Hi friends!
Here is a quick update of what was happening this week in the STEM classroom! Wow, has it been a fun and exciting week! The kids and I have been so busy testing materials and launching rockets. See below for a grade specific update.
Grade 3
Third graders this week were introduced to a new testing tool that aeronautical engineers use to test their flying technologies---a vertical wind tunnel! We learned that vertical wind tunnels create an updraft (air moving up) and that objects in an updraft experience lift. The kids chose different building materials (tissue paper, cardboard, mylar, etc.) to see which materials have the greatest lift. We wanted to find out what the best building materials are to create a flying technology in the upcoming weeks. Nice job third graders!
Grade 5
Fifth graders this week were able to test the rockets that they created last week. Our objective was to find out how the variable of weight affects how far a rocket can travel. The students tested their rockets made from paper on a stomp launcher at 0, 10, and 20 weights. We used metal washers for weights. The students recorded their distance data and discovered that when the weight of the rocket increases, the distance it can travel decreases. Some students were surprised by this, and others expected this result. Next week, we will split into groups to test how other variables affect how far a rocket can travel like rocket length, width, and material. Our goal is to gather data about these different variables that will inform their creation of a final rocket that the students must plan a mission for with a certain destination in the solar system in mind, and that can also carry a rover with a specific job for exploring their destination. Way to go fifth graders! This launching procedure required much cooperation and the kids excelled!
Happy engineering!
-Mrs. A
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