How can we improve our Model Rocket Checklist?

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How can we improve our Model Rocket Checklist?

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Sensemaking is actively trying to figure out how the world works (science) or how to design solutions to problems (engineering). Students do science and engineering through the science and engineering practices. Engaging in these practices necessitates that students be part of a learning community to be able to share ideas, evaluate competing ideas, give and receive critique, and reach consensus. Whether this community of learners is made up of classmates or family members, students and adults build and refine science and engineering knowledge together.

Lesson Snapshot

Middle school students, as scientists, use science ideas about forces and motion, particle motion, and chemical reactions to answer the following driving question: How can we improve our Model Rocket Checklist? Students begin by analyzing group and class launch data. Groups then discuss their checklist and rocket launch with another group. Based on their discussion and data, students revise their checklists to improve clarity and safety and to meet the design criteria. Students present their revised checklist to an audience.

Click the Download PDF button above for the complete Lesson Plan.

Materials

Student Materials

Per Student

Per Small Group (2 to 4 students)

Phone or other device that recorded model rocket launches during Lesson 6

Teacher Materials

Phone or other device that recorded model rocket launches during Lesson 6

Optional Teacher Resources

NSTA Science Scope: “Assessing Student Presentations from Three Perspectives”
Edutopia: “The Secret to Great Middle School Presentations”
Edutopia: “How a Simple Presentation Framework Helps Students Learn”

Model Rocket Safety Storyline Unit

This lesson is one of seven lessons in the Model Rocket Safety Storyline Unit. Storylines start with an anchoring phenomenon that raises questions or introduces a problem. Each step in a storyline unit is then driven by students’ questions that arise from the phenomenon.

In this case, the anchoring phenomena are successful and unsuccessful model rocket flights. The first day of the unit allows students to consider what they do and don't know about model rockets and what they want to find out. This gives them a reason to investigate the science ideas that explain model rocket launches, flight, and landings. In doing so, they will make sense of Disciplinary Core Ideas related to physics, chemistry, and engineering.