In October, 2019, students created aerodynamic waterbottle rockets. They had to determine fuel and energy. Students also had to launch an Eggonaut! Many teams' Eggonauts survived, while a few perished. All groups worked well together and had outstanding products. The group that had the highest launch, reached over '110 feet. Students also had to learn how to use a clinoreader and calculate distance using tangent of the angle.
Please scroll through the photos.
Can you build a water bottle rocket that flies the highest and lands the "egg-o-naut" safely back to earth?
This is the challenge facing 6th grade language and math challenge students in September and October.
Objectives for Rocket Unit:
Students will use critical thinking skills in designing and launching a water rocket. Students are so involved in the experiment they won’t realize they are learning complex physical science concepts (weight distribution, the effects of variables on thrust, action vs reaction). Students will participate in the following processes: observing, collecting and recording data, interpreting data, identifying and controlling variables, predicting and generalizing. Students will study Newton's laws of motion (inertia, force and acceleration, action/reaction) other discussion topics include lift, air flow, propulsion, friction and the generation of power. During the launching of the rockets students will use clinometers to determine the slope of the angle. They will use this information in a trigonometry formula to calculate the height of the rockets.
Designing, building and flying a bottle rocket provides students with a real-world application of the scientific method. Students must research a problem, propose an answer, test the answer, and analyze the data produced by the test to figure out if they have the answer or not. Math and science studies are necessary to complete the process . . . they are tools that an engineer uses to solve a problem. When students have the tools, then they can attack a problem--that's what engineers do!
National Standards (5-8)
Science--
Design and conduct a scientific investigation.
Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.
Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.
Demonstrate an understanding of properties and changes of properties in matter.
Demonstrate an understanding of motions and forces.
Demonstrate an understanding of transfer of energy.
Implement a proposed design.
Mathematics--
Extend an understanding of the concepts of perimeter, area, volume, angle measure, capacity, and weight and mass.
Technology
Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations (Web tools) to support learning and research.
November, December and January the focus is on Problem Solving skills for the Math Olympiad Competition
Math Olympiad is designed to teach the major strategies of problem solving, to foster mathematical creativity, and to stimulate enthusiasm and love for the types of problems that students encounter in competitive mathematics.
Math Olympiad contests aim to foster an interest in math and improve the mathematical skills of participants through team-based competitions.
Goals:
Students will learn about different strategies to solve Math Olympiad problems.
*Find a Pattern, Make a Table, Work Backwards, Guess and Check, Draw a Picture, Make a List, Write a Number Sentence, Use Logical Reasoning.
Promote the following:
1. Student Confidence! No one can solve a problem with a sense of dread, fear and failure looming!
2. Flexible Thinking! Promote Creative Thinking and Flexibility with problem solving strategies.
3. When it comes to solving Math Problems -- Go Slow to Go Fast! Practice, Practice, Practice problems.
To make problem solving meaningful and effective students will
Turn and Teach! Which means students will orally explain their thinking and process to a partner.