Launching and Graphing Rocket #2

For the second rocket launch, I was very excited but also very nervous. I was nervous because I didn’t want a repeat of last time where our rocket didn’t go anywhere the first time. I wanted the rocket to shoot up on the first time we release for that number launch. That’s why my group worked hard on the rocket. Making every measurement precise. That little detail could make the difference form the rocket going two hundred feet and two feet. I was excited though because rocket launches are fun. Everyone sees the groups rockets go really high. 

 

The first group went then the second. Why can’t time go faster. “Finally” I said as the group before us just released their rocket. Soon I was standing a few feet away from the rocket ready to countdown. Then I began…. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Release. We watched in amazement as the rocket shot up like a real one. Everyone was cheering. They were all impressed. I definitely was.

 

Soon later it was time to graph the results, everyone in my group graphed one and we picked the best one. The final result was 131 feet. The other launch our result was 146 feet.

 

Our group agreed that the clinometer readings were a little off this time because some of us felt this one went higher than the first launch. We had different opinions. Overall we were pretty confident in this launch. Our group thinks we did well and our rocket went high. I certainly agree. 

Designing and Building Rocket #3

Since this rocket is the last one we will do, everyone in my group wants it to go the highest out of all of them. The parents were coming and we wanted to make this our best work. To do this though, we will have to work really hard and not fool around.

 

 When our group started designing our first rocket on google drawing we didn’t know what to make and how to make the rocket, but now that we are on our final rocket, everyone in our group knows how to make one. It didn’t take long and once we were finished the rocket looked pretty good. We all decided on changing the rocket so the nose cone was taped on the outside of the rocket instead of on the inside.

 

The next step in the process was to start building. Our group’s final rocket colors were green and yellow. We decided to name the rocket, The Lemon-Lime Rocket. So someone wrote it on the side of the rocket. First we tried making the body. When it was finished, it was too big and thick, so we tried again and this time the body was good. The next thing for the rocket was the nose cone. After a few tries the nose cone was pointy and not too thick. Soon we taped the two together. Then it came time to make the fin design. Everyone sketched one out and we agreed to use the best one. After the fins were cut out on cardboard, we started hot gluing. Three people got to glue one fin fully on. One person glued the borders of each fin making sure they were on tight and wouldn’t fall off during the launch. 

 

We all felt confident in this rocket. We worked hard and gave our best effort. Hopefully the rocket will go just as high as we were hoping for. 

Designing and Building Rocket #2

Designing rocket number 2 was no easier than designing rocket number 1. The hardest part was definitely agreeing and disagreeing with things. We made three rockets than voted on them. One kid didn’t care and everyone else voted. Of course, it was 1, 1 and 1.  So we had to do things differently. We ended up picking a skinny rocket, with 3 fins and a long nose cone. Everyone agreed. 

 

When we started building, things didn’t start out that good. The body was too wide. We started over and that one was a success. The fins were sketched out a few different times and we picked the best one and went with it. Our teacher cut them out and then it was time to make the nose cone. The first one wasn’t the best, we kept on making nose cones until someone in my group made a really good nose cone. We used that one. 

 

The next step was to hot glue and tape everything onto the rocket. Our group was gluing and taping a lot onto the rocket so the nose cone and the fins were on sturdy and tight. Nobody wanted the rocket to explode in mid air. 

 

Overall I think when our group got into arguments we didn’t do as well. When we all agreed and didn’t fight, we did very well. For the third rocket design, build and launch we have to agree for our rocket to go high.

Launching and Graphing Rocket #1

The Rocket launch was super fun. I was just as excited as everyone else, if not more. I couldn’t wait to see all the rockets soaring through the sky higher than the birds. Well everyone’s rockets did except for my group. The nose cone blew clean off right when we released the rocket. Boy were we disappointed. All this hard work for a broken rocket. 

Just as everyone in my group (Including me) were dragging our body’s away, our teacher surprised us. She said we could run inside, rebuild our rocket, run back outside and launch again. So we did, running at top speed back to the classroom, built as fast as we could and them came running back out confident in the rocket that was in my hands.

 Before I knew it, we were counting down till launch. 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 release!!! We watched in amazement as our rocket went shooting up to the clouds.Going, going, gone, soon we could not see it, then the rocket came flying back down. Everyone in my group was super happy. The rocket went a lot higher than we thought. The nose cone landed in the ground and when a classmate pulled it out, the nose cone was all bent and ruined. But after what I just saw, a broken nose cone didn’t bother me one bit. 

When everyone got inside, each group had to make a graph of how high the rocket went. Our second launch went 146 feet high!!! I made a graph of our first launch. That one went 8 feet high. I used a ruler to get it exact but I kept messing up. With all the erasing marks the paper looked messy and hard to read, so I asked the teacher for another piece of paper and on my second try, I got it right. 

Our group got the third highest out of six groups. We were in the top three. When I got home I raced into the kitchen to tell my mom about it. I even showed her the video of the launch. She thought it was amazing. From what I saw, it was.

Designing and Building Rocket #1

 

The first unit in science is rocketry. We were put into groups and we had to go through a process and eventually launch paper rockets that we made as teams. I have been looking forward to this unit all of last year. I just hope it goes well.

The first step for Rocketry is to research as much as you can on rockets. After that we had to  get with our groups and come up with a team name. Our group argued over a lot of different names. We finally settled on Blast Off!!! because everyone seemed to like that.

The next step in the process was to make an inspiration board on google drawing. We had to put facts, diagrams and quotes. My group got into a lot of arguments. One was over what quotes and facts we should put on. Another was on which diagrams to put on the google drawing. In the end my group agreed on certain things and were ready to print.

