Intro to Rocketry Curriculum

---

1. Introduction to Rockets and the Basics of Flight

• Objective: 
  • Introduce students to the history of rocketry and the principles of rocket flight.
• Topics Covered:
  • The history of rocketry: From early Chinese rockets to modern space exploration.
  • Basic principles of flight: Thrust, lift, drag, and gravity.
  • Key figures in rocketry: Robert Goddard, Elon Musk, etc.
• Hands-On Activity: Paper Rocket Launch
  • Students will design simple paper rockets and launch them using straws or small launch tubes.
  • Discuss how shape and weight impact the distance and height of the rocket’s flight.

2. How Rockets Work – Newton’s Third Law of Motion

• Objective: 
  • Learn how Newton’s Third Law of Motion applies to rocket flight.
• Topics Covered:
  • Newton’s Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
  • How rocket engines generate thrust.
  • Different types of rocket engines: Solid fuel, liquid fuel, and hybrid engines.
• Hands-On Activity: Balloon Rockets
  • Create rockets using inflated balloons and string. Launch them by releasing the air to demonstrate how thrust propels a rocket forward.
  • Measure and compare how different amounts of air (thrust) affect the rocket’s distance.

3.  Rocket Anatomy – Parts of a Rocket

• Objective: 
  • Identify and explain the key parts of a rocket and their functions.
• Topics Covered:
  • Basic anatomy of a rocket: Nose cone, fins, body tube, and engine.
  • How each part of the rocket contributes to its stability and flight.
  • Introduction to stabilizers and how they help guide the rocket.
• Hands-On Activity: Build a Simple Bottle Rocket
  • Students will build a basic bottle rocket using recycled plastic bottles.
  • They will attach fins and a nose cone to improve flight stability and learn how water pressure launches the rocket.

4. The Four Forces of Rocket Flight

• Objective: 
  • Understand how the four forces (thrust, drag, lift, and gravity) affect a rocket during flight.
• Topics Covered:
  • How thrust propels a rocket upward.
  • The role of drag and how aerodynamic shapes reduce resistance.
  • The effects of gravity on the rocket’s ascent and descent.
  • How rockets achieve stability using fins and other design elements.
• Hands-On Activity: Fin Shape Experiment
  • Design and test different fin shapes on a model rocket to see how they affect flight stability.
  • Launch several small rockets with different fin shapes and observe which flies the highest and straightest.

5. Staging and Multi-Stage Rockets

• Objective: 
  • Learn about multi-stage rockets and how they improve efficiency.
• Topics Covered:
  • What staging is and how it allows rockets to travel farther.
  • Examples of famous multi-stage rockets (e.g., Saturn V, SpaceX Falcon Heavy).
  • How fuel is conserved and used more efficiently in staged rockets.
• Hands-On Activity: DIY Two-Stage Rocket
  • Build a simple two-stage rocket using paper tubes or cardboard.
  • Use different propulsion systems (e.g., balloon-powered or air pressure) to simulate the stages of the rocket.

6. Space Exploration and the Future of Rocketry

• Objective: 
  • Explore the future of rocketry and its role in space exploration.
• Topics Covered:
  • The importance of rockets in space exploration.
  • The future of rocketry: Reusable rockets, space tourism, Mars exploration.
  • Introduction to space agencies (NASA, ESA, SpaceX) and their contributions to space travel.
• Hands-On Activity: Design Your Own Rocket for the Future
  • Students will design and create a model of a futuristic rocket, focusing on solving a problem (e.g., long-duration space travel, environmental impact).
  • Present the designs and explain their innovations.

Assessment and Learning Reflection:

• After each class, students will complete a short worksheet reflecting on what they learned and how their rocket designs performed.
•  At the end of the six weeks, students can showcase their futuristic rocket designs and participate in a launch competition with their bottle rockets.