION
Explain Step-bystep what you will
do in this lesson.
Be explicit about
ties to Points to
Ponder, Essential
Question, and
Interactions here.
Include ALL
support and
teaching materials
with your unit.

III. PLANNING
TIME: 5 minutes
Students will brainstorm rocket dependent life conveniences and
draw inferences on the changes in our society if rockets were not
present.
What would a day without rockets look like?
TIME: 20 minutes
Students will investigate the current studies involving deep space
exploration, everyday communications, space travel, and other
rocket-essential activities.
Students who do not have a device for accessing the internet will be
loaned one for searching the following site on specific rocket types.
Students will find interesting facts on various space probes:
spaceprob.es
This activity is designed to help students realize just how far we
have come and how dependent our society is on rockets. This really
stresses their importance and why it is still necessary for rocketry to
have funding.
Students will then discuss some of the cool facts that they found
and share them with others in the class.
TIME: 30 minutes
Students will then make modifications on their rockets from
yesterday. They have now launched their first design, and come up
with ideas for the second one. Once their new designs are done, we
will go outside and launch them. New data will be collected in the
same manner as yesterday, and then analyzed.
Stage (Day) 3:
Modifications to height of launch will be achieved by
adding/modifying a nosecone to their rocket. This will be what our
inquiry process will lead to from day 2 launches.
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Students will consider the time aloft as a measurement of success.
Use stopwatches to measure the time between launch and descent.
This will lead to modifications for day 4.
ASSESSMENT
(Performance
Task) What will
the students DO
to demonstrate
that they have
mastered the
content? Be
specific and
include actual
assessment with
unit materials.

TIME: 15 minutes
Students will continue to modify their rockets and add features that
contribute to the successful flight and accurate descent of the
rocket.
Each modification of their rocket will require a functional rationale
on the utility of the addition. Making changes that simply make the
device look more like a rocket will not be accepted.
Students will type a rationale on the unit website about what
changes they are making and why. Each day, all students will have
access to everyone’s responses, so they can make adequate changes
as well. Our main focus today is trying to get the rocket to have a
smooth landing, instead of falling out of the sky. Our goal is at least
one student to come up with the idea of using a parachute.

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE
STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE?
YES OR NO
ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Insert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.
Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have
been submitted for this lesson.
See Lesson #1
Materials
Rocket accessories (fins, nose, parachutes, bottle, etc.)
Rocket launcher
Water
Laptop
Projector
Speakers
Either ipads, laptops, or cell phones (some method in which students can access the
internet, depending on what is available.)
Alti-tracker
Stopwatch
Metric wheel
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Measuring cups
Hot glue gun
Camera
LESSON #4
What will your grandchildren do with rockets?

LESSON
OBJECTIVE

POINT TO
PONDER

ESSENTIAL
QUESTION
CONTENT
Outline the
content you will
teach in this
lesson.

I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT
Students will finalize rocket design and discuss ways in which they
can continue to be involved with rocketry. Recent current events
such as the modifications to the Orion rocket’s heat shield and
nosecone by a high school group in Richmond will be examples in
which they can get involved.
100 years ago, people would not have believed we would put a man
on the moon. They would not think that we have a device about to
leave our solar system that is still reporting data back to us. They
would not believe that satellites have given us thousands of TV
channels or that everyone carries a tiny telephone-computer in
their pocket everywhere they go. (Temporal PERSPECTIVE)
In what ways will rocket technology shape our future?
1. What does the future hold for the rocket?
a. Separating fact from fiction in film- students will
debate the viability of the vehicles depicted in the
following films. This is a critical thinking exercise
with no right or wrong answers, but only reasonable
explanations of their opinions.
b. Do the movies have it right?
i. Iron Man
ii. Enders Game
iii. Men in Black
iv. Avengers
v. Wall-E
vi. Back to the Future
vii. Interstellar
1. Are the rocket powered transportation
devices created in these movies an
actual possibility for us?
c. Life sustaining planet in another galaxy?
i. Jupiter’s moon Europa is a possible place for
humans to live
ii. Our space probe Voyager 1 has left our solar
system, where will it go next?
iii. Space tours

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What will students
UNDERSTAND as
a result of this
lesson? How does
this connect to the
Essential
Question?
What will students
be able to DO as a
result of this
lesson?

HOOK
Describe
how you will
grab
students’
attention at
the
beginning of
the lesson.
BE
CREATIVE.

II. PRE-PLANNING
Students will understand that while rocketry has come a long way,
there are still many more things to be discovered. In just the past
100 years we have landed on the moon, left our galaxy, and
developed satellites that control almost all of our daily electronics.
Students will understand that they can have a part in the future of
rocketry if they are willing to get involved.
Students will be able to find their own method of getting involved
in the space program or rocketry in general.
Students will be able to perform a successful launch with their
bottle rocket that has maximum height and maximum time aloft.

