Rockets
Students experiment to create the 'best' paper rocket ever!
What You Need
Materials per student
- A few different types of paper
- 2 straws
- Scissors
- Tape
- Pencil
- Ruler (optional)
Guide:
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to virtual outreach to youth.
Do not launch your rockets at another person or animal.
What To Do
To make the paper rocket, each student will:
- Fold one sheet of paper into four equal parts (fold in half, then in half again).
- Cut the paper along the lines, to get four equal-sized triangles.
- Take one rectangle and wrap it (not too tightly) around the pencil to make a cylinder. The long side of the paper should be along the length of the pencil.
- Tape the cylinder so it stays rolled up and push the pencil out of it.
- Use their fingers to punch shut one of the open ends of the cylinder/rocket and tape it closed. This is the first rocket!
- Make a second rocket with fins, following the steps above and below.
- To make fins, they will fold one of the extra rectangles over to make two triangles. Cut the triangles out.
- They will fold the triangles in half and tape them to the end of the rocket that is open on opposite sides of the rocket.
To launch the rockets, have students slide a straw inside the rocket and blow on the straw. What happens? Are there any differences between the flight of a rocket with fins or without?
Discovery
When you add fins to the rockets, the rocket becomes more stable (similar to how training wheels on a bike help the bike to be more stable). The triangle-shaped fin helps rockets be more stable so it stays pointed in the same direction.
- Have students try exploring with different fin sizes, shapes, using different paper to make the fins or placing the fins in a different position. What happens?
- They can also try making a longer or shorter rocket, or any other modifications to make the 'best' rocket design.
- Make sure students only make one change at a time so they can compare it to their previous rocket.
What's Happening?
When you add fins to the rockets, the rocket becomes more stable (similar to how training wheels on a bike help the bike to be more stable). The triangle-shaped fin helps rockets be more stable so it stays pointed in the same direction.
Investigate Further
- Have students try exploring with different fin sizes, shapes, using different paper to make the fins or placing the fins in a different position. What happens?
- They can also try making a longer or shorter rocket, or any other modifications to make the 'best' rocket design.
- Make sure students only make one change at a time so they can compare it to their previous rocket.