Up, up and away! Gilmanton Elementary students send ‘Rockets to the Rescue’

Third and fourth grade students at Gilmanton Elementary recently had a chance to participate in a hands-on math and science lesson administered by Buffalo County’s UW-Extension office.

Taking advantage of the sunny, beautiful fall weather on Oct. 15, the students worked to design and built duct tape rockets capable of delivering a payload of food in response to a fictional scenario.

Using nothing more than a sheet of paper and colorful rolls of duct tape, students brainstormed how they might launch a rocket from the mainland capable of flying over the ocean to a remote, Pacific island where a natural disaster has left the people without food. After the rockets were constructed, students determined how to attach a payload of high-energy food, such as rice and beans, to their crafts.

The lesson was conducted in conjunction with 4-H National Youth Science Day, which is an interactive learning experience that looks to get youth excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Gilmanton’s third and fourth graders joined hundreds of thousands of other youth throughout the world who also conducted the “Rockets to the Rescue” experiment during the months of September and October. 

Taught in part by Dana Erickson and Annie Lisowski, Buffalo County 4-H Youth Development staff, the experiment challenges youth to use aerospace engineering to solve a global crisis and combines two key 4-H Youth Development issue areas—science and food security.

After the design and construction process was complete, students had the opportunity to launch their duct tape rockets from Gilmanton Elementary’s outdoor basketball court using foot and bike pumps. Students measured and recorded the distance their crafts traveled and made modifications to their designs, such as reducing the payload to increase flight distance. Critical thinking and problem solving skills were at work as the children measured the exact angle of the launch pad needed for a successful trajectory and learned about the concept of pressure.

A video developed of the experiment will be showcased online for entry into a national contest for the chance to win a $1,500 grant for the students’ classrooms.

For more information about National Youth Science Day or 4-H Youth Development STEM initiatives, please visit http://buffalo.uwex.edu.