Roaring Rockets

Day 1
Gathering background information

1. Post quote. “It takes sixty-five thousand errors before you can make a rocket.”  Werhner Von Braun
2. Relate von Braun’s history as a rocket scientist from Germany to NASA. (https://www.nasa.gov/topics/history/features/vonbraun.html)
3. Show the first 2:15 minutes of the introduction to the documentary “Missile to Moon”, published in 2013 by Alabama Public Television, which introduces the work of Werhner von Braun’s extraordinary history in the development of rockets. The entire documentary is 56:17 minutes. Students may want to discover more about the history of the Unites States space program and von Braun’s work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ch0OgkkJKI
4. Explain to students that over the next several days they will be investigating rocket engineering and will build and launch their own rocket. During the launch they will assume roles of Launch Director, Launcher, and Range Officer. They will be collecting data and, as any good scientist and engineer, presenting their findings to their peers.

Explore:

1. Have students explore several interactives on rocket design. In student notebooks, students should include notes, drawings, diagrams, and labels. Tell students to write the academic vocabulary they encounter in their research. (See key words above)
   • Know it All. Hobby Shop Interactive, Rockets. http://interactive.knowitall.org/interactive/hobbyshop/Rocket/
   • NASA’s How do rockets stack up? Compare the parts of a model rocket with the parts of five NASA launch vehicles. Interactive and text features. https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/rocketry/home/index.html
   • NASA Kennedy Space Center Launching Rockets. Up to date news on current missions. Includes LSP Activity books for iPad, Google Play and online. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html
   • Rocket Science 101. Interactive allows students to build a rocket or join a mission. Available on iPad, Google Play, online. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html
   • Find a complete list of NASA apps at https://www.nasa.gov/connect/apps.html

Explain:

1. Exit Slip for Day 1
   1. 3-2-1 - (3-2-1 is a formative assessment where students clarify their learning or questions for the session.) 

Have students submit a 3-2-1 Exit Slip for their learning from Day 1
3- (3)Things I learned
2- (2)Things that surprised me
1- (1)Question I have  

Teacher Prep for Days 2 and 3:

1. Follow instructions for building a rocket launcher. (Page 75) The foam rocket uses a meter stick as a launcher. You may need several of these depending on the number of students and the amount of class time available.
2. Gather all materials for building the rocket. (See instructions)

Materials:

• 30 cm-long piece of polyethylene foam pipe insulation (for 1/2” size pipe)
• Rubber band (size 64)
• Styrofoam food tray, cardboard, or stiff poster board
• Duct tape
• Scissors
• Meter stick
• Press tack
• Washer or nut
• Quadrant plans printed on card stock (page 76)
• Rocket construction instructions (Procedure document and page 77)
• Experiment data sheet, 2 per group (page 79)
• Masking tape
• Eye protection
• For class - tape measure or Meter Wheel (to measure distance rocket travels)
• Balance or digital balance (to determine the mass of the rocket)
• ONE copy of page 77 and TWO copies of page 79 for each group of three students. https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/295787main_Rockets_Foam_Rocket.pdf 

Day 2
Design and Original Testing
   Engage: 
1. In groups of 3-4, have students share one reflection from their Exit Slips the previous day. This could be done using the app, Padlet, or having students share their thinking on post it notes within their groups. Student groups can then post their notes on chart paper.
2. Allow time for students to comment on patterns or themes they see in the responses.  

• Introduce the engineering design process. Relate to students that the engineering design process is an iterative process, meaning that the process repeats so that the design continues to improve. You may use a process that it easy for your students to understand. While students will be building a rocket from set procedures the first time, they will have the opportunity to change variables (fin shape and mass) on the second build.
• NASA Engineering Design Process https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/engineering-design/
• Engineering is Elementary Design Process  http://www.eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process
• Show students the launcher and explain how the launcher will work. Explain how to use the quadrant to determine the launch angle. (page 76)
• Students should decide their roles for the launch. (These roles will switch as they launch their rockets, so each student will have the opportunity to perform each role.)
  • Launch Director, Launcher, Range Officer (See explanation of roles on page 79)
• Assign the Launch Director to gather the materials needed to build the group’s rocket.
• Have students follow the procedure for building a foam rocket (See Procedure document and page 77) https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/295787main_Rockets_Foam_Rocket.pdf
• Each group should mass their original rocket. This will be a variable they may want to change for the Redsign Challenge. Write this number on their rocket Range Experiment Sheet.
• Go outside (or in a gym) and have students launch their rockets 4 times, recording their data on the Experiment Sheet (page 79)

Explain:

1. Following the launches, student groups collaboratively answer the following questions in writing or in a collaborative document. These responses will be used as part of their presentations.
   • What were the results of the data collected from your launches?
   • What improvements could be made in your design?
   • What other variables could be tested for maximum height of your rocket?
   • How well did your group work together? What is your evidence?

Day 3 - 4
Re-Design and Testing
Engage:

1. Mix-Freeze-Pair-Share

Mix-Freeze-Pair-Share is a Disciplinary Literacy strategy where students engage in structured dialogue. This can also be used as a formative assessment.

• Students stand up. As music plays, they will “mix” (mingle) around the room. When music stops, they will “freeze”, “pair” with the nearest person and “share” their thoughts to the prompt “What improvements could be made to your group’s rocket to achieve a longer distance?”
• Repeat for two more rounds.
• Students should rejoin their launch groups, revisit their data and answers to the previous day’s questions, and add any new thinking.
• Revisit the Engineering Design Process. Explain that during this class, groups will have the opportunity to re-design their rockets.

