Rolling Out the Rocket Challenges

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy’s challenged the people of our country to reach the moon by the end of the decade (1969). Today’s young people also need to be challenged to push their limits and to become leaders in critical thinking and problem solving.

The projects described below will hopefully inspire students to extend their reach and to broaden their horizons.

During a flurry of creativity I wrote two grants for launching rockets and am in the process of writing a third. All the grants emphasize the writing and presentation common core objectives and hands-on, minds-on activities. In short kids should have fun with science and the arts in the projects described below.

The first grant PORTAL (Pushing Our Reach through Alka-rocket Laucnh) is for students in grades 3-5.  It will involve the testing and launching of alka rockets. Many thanks to the Madison County Junior Auxillary for awarding this five hundred dollar grant and to Walgreens for donating supplies totaling three hundred dollars. 

                                           Highland Colony Walgreens Manager Chad Lowry

For this first project, I will select ten classrooms and their teachers from the pool of applicants. Students will connect history, literature, mathematics, art and music to rockets, and then prepare a brief presentation for the class. The climax will be a rocket launch from each team of four students.   

The winners from each class will be invited to a “launch off” contest at Madison Central High School on May 10. Prizes will be awarded and demonstration launches will be shown. The top presentations will be shown over the jumbotron. It will be a great day for celebrating learning. Invitations will be given to join the AAPT Rocketry Challenge Team. 

Elementary school teachers may apply for participation.

The second grant, Take Me to your Liter is for students in grades 6-8. This project will challenge students to design and launch a two liter bottle water rocket. Many thanks to the MAST (Mississippi Academy of Science Teachers) program directed by Dr. Mehri Fadavi at Jackson State University and funded by the National Science Foundation. They awarded a 1000 dollar grant. 

Middle school teachers may apply for participation.

The final grant, ENCORE (the exclamation point on this common core project) is for students in grades 9-12. This project will challenge students to design a two liter bottle rocket with a tennis ball projectile that can hit a prescribed target down range. I am seeking grantors for this one.