Year 4 Make and Fly Rockets

Mr Blakely, a scientist, came to our school to teach Year 4 about rockets. He began by showing them a film about the Mars Explorer.

He got the children to make their own rockets out of paper and he showed them how to fire them off using alka-seltzer in water. When you put alka-seltzer in water it gives off a gas called carbon dioxide and the pressure of this gas made the rockets fly.

Then the whole class went out onto the school field and Mr Blakely, with the help of Faye and Sophie, fired a large rocket across nearly the full length of the field.

by Cara, Finnlay, Olivia and Tom

Mr Blakely showing the children how to make a rocket.

Everyone listening attentively to Mr Blakely.

Everyone cut out a rocket from a template.

Sophie pouring water into an empty film cassette for her rocket.

If you look carefully you can see one of the rockets in the top centre of this picture after it has been fired.

Kyle, standing on a skateboard, threw a cushion with a heavy brick inside it. The force of his throwing the brick made him roll in the other direction. Mr Blakely told the children that this is how rockets are able to fly through empty space where there is no air.

This is Faye and Sophie pouring water into the bigger rocket.

Sophie about to fire the rocket

ZOOM!!!! the rocket shoots up leaving a trail of water behind it.

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