Rocket Launch Excites at Jack Abrams STEM School
June 3, 2024
Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School sixth graders saw their rockets blast off as the youngsters participated in the annual launch on the outdoor athletic field,
“Students engineered their own rocket while learning about how the different parts and systems of a rocket work together to propel it into space,” said teacher Jessica Martino, who leads the school’s Innovation Lab.
At the launch, students presented their knowledge of rocketry by explaining its relation to Sir Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. “All the students were able to launch their very own rocket into the sky,” Ms. Martino said.
Newton’s three laws were framed out in 1686 and they revolutionized science. They include:
1. An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
2. The acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the amount of force applied.
3. Whenever one object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite on the first.
Many families and friends came to watch the launch and celebrate this special day with their child. “A special thanks to the PTA for bringing rocket popsicles for each class to celebrate after a successful launch,” Ms. Martino added.
The rocket launch is an annual ritual for the school’s sixth graders and it always elicits an excited response. On launch day, many of the slick rockets raced upward and carried a surprisingly far distance. Some went in unexpected directions. Regardless of where they ended up, students seemed to be happy.
The youngsters assembled as a group on the field, admiring each other’s rockets and posing for photos as they awaited their turn on the launch pad. Students cheered for each other as the rockets were launched one-by-one. There was no shortage of enthusiasm.
The recent unit included engineering, physics and an explanation of battery power. The exercise highlighted the concepts of thrust, gravity and friction, along with those of force and motion.
