Red Neck Rocket Science Lesson Plans
Flight & Space History- Use of Power Points, Models, X-Rockets, Dryden Website’s, Critical
thinking and Scientific Method
Laws of MotionLaw 1- An object not moving will not move unless something (a force) moves it. An object in
motion will keep moving unless something (a force) stops it.
Demonstrate by dropping a basketball from shoulder level and discuss what starts it to fall
(gravity) and what stops its movement (earth). Ask who has heard of Sir Isaac Newton and
discuss his laws and the initial thought process that started him thinking about motion. Discuss
what would have happened if the basketball had been in the weightlessness of outer space.
Hydro Rocket Demonstration for Law1- Launch a rocket at a 45 degree angle with 32 oz. of
water and 70 psi. Discuss why it does not leave until the mechanism is released (balanced force).
After the launch discuss why the rocket’s trajectory was shaped in an arc. (as the rocket slowed
down it had less force to resist gravity and fell back towards the gravitational force)
Law 2- The acceleration of an object is directly related to the force exerted on that object and
oppositely related to the mass of that object.
Demonstrate by dropping a tennis ball and basketball from shoulder height and discuss why
they bounced about the same ht. Then drop the tennis ball with the basketball on top of it, discuss
what happened and why. Now reverse the balls and drop the basketball with the tennis ball on
top. Discuss why the reaction was so different from when the basketball was on top.
Hydro Rocket Demonstration- Launch 2 rockets, one with 32 ounces of water and one without
water, both at the same pressure. Discuss why one goes farther than the other.
Law 3- For Every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.
Demonstrate with pop cans. Use a nail to make 3 holes in the side of a pop can near the bottom,
Force the nail into the can then push the nail to the right while it is in the can. Do this to 2 cans,
in one can use a small finish nail, in the other can use a large nail. Use 2-18 inch strings. Tie one
string to each cans pop tab. Holding the end of one string in each hand, lower the cans into a 5
gal. bucket of water. Once the cans have filled with water, raise them above the surface of the
water simultaneously. The cans should start spinning as the water runs out. Discuss why they
spin at different speeds and for different lengths of times.
Hydro Rocket Demonstration- Launch 2 rockets, one with 32 ounces, the other completely full
of water, use 70 lbs. psi on both. Discuss why one flies so well and the other the other so poorly.