Ten, Nine, Eight. . .Lift off!
Lesson Plan for Gifted and Talented Learners
Denise Zigler, M ED
denise.zigler@mnps.org
NASA SOLAR SYSTEM AMBASSADOR MASTER TEACHER, TN
Rationale:
The primary learning outcomes:
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The learner will be able to increase their understanding of and comfort with the nature of
science and the scientific process through the context of an interesting real-world
scientific interactive hands-on lesson.
The learner will examine Newton's 1st, 2nd and 3rd Laws through the construction of a
Antacid Powered Rocket
The teacher will share with the students a power-point lesson/hand-out on an antacid powered
rocket and describe the step-by-step process of how to construct an antacid powered rocket.
Following the power-point demonstration, and examination of Newton’s First, Second and Third,
laws students will construct their antacid powered rocket.
Objectives
The student will:
• Demonstrate how rocket liftoff is an application of Newton's Laws of Motion
• Construct an Antacid Powered Rocket
• Evaluate and experiment with ways of increasing/improving the distance the Antacid
Powered (Rocket) travels
Materials:
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Paper, regular 8-1/2- by 11-inch paper, such as computer printer paper or even
notebook paper.
Plastic 35-mm film canister
Cellophane tape
Scissors
Effervescing (fizzing) antacid tablet (the kind used to settle an upset stomach)
Wipes
Water
Eye protection (safety goggles)
Stop Watch or Timer
National Science Standards
National Academy of Sciences:
The National Science Education Standards provide guidelines for teaching science as well as a coherent
vision of what it means to be scientifically literate for students in grades K-12.
This lesson plan may be used to address the academic standards listed below. These National Science
Education Standards are drawn from Content Knowledge for Understanding Scientific Inquiry. The
science subject matter focuses on the science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are
important for all students to know, understand, and use
This lesson plan addresses the following National Science Education Standards-National Research
Council:
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Evidence, models and explanation
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Change, constancy, and measurement
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Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
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Position and motion of objects • Motions and forces
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Properties of objects and materials
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Understanding about science and technology
This lesson plan addresses the following Principles and Standards for School Mathematics/Pre K -
12 -National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
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Number and Operations
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Algebra • Geometry
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Measurement
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Data Analysis and Probability
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Problem Solving
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Reasoning and Proof
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Communication
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Connections
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Representations
Pre-Assessment:
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Originality, Flexibility, Fluency brainstorming
Metacognition (Students thinking about thinking about Forces and Motion!) Students will begin
by brainstorming in small groups their own Who, What, When, Where, How and Why, question
that they would like to discover/have answered about Forces and Motion. (Each corner in the
classroom will have a different sign entitled, Who, What, When and Where. Two signs entitled
How and Why will be in the middle of the classroom.)
-Students will move to the different signs and post their Forces of Motion questions on post-t-notes under
the various signs.
A post assessment will follow at the end of the unit when the students analyze their questions
and evaluate which questions they have answered and recall what they have learned.
Antacid Powered Rocket:
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Students will discuss in pairs/small groups examples of Newton’s First, Second and Third
Laws.
Newton’s Laws:
Sir Isaac Newton first presented his three laws of motion in the "Principia Mathematica
Philosophiae Naturalis" in 1686. his activity is a simple but exciting demonstration of Newton's
Laws of Motion. The rocket lifts off because it is acted upon by an unbalanced force (First Law).
This is the force produced when the lid blows off by the gas formed in the canister. The rocket
travels upward with a force that is equal and opposite to the downward force propelling the
water, gas, and lid (Third Law). The amount of force is directly proportional to the mass of water
and gas expelled from the canister and how fast it accelerates (Second Law). His third law states
that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, if
object A exerts a force on object B, then object B also exerts an equal and opposite force on
object A. Notice that the forces are exerted on different.
http://www.museumoftherockies.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3Levz9YItFc%3D&tabid=106&mid=576
Procedure/Activities:
This lesson is the perfect STEM lesson model as it combines science/ Newton’s first, second and
third laws of motion, engineering rocket design, technology education and mathematics. Stop
watches can be utilized to time distance from launch to Earth, and students can create graphs
and/or Venn diagrams to compare launch distances. Students can write/keep a scientific journal
of lesson activities. Students can create Antacid Powered Rocket “Test Reports" (Scientific
Journals) to describe test runs and engineering modifications that improved their rockets’
efficiency. Students can use these reports for assessment along with an engineering design sheet
and new rocket, should the student choose to do the second part of this activity.
This activity can be done individually or with students working in pairs. It is best to allow 45
minutes to an hour to complete the first part of the activity. The activity stresses technology
education and provides students with the opportunity to modify their rocket designs to increase
performance. The optional second part of the activity directs students to design, construct, and
test a new Antacid Powered Rocket based on the results of the first rocket. (Refer to the materials
list and provide what is needed for making one rocket for each group of two students.)
Background Information:
The Antacid Rocket is a simple way to observe Newton's Laws of Motion and provides students with
the opportunity to put the action/reaction force to practical use. In this case, through
modifications, the students can modify their rockets and use more or less fuel (antacid tablets and
water) to improve the desired results/their rockets' time/efficiency.