The step after that was to print out the images and facts from the google drawing and put them on a big poster board. We argued over how to put the pictures on the board and which pictures to print out in color. Other things we agreed with though like which pictures to print out. Eventually our poster board was finished and it looked great. We ended up in front of all the other groups.

When we completed the inspiration board our job was to now come up with our first rocket idea. 2 people came up with one idea while another kid and I came up with another idea. We couldn’t decide who’s to use. Eventually we all voted on which one to keep and 3 people voted for one idea and 1 person came up with another. So we used the one the other kid and I came up with.

The building step was fun but hard. We learned how to make a nose cone with just one piece of paper!! Our group made a long nose cone thinking it would be better than making a small or medium sized one.  For the fins we decided to go with four because we thought the balance would be better than three. We wanted the skinny PVC pipe for more concentrated air flow. We went with a skinnier body. Then the rocket will fit over the pipe. The rocket will shoot up. Of course as usual our group got into a lot more arguments. One was what colors for the rocket we should put on. I came up with an idea where the first launch two people get what they want and the second the other two people get what they want. Some people in our group didn’t like that idea. Finally everyone agreed on certain colors. The second argument was on how much tape should go on the nose cone. Everyone finally agreed on putting a lot of tape but not going over the top with it. The reason that’s what we did was because we wanted the rocket’s nose cone to be sturdy and not fly off. We didn’t put too much tape on because the tape might have weighed the rocket down, the rocket wouldn’t of went as high.

The building and designing was fun but hard. I learned a lot about how to make and put together a paper rocket. Now we just have to see how our rocket does when we launch. 

Plant Post#2

Our controlled plant grew about a half a centimeter tall each day. Our manipulated plant shrunk about a half a centimeter a day. On the manipulated plant the leaves started turning brown and yellowish. The controlled plant stayed green. The manipulated plant started falling over. The Controlled plant grew about one more centimeter then the Manipulated plant a day.

Our hypothesis was right. Do plants need sunlight to live? Yes! When we gave our plant no sunlight it eventually died. That means plants need sunlight to grow.

Plant Post #1

In class we have been studying plants. My group had to come up with something to manipulate that we would normally give to the plant. We decided to take away light, that way the plant will not get any light. We thought the plant would die but we still wanted to see what would actually happen. Our control plant (That’s the one with all the normal things a plant would get) got fertilizer, water, light, space, seeds and soil. Our manipulated plant I took away any light. I would like to see if no light would change the height of the plant.

Over the course of the week the controlled plant has grown an average of 1 and a half centimeters a day. Our manipulated plant didn’t grow but it shrunk about half a centimeter a day. After a few days the manipulated plant started to turn a light green yellowish type of color then the plant turned brown. The controlled plant stayed green the whole time. The manipulated plant is falling over and starting to die. The controlled plant is leaning and getting tangled, maybe that’s because it’s so big? But it still looks healthy. The controlled plant grew about 2 centimeters more than the manipulated plant.

 

Maglev Train Blog Post #3

This is our final Maglev Train design. It was able to carry 13 blue beads across the track.

What we improved to our maglev train was that on the track we added two more strip magnets to one of the sides of the track. Then we added two more magnets to the other side of the track. Now there are three strip magnets on both sides because before we added magnets there was already one strip magnet on both sides. We kept the train the same.

Our final design for the train was one strip magnet (This strip magnet fits the length of the train) on both sides. Our final design for the track was three strip magnets (This strip magnet fits the length of the track) on both sides. I think our train was successful because we had to carry marbles across the track on the train. In past experiments that we have done we saw the more magnets you add to the bottom the stronger the force. That’s why we added magnets only to the track because the track is under the train. If the marbles are pushing down onto the track we have to add more magnets to the track to keep the train levitating above the track.

I learned that a Maglev train can float above the tracks. I also learned that engineers go through a whole process until their design is  fully complete. What I realized is that when you work with a group everybody has to work as a team. We have to listen to each other. I think working with a group is cool because you get to hear other people’s perspective compared to yours.

Maglev Train Blog Post #2

Today we got our train to levitate above the tracks. When we gave it a push it successfully went from one side of the track to the other without falling down onto the tracks. We got it to work!!! YES!!! What we did today was we put two of the strip magnets that were the length of the track on the outer part of the track. Then on the bottom of the train we put two strip magnets that fit the length of the train on the outer part of the train.

At first when we gave the train a push, we pushed the train a little bit to hard. So we learned any design could work if we pushed it from one side to the other. That’s why we had to give it a little push and see if it worked with only a little push.

Next time when we design the train we have to improve our train design so that we could make it work with marbles so it could represent people. I think when we put marbles on the train it will be a lot harder because  we’ll have to make the train work even though there is a lot of weight on the train.

Maglev Train Blog Post #1

This is our Maglev train design changed a little bit.

In class we have been working on maglev trains. I know you’re probably thinking, “Well, what is a Maglev train?” A maglev train is a type of train that can float above the tracks by using magnets. My group’s idea for creating the maglev train was to put nine ring magnets onto the bottom of the train. Then we put two strip magnets onto the middle of the track and we put as many ring magnets as we could fit around the outside of the track, which was around the strip magnets. But we have to put the same poles (north to north or south to south) of the train’s magnets and the track’s magnets face each other so they repel and the train will float.

But today when we tested our design out, sadly it failed. What happened was that we put our train above the tracks and gave it a push to start it going. What was supposed to happen was that the train was to get from one side to the other side of the box without touching the tracks by using the magnets on the tracks and on the bottom of the train. When we put the train on the tracks, it started to levitate but when we gave it a push it fell to the ground.

My experience working with my group was pretty good. We were arguing over which idea we should test out and we were talking over each other a little bit. But besides those things we worked really well together. Our next design will definitely work!!!