1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: The Skies the Limit Duration: 3-4 Weeks
Subject/Course: Physical Science Teacher(s): Mr. Holland Grade Level: 5th
Other subject areas to Mathematics/ Physics
be included, if any:
Project Idea The students will design, build, and fly their own rockets. They will create a hypothesize as to why their rocket works and how
Summary of the issue, their design will help their rocket fly based on their knowledge of science and physics (i.e.: air pressure, density of water,
challenge, investigation, aerodynamic design, guidance system, weight distribution, friction, thrust, etc...) Students will compare their hypothesis with their
scenario, or problem: actual rocket flights and investigate why their hypothesis was right or wrong.
Driving Question How do rockets work and what would make them work better?
Content and Skills Asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations will allow the students’ to progress scientific. The students will
Standards to be use scientific investigation, observation, formulation of a hypothesis, and experimentation to demonstrate the truth or falseness of
addressed: their hypothesis. They will come to a conclusion that validates or modifies the hypothesis.
T+A E T+A E
21st Century Skills Collaboration X X Other:
to be explicitly taught
and assessed (T+A) or Presentation X X
that will be encouraged
(E) by project work, but Critical Thinking: X X
not taught or assessed:
Presentation Audience:
Group: Students will work collaboratively in pairs to design their rockets and formulate a hypothesis
Culminating about how and why their rockets will fly. They will determine what factors will effect their Class:
Products and flight (i.e.: air pressure, density of water, aerodynamic design, guidance system, weight
Performances distribution, thrust, friction, etc...)
School:
Community:
Students will work individually to build their rockets to the specifications in their designs. Experts:
Individual: They will determine what factors will effect their flight (i.e.: air pressure, density of water,
aerodynamic design, guidance system, weight distribution, thrust, friction, etc...) Web:
Other:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 1

2. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to Will launch a rocket designed and built by the teacher to model what the students will create. Will discuss and analyze what
launch inquiry, factors affect the flight (i.e.: air pressure, density of water, aerodynamic design, guidance system, weight distribution, friction,
engage students: etc...)
Assessments Quizzes/Tests X Practice Presentations X
Formative
Assessments Journal/Learning Log X Notes X
(During Project)
Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes X Checklists X
Rough Drafts Concept Maps
Online Tests/Exams Other:
Written Product(s), with rubric: Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric:
Summative __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
Assessments
(End of Project) Oral Presentation, with rubric X Peer Evaluation X
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test Self-Evaluation X
Essay Test Other:
.
Resources On-site people, facilities:
Needed
Equipment: Electric Air Pump, Launch Pad, Cork w/ Inflating Needle
Materials: 2 liter soda bottle, thin cardboard, duct tape, scissors, crayons, journals, paper, pencils, glue
Community resources:
Reflection Journal/Learning Log X Focus Group
Methods (Individual,
Group, and/or Whole-Class Discussion X Fishbowl Discussion
Whole Class)
Survey Other: Answer the “Driving Question” X
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 2

3. PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: Course/Semester:
Knowledge and Skills Needed By Students Scaffolding / Materials/ Lessons To Be Provided
to successfully complete culminating products and by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
performances, and do well on summative assessments mentors, or community members
Air Pressure (aerodynamic design)
Air pressure is the force exerted by the weight of a column of air above a Paper helicopters, fan w/ cardboard, images of aerodynamic design,
particular location. Aerodynamics is concerned with studying the motion  etc...
of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object.
Friction - the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid Students will run races with large pieces of poster board in different
layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. positions to demonstrate how friction affects rocket flight.

Mass (Weight on Earth) Foss Kit
Mass is a measurement of how much matter is in an object; weight is a
measurement of how hard gravity is pulling on that object. 
Scientific Methodology Students will use the scientific method in the entire process of this
• Ask a Question assignment.
• Do Background Research
• Construct a Hypothesis

• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
• Communicate Your Results
History of Rocketry Various Films, demonstrations, examples, and ongoing discussions
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient China
• Rocket Improvements

• Science of Rocketry
• Modern Rocketry
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 3

4. PROJECT CALENDAR
Project: Start Date:
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Project Week One
History of Rocketry History of Rocketry History of Rocketry History of Rocketry History of Rocketry
• Ancient Greece • Ancient China • Rocket Improvements • Science of Rocketry • Modern Rocketry
Project Week Two
Will launch a rocket Air Pressure (aerodynamic density of water aerodynamic design Friction
designed and built by the design)
teacher to model what the Air pressure is the force Mass is a measurement of Aerodynamics is concerned Friction is the force resisting
students will create. Will exerted by the weight of a how much matter is in an with studying the motion of the relative motion of solid
discuss and analyze what column of air above a object; weight is a air, particularly when it surfaces, fluid layers, and/or
factors affect the flight (i.e.: particular location. measurement of how hard interacts with a moving material elements sliding
air pressure, density of gravity is pulling on that object. against each other.
water, aerodynamic design, object.
guidance system, weight
distribution, friction, etc...)
Project Week Three
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 4

5. Students will work Students will work Students will work Students will work Students will work
collaboratively in pairs to collaboratively in pairs to collaboratively in pairs to collaboratively in pairs to collaboratively in pairs to
design their rockets and design their rockets and design their rockets and design their rockets and design their rockets and
formulate a hypothesis about formulate a hypothesis about formulate a hypothesis about formulate a hypothesis about formulate a hypothesis about
how and why their rockets how and why their rockets how and why their rockets how and why their rockets how and why their rockets
will fly. They will determine will fly. They will determine will fly. They will determine will fly. They will determine will fly. They will determine
what factors will effect their what factors will effect their what factors will effect their what factors will effect their what factors will effect their
flight (i.e.: air pressure, flight (i.e.: air pressure, flight (i.e.: air pressure, flight (i.e.: air pressure, flight (i.e.: air pressure,
density of water, aerodynamic density of water, aerodynamic density of water, aerodynamic density of water, aerodynamic density of water, aerodynamic
design, guidance system, design, guidance system, design, guidance system, design, guidance system, design, guidance system,
weight distribution, thrust, weight distribution, thrust, weight distribution, thrust, weight distribution, thrust, weight distribution, thrust,
friction, etc...) friction, etc...) friction, etc...) friction, etc...) friction, etc...)
Project Week Four
Students will work Students will work Students will work Students will work Students will work
individually to build their individually to build their individually to build their individually to build their individually to build their
rockets to the specifications in rockets to the specifications in rockets to the specifications in rockets to the specifications in rockets to the specifications in
their designs. They will their designs. They will their designs. They will their designs. They will their designs. They will
determine what factors will determine what factors will determine what factors will determine what factors will determine what factors will
effect their flight (i.e.: air effect their flight (i.e.: air effect their flight (i.e.: air effect their flight (i.e.: air effect their flight (i.e.: air
pressure, density of water, pressure, density of water, pressure, density of water, pressure, density of water, pressure, density of water,
aerodynamic design, guidance aerodynamic design, guidance aerodynamic design, guidance aerodynamic design, guidance aerodynamic design, guidance
system, weight distribution, system, weight distribution, system, weight distribution, system, weight distribution, system, weight distribution,
thrust, friction, etc...) They thrust, friction, etc...) They thrust, friction, etc...) They thrust, friction, etc...) They thrust, friction, etc...) They
will journal their work. will journal their work. will journal their work. will journal their work. will journal their work.
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 5

6. © 2008 Buck Institute for Education 6