PROCEDURE
Constructing an Antacid Rocket
1. Construct/cut out a tube of paper to wrap and tape around the film canister. Then
tape the canister to the end of the paper before you start wrapping.
2. Be sure to invert the canister/place the lid end of the canister so that the lid is
flat/down.
3. Next create/cut out fins to fit your rocket body and tape the fins to your rocket.
4. Finally, construct a circle on paper and create/cut out a cone. Then tape the cone to
the top of the rocket.
Get Ready to Launch
(This is activity works best to launch outside, on concrete)
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First, put on a pair of safety goggles
Next, turn the film canister upside down and fill it ¼ full water
Then add 1/2 tablet of an antacid tablet to the canister
Tightly close/snap the lid shut
Rather quickly place the rocket upright (outside on a concrete sidewalk)
Be careful and use EXTREME CAUTION and stand back as the rocket launches
Use a stopwatch or timer and record the time it takes for gravity to pull your rocket
back to Earth!
Antacid Powered (Rocket) Test Report/Inquiry
1. Predict/Create a hypothesis for the time that that you think it will take for your
rocket to travel back to Earth.
2. Describe how your rocket flew during the first launch. Did it fly on a straight or
curved path? How long did it take for your rocket to travel back to Earth (seconds)
3. Color in one block on graph paper for each 10 seconds your rocket traveled.
4. Design and construct a change that will improve your rocket and test launch it
again.
You could consider these changes:
Modify the design/size of the fins
Use more or less fuel (the amount of water used and/or antacid tablets used)
5. Describe what you did to improve the rocket for the second trial launch.
6. How long did it take for your rocket to travel back to Earth? (seconds)
7. Color in one block on graph paper for each 10 seconds your rocket traveled.
8. Re-evaluate and construct a change to improve your rocket and test launch it again.
9. Describe what you did to improve the rocket for the third trial launch.
10. How far did it take for your rocket to travel back to the Earth?
11. Color in one block on graph paper for each 10 seconds it took for your rocket to
travel back to Earth.
12. In which test did your rocket have the fastest time? Was your hypothesis close?
13. Evaluate and compare your races. Describe what you would do to improve the time.
Discussion:
1. How does the amount of water placed in the cylinder affect how high the rocket will
fly?
2. • Does the temperature of the water affect how high the rocket will fly?
3. • How does the amount of the tablet used affect how high the rocket will fly?
4. • How does the length or empty weight of the rocket affect how high the rocket will
fly?
5. • How would it be possible to create a two-stage rocket?
Differentiation:
To Differentiate this Lesson
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Tic-Tac-Toe Menu Board
Students can choose one of the following three items:
-Drawings with Facts
Create drawings of a launch demonstrating distance the rocket could travel and a criteria card explaining
Newton’s First, Second, and Third laws.
Possible points_______________
-Safety Tips and Pictures
Write 5 good and useful safety tips for this lesson and detailed pictures related to those tips.
Suggested extension: Write a paragraph explaining why each tip is important to follow.
Possible points________________
-Technology Demo
Create a power-point demonstration of Newton’s First, Second, and Third laws of motion.
Possible points________________
Assessment:
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Students will create Antacid Powered Rocket “Test Reports" (Scientific Journals) to
describe test runs and engineering/modifications that improved their rockets’ efficiency.
Students can use these reports for assessment along with an engineering design sheet and
new rocket, should the student choose to do the second part of this activity.
Students will discuss in small groups:
“Explain how you applied Newton’s First, Second and Third Laws and how it helped you to
improve your Antacid Powered Rocket.”
References:
Web Address: http://imaginationstationtoledo.org/content/2010/08/film-canister-rockets-2/
NASA Space Place: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/pop-rocket/en/
Rockets: NASA
A Teacher's Guide with Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology. EG-108 February 1996.
3-2-1 POP!
http://www.museumoftherockies.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3Levz9YItFc%3D&tabid=106&mi
d=576
WEBSITES and Contact Information
Astrobiology-Life in the Solar System and Elsewhere
http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/library/downloads/ERG.pdf
Educator Rocket Guide
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Rocket_Races.html
Ice in the Solar System
http://ipy.arcticportal.org/index.php?option=com_k2&id=446&view=item&Itemid=10
Living and Working in Space
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/schedule/extrathemes/F_Living_and_Working_in
_Space_Extra.html
NASA Instructional Units and Lesson Plans for Teachers
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlnasa/units/index.html
NASA Quest
http://quest.nasa.gov/space/teachers/rockets/act2.html
NASA Space Place
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/pop-rocket/en/
Rockets: NASA
A Teacher's Guide with Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology. EG-108 February 1996.
3-2-1 POP!
http://www.museumoftherockies.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3Levz9YItFc%3D&tabid=106&mid=576
Stardust
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Stardust at Home
http://stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Education Modules:
Comparative Planetology
http://www.messenger-education.org/teachers/MEMS_CompPlanetology.php?ref=&pageType=on
Contact Information
Denise Zigler, M ed
NASA/JPL Solar Ambassador Master Teacher, TN
MNPS-Encore
denise.zigler@mnps.org