Lesson: Water Rockets
Lesson Objective
Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan:
YWBAT: Design and build a water rocket using two, 2-liter bottles and cardboard wings.
This is a great activity to do at the end of the year. Students enjoy constructing their rockets and then launching them with the water rocket launching kit that can be purchased at many science supply companies.
Materials:
- 2, 2-Liter bottles with caps
- Scissors
- Safety glasses
- Water
- Launch kit http://www.flinnsci.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=22259
- Bicycle pump
- Tape
**Have students begin bringing in bottles a few weeks before the project begins. They can write their name on a piece of tape and then adhere it to each bottle. It’s helpful to have a separate bag for each period—this will make distributing bottles easier when it comes times to construct the rockets.
Step one:
Have students cut off the top third of one bottle. It helps to remove the cap, compressing the bottle and then cutting it with larger scissors. Teachers may want to help with this stage of the project.
Step two:
Hold the uncut bottle upside down and then push the top portion of the bottle that you just cut off onto the bottom of the inverted, uncut bottle. This will become the top of the rocket. The cap should be placed back on—this will serve at the “tip” of the rocket.
Step three:
Students can design their wings, cut them out of cardboard and then tape them to the rocket.
Step four:
Fill the bottom bottle with water and then place the cap back on.
Step five:
Go outside and launch. Have students remain approximately 60-100 meters away for safety reasons. Having them sit helps with crowd control. The first student will bring their rocket to the teacher and they will return to the safety area. After the bottle is launched the next student should bring their rocket and then retrieve the other rocket that was just launched.
Have fun!
Lesson Resources
No resources at this time. |