III. PLANNING
TIME: 15 min
We will show different movie clips of rocket technology in Hollywood,
and let students discuss if they think that is a possible technology for the
future and why.
Ironman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3MTUPdjpZ0 (first minute)
Do you ever think our military will have suits with rocket booster for flying
and weapons?
Enders Game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg3h-fzjxjQ (1:30 – 3:00)
Do you think we could ever have a space battle with an alien race?
Men in Black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9YfEZtQBtY (first minute)
Could cars ever come with a red button?
Avengers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBi0LqgwrH8 (first minute)
Is it possible for our military to put boat carriers in the air?
Wall-E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31d7gzPZ1rk (first 30 seconds)
Could we create a huge space station for people to permanently live on?
Back to the Future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psxktpxkc6o (2:00 – 4:12 will block

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out bad word)
Do you think we will ever have time machines?
Interstellar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbKJ_onDy4E (whole thing)
Is it possible for us to get a space ship into a black hole?
Our goal is for students to start considering the future of rockets and
what we could accomplish in the next 100 years.
INSTRUCTI
ON
Explain
Step-by-step
what you
will do in
this lesson.
Be explicit
about ties to
Points to
Ponder,
Essential
Question,
and
Interactions
here.
Include ALL
support and
teaching
materials
with your
unit.

TIME: 40 min
After talking about the future possibilities from the movies, we will show
students the JPL website, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ , and show them
actual space missions that are being planned.
One in particular that is really interesting is the Europa mission that
discusses the possibility of one of Jupiter’s moons being habitable by
humans. Also where will the space probe Voyager 1 go now that it is has
left our solar system? Will space tours be possible one day? Students will
talk about some of these future missions and discuss their ideas about the
possibilities.
Students will finalize bottle rockets. If it has not been discovered
naturally, then we will introduce the idea of parachutes for accurate
landing. This is necessary in order for all criteria to be met in having a
successful rocket.
Students will also talk about what has worked over the past week for
them and what has not. Are some of these designs purely for theatrical
effect?
Question: How does your model rocket compare to some of the movies?
Many students will get their design ideas from what they have seen in
movies, so we will discuss what the students have learned about why
these features are necessary for a successful rocket.
Fins are needed for accuracy in making the launch and descent straight.
The nosecone is needed to help the rocket reach maximum height due to
reduced friction.
The parachute is needed to provide maximum time aloft. This represents
the rocket ship hovering in space. It is also used in the landing to ensure
Page 37 of 39

BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

the softest landing.
The water represents the fuel for the rocket. The amount of fuel needs to
be sufficient enough to get the rocket off the ground, but not too much to
weigh it down and make it unable to defy gravity.
Stage (Day) 4:
Modifications to time aloft will be achieved by adding/modifying a
parachute to their rocket. This will be what our inquiry process will lead
to from day 3 launches.
Students will consider accuracy of the launch (landing site that is very
close to launch site) as a measurement of success.
Students will use a metric wheel to measure distance from launch to
landing sites.
Modifications to accuracy will be achieved by adding/modifying fins to
their rocket. This will be what our inquiry process will lead to from
previous launches.
ASSESSME
NT
(Performanc
e Task)
What will
the students
DO to
demonstrate
that they
have
mastered
the content?
Be specific
and include
actual
assessment
with unit
materials.

TIME: 15 min
Students will research ways that they can get involved (intrinsic
PERSPECTIVE) in rocketry such as Spacex or a NASA space camp.
Students will look through the following websites to get ideas about how
they can further get involved in rocketry.
http://www.spacex.com/
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/students-shine-duringsummer-camps.html#.VTghhiFViko
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/releases/2011/11-052.html
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/information/camp_faq.ht
ml#.VTghviFViko
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/innovative-summercamp.html
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/education/index.cfm?page=435
https://www.ae.utexas.edu/undergraduate/student-involvement
Page 38 of 39

BLAST OFF! Rocketing into the Future!
Victoria Jeffries and Marie Moss

https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/february/nasa-evolves-studentrocketry-challenge-enhances-ties-to-space-launchsystem/#.VTgi5iFViko
Students are not limited to this list. They can look at any rocket website
that they wish that may have involvement ideas.
The class will discuss what they found and write down some of the ideas
that interest them.

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE
STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE?
YES OR NO
ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Insert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.
Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have
been submitted for this lesson.
Materials
Rocket accessories (fins, nosecone, parachutes, bottle, etc.)
Rocket launcher
Water
Laptop
Projector
Speakers
Either ipads, laptops, or cell phones (some method in which students can access the
internet, depending on what is available.)
Alti-tracker
Stopwatch
Metric wheel
Measuring cups
Hot glue gun
Camera

Page 39 of 39

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