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The purpose of this activity is to investigate the concepts of motion while simulating a rocket launch. The rocket’s motion can be divided into two segments: upward acceleration while the rocket’s engines are thrusting and freefall once the engines shut off. By controlling the acceleration and burn time, your children can make the rocket hit the clouds. Once they get a feeling for the rocket, they should take and graph data – just like a scientist or engineer - to better understand the rocket’s motion. Next, have your children study the rocket’s motion on the Moon and planets to better understand gravity. Finally, challenge your children to design a two-stage rocket that would be needed if they were to go to the Moon. Position, velocity, acceleration, positive and negative numbers are essential to describe and understand motion. If these ideas are confusing, there are definitions for your children in the active book to help them understand the concepts.
Be sure Squeak is installed successfully on your computer. It will take about 15 seconds for the project to load for a fast connection (up to 5 minutes for a slow modem connection). Wait until you see an orange flap at the lower left labeled Navigation. Click the flap to open and close it and access some neat tools. If you click Escape Browser, you will have more space. Click Browser Reentry to get back your Browser controls.
Rocket Launch: The NASA Rocket is waiting for your children to launch at the Control and Data Center. If they want to play first, then they can follow the Quick Start instructions on the first page of the active book at the right of the Squeak project. If your children need more direction and background, then they should go through the book. You may wish to review the concepts of position, velocity, acceleration and gravity. However you start, be sure your children complete the explorations near the end of the book and try to do the challenge. They will find it useful to plot data to understand position, velocity and acceleration better. Scientists often plot data to help them understand. Click the LAUNCH button at the left to start.
Plotting Tool: Review plotting data. If your children are already in the rocket launch activity, they should click Browser Reentry and then click the browser back button to return to this page. They should click the PLOTTING button at the left to review plotting.
Challenge: First your children should watch the recording of how to use Squeak to make the objects on the page perform for them. Playing is a great way to learn. They must click Escape Browser and their resolution must be set at 800x600 to view the recording properly. They should click the PLAYING button at the left to start the recording. Then they should return to LAUNCH and challenge themselves to "design" a two-stage rocket. They should take data on their rocket and graph the data to help improve their design. Engineers often plot data to help them with the design process. Have your children submit their two-stage Squeak project to the NASA CONNECT web site. We will post all the good entries that we receive to acknowledge your child's good work and let others learn from their solutions.
As parents you should guide your children in the activity, but don't take away their learning opportunity and do it for them. You may want to try the activity yourself first so you will be better prepared to help. Involve other children and have them work cooperatively (follow the link for advice) if you can. Also this activity employes many research-based strategies. Check them out for valuable tips and downloads. Also check out the teacher information at the bottom of this page. After your children are familiar with the Squeak Rocket Launch project, have them try these additional extensions. They should explore, create, and have fun learning.
Activity Objectives:
- Students will understand accelerated motion.
- Students will understand freefall motion.
- Students will review and solidify concepts of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and gravity.
- Students will use graphing skills to analyze and interpret data.
- Students will compare the rocket’s motion on the Earth to that on the Moon and planets.
- Students will understand how simulations are made from computer programs.
- Students will work cooperatively with other students and discuss results during the interactive activity.
Teacher Information
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