Build A Rocket

Paper Stomp Rockets

For about $10 in materials – and no water spray! – you can make a simple air powered paper rocket launcher. The rockets themselves are almost free, made out of sheets of copy paper! Great for younger students.

Rockets Educator Guide from NASA

NASA has created this guide for educators, full of activities and lesson plans. This resource for grades K thru 12 emphasizes hands-on science, prediction, data collection and interpretation, teamwork, and problem solving. Look for background information about the history of rockets and basic rocket science. The rocket activities in this guide support national curriculum standards for science, mathematics and technology. Many of the projects require only simple materials like paper, straws, rubber bands and the like.

The scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical foundations of rocketry provide exciting classroom opportunities for authentic hands-on, minds-on experimentation, no matter what the grade level.

Heat Shield Challenge

Don't want to launch rockets in the playground? Here's a lesson plan challenge from NASA that can be conducted indoors by grades 5 thru High School: Design and test a heat shield to protect the sensor payload during a Mars entry simulation. This resource includes an introductory page and the worksheets for students. Your students will create their design, track costs, make observations, and write up the results.

The America Rocketry Challenge

The Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is the world's largest rocket contest, designed to encourage students to study science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and more than 20 aerospace industry partners, TARC provides middle and high school students the opportunity to design, build and launch model rockets in a competition among approximately 5,000 students nationwide each year.

Can you launch eggs into space and return them safely to the Earth?

Saturn V Vacuum Rocket Launcher

This launcher project uses air or a lack thereof, not water or pyrotechnics, to launch the spacecraft. Uses a vacuum pump, acrylic cylinder and simple 3D printed parts. It includes alternatives if you do not have access to a 3D printer.

Estes Educator - Guide for Teachers

For those looking for rockets with a little more punch, Estes -- the model rocket company -- has a site for educators with curriculum, local legal requirements, and more information on model rocketry.

Before the launch, check the safety requirements with your local Fire Department!

Fly Rockets!

Students who express an interest in rocketry can check out FlyRockets.com for lots of information and clubs in their area.

National Association of Rocketry

The NAR provides educational resources and a list of nearby clubs. National Association of Rocketry is the oldest and largest sport rocketry organization in the world.

Mr. Hayhurst's Quick and Easy Bottle Rocket

Pat Hayhurst, a H.S. Instructor, describes how he creates Bottle Rockets using 2-liter soda bottles, compressed air and water, and includes a lesson plan! [Our webmaster agrees that soda bottle rockets are great fun.] Lancaster High School sponsored a bottle rocket RocketFest, with contests like "Land The Egg" and "Longest Field Goal By A Rocket".

NASA Student Launch Challenge

NASA's Student Launch is a researched-based, competitive, experiential exploration activity. It includes yearly challenges reaching a broad audience of middle and high schools, colleges and universities, and non-academic teams across the nation through an eight-month commitment to design, construct, and fly payloads & vehicle components and corresponding ground support equipment.

The teams launch the experiments on high-power rockets in Huntsville, Alabama and share the research results, which will be used in future design and development of NASA projects.