Balloon Rockets

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This is an activity about rockets. Learners will explore how rockets leave Earth's orbit and what it takes to make a launch successful. There is also a discussion of force and Newton's Third Law of Motion, and other topics - such as potential vs. kinetic energy, momentum, and acceleration - can easily be tied to this exciting activity.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per student
Age Range:
Ages 6 - 8
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • Balloons - the long ones work best (experiment with many types)
  • tape
  • plastic straws cut in half
  • paper clips
  • three 12-foot pieces of string or yarn (Not needed per student - Three total for the whole class)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Astronomy
      • Probes, Satellites and Spacecraft
  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Aerospace Engineering
    • Technology
      • Transportation

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • be mobile
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, COSI, 2009