Explore:

1. Give each student group a “Redesigning a Rocket Challenge” sheet and a new Rocket Range Experiment Sheet (page 79)
2. Walk students through the directions, being specific that they should only change one variable (length, mass, fin design.) Mass can be added by taping a penny or washer to the body or cone. It is important for ALL students to mass their original rocket prior to making changes to their design. Encourage students to include drawings, diagrams, and labels in their notebooks.
3. Testing: When students are finished with their re-design, go outside once again and have the student groups complete 4 launces AT THE SAME ANGLES as their original launches. Record data on the new Experiment Sheet.

Explain:
Data Analysis:

1. Students will compile and compare their two sets of data.
2. Return to the collaborative document and add any new learning/thinking to the original  questions, adding one new question:
   • What were the results of the data collected from your launches?
   • What improvements could be made in your design?
   • What other variables could be tested for maximum height of your rocket?
   • How well did your group work together? What is your evidence?
   • What conclusions can be made based on your data?
   • How well did your group work together? What is your evidence?

Elaborate:
Group Presentations:

1. Explain that students will be using a “Making Thinking Visible” to present their rocket data and conclusions. In a MTV, is a Disciplinary Literacy and formative assessment strategy where students create a visual graphic representation of their presentation. They may use drawings, webs, lists, short phrases, etc. In this MTV, student groups should include their launch data results and conclusions. Correct academic vocabulary should be used in all labels and drawings.
2. When all MTVs are posted: 

Groups take turns having a representative stand and explain the poster and field questions and comments from the whole group.
Participants may take a Gallery Walk to view each MTV, taking notes as they go. When everyone has returned to their seats, allow time for open questions and comments regarding the posters.
 
Evaluate:

• Use presentation rubric for group presentations.
• Formative assessments using apps or quizzes.
• Any Teacher notes, including differentiated instruction or activities
• Instructions are included for younger students, Stomp Rocket Launcher, or older students, High powered paper rockets in Lesson Resources.
• For additional information, please refer to the Support Guide for Grades 5 and 8,  South Carolina Academic Standards and Performance Indicators for Science http://ed.sc.gov/scdoe/assets/File/instruction/standards/Science/Support%20Documents/Science_5Support.pdf

Lesson resources

1. Student Handouts:
   • Pages 77, 79 of Foam Rocket Teacher’s Guide
   • Procedures for Building a Foam Rocket (document)
   • Redesigning a Rocket Challenge (document)
2. “Making Thinking Visible” Strategy sheet (teacher resource) Student Annotated Drawings (MTV) is a Disciplinary Literacy strategy and a formative assessment where students create a visual graphic representation of their presentation. They may use drawings, webs, lists, short phrases, etc.
3. “Gallery Walk” (teacher resource) Gallery Walk is a Disciplinary Literacy strategy and a formative assessment where students showcase their learning.
4. NASA Rockets Educator’s Guide. The activities and lesson plans contained in this educator guide emphasize hands-on science, prediction, data collection and interpretation, teamwork, and problem solving. The guide also contains background information about the history of rockets and basic rocket science.
5. Directions for building a stomp rocket launcher (younger students): https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/295790main_Rockets_Pop_Rocket_Launcher.pdf
6. Directions for building a high powered paper rocket (older students): https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/295786main_Rockets_Adv_High_Power_Paper.pdf
7. Know it All. Hobby Shop Interactive, Rockets. http://interactive.knowitall.org/interactive/hobbyshop/Rocket/
8. NASA’s How do rockets stack up? Compare the parts of a model rocket with the parts of five NASA launch vehicles. Interactive and text features. https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/rocketry/home/index.html
9. NASA Knows! Grades 5-8. What is a rocket? Article describing the history of rocketry  and how rockets work. https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-a-rocket-58.html
10. NASA Kennedy Space Center Launching Rockets. Up to date news on current missions. Includes LSP Activity books for iPad, Google Play and online. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html
11. Rocket Science 101. Interactive allows students to build a rocket or join a mission. Available on iPad, Google Play, online. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html
12. Project Discovery: Space Camp Revisited. Space Camp is a popular camp for children who dream of going into space. The Project Discovery crew visited the Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. The purpose of the camp is to use the excitement of space to get students excited about math and science. http://knowitall.org/video/space-camp-project-discovery
13. Modern Figures Interactive Toolkit. The NASA Modern Figures Toolkit is a collection of resources and educational activities for students in grades K -12 https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/NASA-Modern-Figures-Toolkit.html
14. Space Launch System. NASA’s New Rocket. NASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS, is an advanced launch vehicle for a new era of exploration beyond Earth’s orbit into deep space. https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/rocket.html
15. Werhner Von Braun. NASA history. https://www.nasa.gov/topics/history/features/vonbraun.html
16. Werhner von Braun’s Legacy. NOVA documentary. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/von-braun.html
17. Wernher von Braun talks about V-2 rocket: " Hitler's Secret Weapon ", NOVA documentary (1977)NOVA documentary.
18. National Science Teachers’s Assocation Outstanding Science Trade books for Students K-12 http://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/ 

References:

• Chambers, L. (2016, September 9). NASA Engineering Design Process. Retrieved from https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/engineering-design/
• Dunbar, B. (Ed.). (2016, July 1). Rockets Educators Guide. Retrieved February 10, 2017, from https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Rockets.html
• The Engineering Design Process. (2017). Retrieved February 10, 2017, from http://www.eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process
• Missle to Moon (2012). Retrieved February 10, 2017, from http://video.aptv.org/video/2213968408/

The evaluation process, any rubrics, questions, etc.Presentation Rubric.