My students need 32 Firestreak rockets, the engines to power the rockets, a launch pad and remote launcher, recovery wadding to prevent the rockets from burning up, and a set of six stopwatches to time the flights.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
I teach 8th grade general science in a high- need community in Maryland. The school I work for is lacking in many basic science supplies which prevents me from doing many different labs.
While I have minimal supplies, I try to infuse my class with as many labs and activities as possible. In a beginning of the year survey I took, almost all 120 students wrote they wanted to do labs and hands-on projects. My goal has been to do this as much as possible because I have noticed my students retain information more when they have a lab or hands-on activity to relate to.
We are in the midst of a unit on chemistry and soon about to move onto astronomy. Astronomy is particularly difficult to visualize as labs are a bit more difficult to conduct. I plan on giving my students the opportunity to get hands-on and launch rockets to mimic what astronauts do. Several students have also expressed interest in engineering type projects. The rockets would be a great way for them to test how different fin shapes and sizes, rocket weight and engines will affect the time and distance of flight. My hope is that students will be excited to explore space once they are given a chance to put themselves in the shoes of astronauts and NASA scientists. This project will be a fantastic way to hook my students into the excitement of exploring space.
With your support my students will be able to get a taste of space exploration. This project will engage my students and allow me to bring in additional scientific questions that teach them how to troubleshoot, evaluate and design different designs. This experience will motivate my students to soar to higher heights.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. K. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.