Lesson plan

Rockets

Summary
Shoot off rockets powered by gas pressure, generated by various means.
Science content
Chemistry: States of Matter, Properties of Materials (K-7)
Physics: Motion and Forces, Newton’s Laws, Gravity (K, 2, 6)
Physics: Energy forms, Conservation of Energy (1, 3, 4, 5)
Earth/Space: Extreme Environments, Space Exploration (6)
Activities in this lesson
Rocket powered by baking soda and vinegar
Stomp rocket
Mini baking soda rocket (film canister)
Air pressure rocket (demonstration)
Rocket chemistry molecular modelling (liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen)
Procedure

Choose two activities for a lesson.

Shoot off film canister rockets.
Discuss the chemistry and the gas pressure that builds up and sends it upwards.
Set off the more powerful baking soda and vinegar rocket as a demonstration, which uses the same mechanism.

Instead of making the gas pressure from a chemical reaction, a chamber can be compressed to increase gas pressure: air pressure rocket (very powerful - be careful) or stomp rocket.

Discover chemistry that makes real rockets fly.

Energy transformations in rockets.
Baking soda and vinegar/Alka seltzer rockets use chemical energy into motion energy.

Grades taught
Gr 4