I am planning on giving students various sources to investigate elements of good rocket design. I will let them discuss the text in their table groups. Perhaps this will lead to additional questions that they may have. Each student will synthesize information to build knowledge and plan their designs in their lab notebooks.
Afer rockets are launched, they will observe various rockets performance and make adjustments to make a second rockets in an attempt to increase the rocket's distance.
After the investigation, students will create poster board and present their findings at the engineering fair. We'll see how it goes.
Jon- First, can we come watch the rockets launch? Second, what an awesome topic to get your 8th graders excited about being curious. The sheer nature of being able to build and launch something from beginning to end would have been a dream to me at that age, instead of just reading about it. I am wondering how much the literature circle experience will expand their thinking? Being new to the science side of things, I have yet to engage the kids in the kind of conversational/argumentative thinking that the literature circle structure provides. Good luck! I will be awaiting the engineering fair, as will my kids!
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