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Activity
Center of Science and Industry

Cosi Columbus: Balloon Rockets [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
Science experiment that demonstrates Newton's Third Law by launching rockets made out of balloons. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes balloons to shoot forward and how you can make them...
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Rocket

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia provides an encyclopedia definition of a rocket, including information on rocket history, size, types, and more.
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Article
Washington State University

Washington State University: Ask Dr. Universe: What Materials Would You Use to Make a Rocket?

For Students 3rd - 8th
Dr. Universe explains how many choices there are in building a rocket. A fellow professor at Washington State University helps to understand the basics of rockets.
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Activity
NASA

Nasa: The Space Place: Build a Bubble Powered Rocket

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides fun information on bubble powered rockets. "Build your own rocket using paper and fizzing tablets! Watch it lift off. How high does your rocket go?"
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Satellites, Shuttles, and Space Stations

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Astronauts and space study.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Strawkets and Weight

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students investigate the effect that weight has on rocket flight. Students construct a variety of their own straw-launched rockets, or "strawkets," that have different weights. Specifically, they observe what happens...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Strawkets and Control

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students investigate the effect that fins have on rocket flight. Students construct two paper rockets that they can launch themselves by blowing through a straw. One "strawket" has wings and the other has fins. Students...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Aqua Thrusters!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students construct their own rocket-powered boat called an "aqua-thruster." These aqua-thrusters will be made from a film canister and will use carbon dioxide gas - produced from a chemical reaction between an antacid...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Pop Rockets

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students design and build a paper rocket around a film canister, which is used as the engine. An antacid tablet and water are put into the canister, react to form carbon dioxide gas, and act as the pop rocket's propellant. With the lid...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Newton Gets Me Moving

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
For this lesson, students will explore motion, rockets and rocket motion while assisting Spacewoman Tess, Spaceman Rohan and Maya in their explorations. They will first learn some basic facts about vehicles, rockets and why we use them....
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Rocket Me Into Space

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
One of the exciting challenges for engineers is the idea of exploration. This lesson looks more closely at Spaceman Rohan, Spacewoman Tess, their daughter Maya, and their challenges with getting to space, setting up satellites, and...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Destination Outer Space

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students acquire a basic understanding of the science and engineering of space travel as well as a brief history of space exploration. They learn about the scientists and engineers who made space travel possible and briefly examine some...
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Activity
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Plix Series: Satellites, Shuttles, and Space Stations

For Students 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Simulate the launch of a rocket to see how rocket propulsion works. After the activity, answer a challenge question to check for understanding.
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Website
University of Wisconsin

The Why Files: Keeping an Eye on Ions

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the development of a new rocket engine that operates by the ion propulsion as opposed to gas propulsion. Well written and great graphics!
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Website
NASA

Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes exhaustive information and a wealth of activities pertaining to aerodynamics and the physics of flight.
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Website
NASA

Marshall Space Flight Center: Timeline of Rocket History

For Students 9th - 10th
This graphical presentation includes a collection of more than 50 images and descriptions tracing rocketry from ancient times to the present day.
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Handout
NASA

Nasa Space Shuttle: Solid Rocket Boosters

For Students 9th - 10th
A page describing the solid rocket boosters used on NASA's space shuttle. Physical characteristics of the booster rockets are discussed, and considerations critical to the effectiveness of the rocket engines are explained.
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Activity
Michigan Reach Out

Nasa Teacher's Resource Center: Balloon Staging

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Activity to show student how rockets reach high altitudes.
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Activity
Michigan Reach Out

Nasa Trc: Liquid Bottle Rocket

For Students 9th - 10th
This hands-on experiment has students launch a plastic pop bottle into "space!"
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Activity
Michigan Reach Out

Nasa Trc: Match Stick Rocket

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this online lesson plan students can experience Newton's Laws of Motion in relation to rockets with this experiment.
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Website
Other

Wilkinson Family: Breaking the Sound Barrier

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides pictures and other information to show just what breaking the sound barrier means.
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eBook
Other

Uc Santa Cruz: Collisions

For Students 9th - 10th
A physics definition of collisions with examples to illustrate the concept and related links to problems and solutions.
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Activity
Science Bob Pflugfelder

Science Bob: Make Your Own Balloon Rocket!

For Students 3rd - 7th
This site contains a brief procedure for building (and launching) a balloon powered rocket. Introduces concepts of air pressure and propulsion.
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Interactive
NASA

Nasa: Launch a Rocket From a Spinning Planet

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides a fun project on rockets. "Nothing in space stands still. Everything either orbits around something else, or moves toward or away from something else. So how do...