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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Space Company Rocket Launch

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Space Company Rocket Launch

A 5th grade STEM lesson

Sofya Pangburn

6/18/2024

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Notes for teachers

The activity was a part of a Mission to Mars unit designed for 5th grade AZ science standards and upper elementary students.
The activity begins with an optional company creation activity. This can be skipped for time, however, it is recommended for team building and real-world connection, especially if this is used as part of a broader unit.
This lesson takes place both inside a classroom and outdoors for approximately 5 hours and should be completed over the course of multiple sessions.
This lesson involves rockets made primarily with film canisters and alka-seltzer tablets, however, the structure and materials of this lesson can be used for the design of any type of rocket.
The student work portion of the lesson is best done in groups of 5.

List of Materials

Folder containing project worksheets (per group)
Film canister
Alka Seltzer Tablets
Various craft supplies
Protective eyewear

Optional: Company role badges

Optional: Science Vocabulary Sheet

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Standards

Science Standards:

5.P3U1.4

Obtain, analyze, and communicate evidence of the effects that balanced and unbalanced forces have on the motion of objects.

5.P3U2.5

Define problems and design solutions pertaining to force and motion.

Science and Engineering Practices

ask questions and define problems
develop and use models
plan and carry out investigations
construct explanations and design solutions
obtain, evaluate, and communicate information

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Objective(s):

SWBAT form a company team and accept responsibilities specific to their role.

SWBAT use their understanding of Newton’s Laws of Motion to design an alka-seltzer powered rocket.

SWBAT follow safety procedures to test and launch their rocket.

SWBAT consider their observations to reflection on their launch and revise their rocket designs.

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Agenda- Approximately 5 hours

Create a space company and assign employee roles.

Plan out the design of the company’s rocket and associated features and materials.

Work together with their team to build a rocket.

Consider how physical science concepts may affect the launch of the rocket.

Safely launch and test the rocket.

Reflect and revise rocket design.

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Many companies have tried to conquer the red planet…

But so far, none have succeeded.

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You and your team will create a company that will finally conquer Mars.

Your company will professionally work together to design, create, test, and revise a rocket.

Overview

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PART 1: Company Creation

Receive your team’s TOP SECRET folder.
Decide on your company’s name.
Design a logo.

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PART 1: Company Creation

Decide on roles within your company
Sign to accept the responsibilities of your role

(Optional)

When completing this unit with my grade level, we found that company roles helped all students have a role in the project. This helped focus both our overachievers (who often want to do everything and anything) and our avoidant students (by giving them concrete and manageable responsibilities.)

To make this even more engaging, we created badges for the kids to wear during the unit. The badges had their roles and responsibilities printed onto them for easy reference. You may access the badges here.

Note: Emphasize to students that their role is a guideline. The Chief Engineer is not the only builder, and the Outreach officer is not the only employee who communicates with the teacher. All team members contribute to the work. Each team member has primary responsibilities that are their core priority, but their actions are not limited to their role.

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PART 2: Launch- Plan

Discuss and agree on how to build your rocket.
Draw a diagram of your rocket, labeling the features you will include
Consider the materials you will use.
Answer the questions at the bottom of the sheet.
Consider, the launch process involves water and pressure. make sure your design can survive those factors.

At this point, give students the film canisters, and explain that this is the base of their rocket.

When launched, the teacher will drop in an alka seltzer tablet to propel the rocket. Right now, students will be designing the main body of the rocket and what they will add to the film canister.

Allow students at least a 20-minute session to plan out their rocket. Provide feedback to the groups as they work.

Useful things to consider when providing feedback to student designs:

-Rocket stability, symmetry, and center of gravity

-Properties of materials used

-What do normal rockets look like? Why?

-What will keep the design fixtures attached to the rocket base?

Once students finalize their plan and decide on their materials, you may ask them to bring in the materials they need or provide the yourself.

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PART 3: Launch- Build

Build your rocket.
Make sure the cap can be removed and replaced without any obstructions.
Reflect on your design to improve it.

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PART 4: Launch- Think

Force has direction and magnitude (strength)
Net force is the total amount of force in a situation
Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object will stay in motion or stay at rest unless acted on by a force

Discuss:

What forces will influence your rocket?
The force of your rocket will have to be stronger than what in order for it to move?
What will be the force that causes your rocket to move?

Copy down these definitions

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PART 5: Launch- BLAST OFF

Preview reflection sheet.
Launch rocket
Record observations
Reflect on the launch and design

Important safety precautions:

The rocket may travel up to 15 ft in the air. While it is small and low, there is slight potential for injury in the form of it falling on someone or hitting someone. Due to its low power, it is not dangerous, however, students should observe the following rules to practice a safe launch:

Complete launch in a clear, open area- free of power lines, trees, etc.
If not part of the group launching, remain at least 20 feet away from the launch site.
Remain standing at all times. Being seated reduces your ability to move out of the way and can lead to injury.
Students launching must wear protective eye equipment.
Failure to follow safety rules results in immediate removal from the launch site.

While launching, members of a team are responsible for both helping launch the rocket and for filling in the observation sheet.

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PART 6: Launch- Reflect

Discuss how the launch went and review your observations.
Using the questions on your worksheet, identify potential revisions to your design.

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Optional: How did Elon Musk do?

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Assessment

The assessment for this lesson is completion of the project worksheets and how well students engaged the activities of the project. You may use the following rubric to score students.

4 (Highly Proficient): Student worked collaboratively with their team to design, test, and build their rocket. Student exceeded the responsibilities associated with their role and worked well in their team. Student was a key contributor in both discussions and in the filling out of the project worksheets. Responses given were detailed and in complete sentences. The student and their team kept their materials organized and followed all safety protocols and instructions.

3 (Proficient): Student worked collaboratively with their team to design, test, and build their rocket. Student fulfilled the responsibilities associated with their rol. Student was a contributor in both discussions and in the filling out of the project worksheets. The student and their team kept their materials organized and followed all safety protocols and instructions.

2 (Partially Proficient): Student may have had trouble working collaboratively. Student fulfilled at least some of the responsibilities associated with their role and worked well in their team. The student and their team may have mishandled some materials, but were still able to complete portions of the project.

1(Minimally Proficient): Student participated minimally in the process and had major difficulties in collaborating with peers.

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Differentiation

The creation of the groups in this lesson is the most important step in assisting students with certain academic needs. As the design process in this lesson is very collaborative, strategically group students in your class to create well-balanced teams. You may also choose to assign specific roles to specific students based on their skills and abilities. This can help make sure that all students feel like they have something to contribute to the project.

Potential difficulties in this lesson may include an unwillingness to work with others, a lack of ideas, or insufficient time. To remedy these issues, considering grouping carefully and personally monitor and encourage students who may be uncooperative. If you find that one or more groups did not have sufficient time to complete the project, consider extending the session.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

This lesson has a plethora of opportunities for extension, including:

Asking students to specifically research components of full-sized rockets when considering elements to include in their own.
Inviting adults to assist groups with the rocket design, including university students studying physics or adults with industry experience. They can provide students with relevant and real-world rated feedback.
Asking students to create marketing materials related to their rocket and company’s operations.
Having students create vlogs or photo logs of their engineering process and presenting them to their classmates at the completion of the project.
Using more advanced rockets such as water-powered rockets.
Having a competition among groups for certain achievements such as height reached, employee productivity, and creativity.