5th Grade class project in Santa Clara County, CA

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jkovac

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Hi all,

My son's 5th grade teacher became very interested in his rocketry and asked if he could do a class presentation on it. This led to me talking to her about a class project she did when she was about his age that involved the whole class each building and flying their own model rocket. I said that I would check into doing something like that for her class. She checked with the principal, who is very supportive.

I have been trying to find as much info as possible about the best way to proceed, and there are two main concerns I have at this point:

1) Insurance. Taking the kids to a NAR club launch would be great but the closest one to us is on Sundays, and pretty far away. The school has a good field for small rockets, but if we were to fly there, it would obviously not be a NAR-sanctioned event. Not sure if the school's insurance would cover and don't want to ask them directly until I know more myself about it. The local regulations (Morgan Hill is the city) don't mention an insurance requirement, which obviously doesn't mean I shouldn't be concerned about it.

2) The students' ages. They are 5th graders so most are 10 or 11. And the below seems to indicate that if they're not 12 they can't even touch a rocket:

CA Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 6, Article 17. Model Rockets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
§1027. Minimum Age.
(a) No model rocket motors shall be sold, given, or delivered to any person under 18 years of
age.
Exceptions: (1) Model rocket motors bearing the standardized coding 1/4A, 1/2A, A, B, C, and D
may be sold, given, or delivered to any person 14 years of age or older.
(2) Persons who are 12 years of age or older and who are taking part in a model rocket education
program may receive model rocket motors and launch approved model rockets when under the
direct supervision and control of a person 18 years of age or older. Model rocket motors must be
obtained only from the adult in charge of the launching. Approved model rocket motors for this
exception shall bear the motor coding 1/4A, 1/2A, A, B, C, or D.
NOTE Authority cited: Section 12552, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Section 12552,
Health and Safety Code.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any thoughts on insurance, age, or anything else about this would be greatly appreciated.
 
That regulation sucks, but, yes, it looks like they would have to be 12 and up. You could have them build the rockets, but an adult would have to handle the motors, motor insertion, and launch. But the kids could recover them, I believe.

As for NAR insurance, I believe every NAR member is covered wherever they fly as long as the safety code is followed. I would call NAR HQ to get specifics.
 
LUNAR (Livermore Unit of the National Association of Rocketry) launches at Moffett Airfield near you on Saturdays. The next launches there are Feb 20 and Mar 19.
Always lots of cub scouts and school groups there. Awesome place for kids to launch, probably no better one.
See https://lunar.org for more details.
 
Any chance you could contact the local NAR chapter and get them to come to you for the launch? I would think they would welcome the outreach opportunity.
 
LUNAR (Livermore Unit of the National Association of Rocketry) launches at Moffett Airfield near you on Saturdays. The next launches there are Feb 20 and Mar 19.
Always lots of cub scouts and school groups there. Awesome place for kids to launch, probably no better one.
See https://lunar.org for more details.

+1 for LUNAR
 
Any chance you could contact the local NAR chapter and get them to come to you for the launch? I would think they would welcome the outreach opportunity.

A big +1 for this; see if the club can come to you. And I would also ask them about that Cali reg that you cite. The way I read it, the rule prohibits young children from obtaining model rocket motors but does not prohibit their supervised use by them at a launch. My :2:
 
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Thanks all for the replies. I'm a LUNAR member myself and have flown at Moffett and Snow Ranch. Taking 35 kids to either of those places would be hard but it didn't occur to me to contact the club about the launch and see if we could coordinate something at the school. I will do so.
 
If I’m reading that regulation correctly, students 12 and under can't. That seems odd.

ETA: I just realized how this was been worked around during a launch at a STEM presentation for kids at a local college. The kids who were under 12 built the rocket and hand it to the adult, who installed the motor and launched. I think the parents helped the kids push the button.
 
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Thanks all for the replies. I'm a LUNAR member myself and have flown at Moffett and Snow Ranch. Taking 35 kids to either of those places would be hard but it didn't occur to me to contact the club about the launch and see if we could coordinate something at the school. I will do so.

Please be aware that due to field issues and permitting, group launches at Moffett are on hold.

https://www.lunar.org/
 
My wife used to teach Model Rocket classes in public schools as an independent contractor. She came in and did a day or week and it was integrated to cover the mandated subject matter (be it math or Newton's Laws of Motion). Per the Regulations (not "Law") the kids build the rockets and took measurements, but she would install the motors and handle the launch controller. The kids owned the rockets and took them home (sometimes they stayed in the classroom until after an upcoming Open House).

Simply have the adult teacher remain in charge of and control of the motors and launching. And make sure you obtain a permit from the Fire Authority Having Jurisdiction. ($1000 fine and/or one year In jail for EACH violation (i.e. each illegal launch of a rocket)).

One of the students many years ago was the daughter of a future State Senator, who was instrumental in helping me get the State Law changed.

It can be done.
 
Goofy regulation. Typical California; trying to protect people from themselves. Eventually there will be a law passed there that requires everyone to wear helmets at all times so you don't hurt your widdle head if you fall. Oh, and if you DO fall, you will have broken the law....
 
Hi all,

Thanks for all of the replies to this thread. We did the launch last Friday at the school, and it was a complete success. To my surprise, every single kid in the class (28) finished building their rocket, and they all flew safely and were recovered successfully. The local fire marshal was very easy to work with and approved the launch. I also filed a NOTAM because we are within 5 NM of an airport. David Ramondi of LUNAR referred me to a local flyer, Charlie Wittmann, an L3 who came out and provided invaluable assistance with the launch. I gave the kids and their parents info on joining LUNAR, so hopefully they get some new members as a result.


Paradise rocketeers 4 8 16.jpg
 
Great picture! It's stuff like this that goes a long way toward making sure our hobby doesn't die out. Thanks and good work!
 
Congratulations to all involved ! Thanks for coming back here and posting jkovac; love seeing pictures like this on the old forum.
 
Nice work putting that together! My wife was showing me your pictures, apparently on facebook? yesterday.

My daughter's 3rd grade class in Gilroy built rockets and launched them at a private field near Gavalin College 2 years ago. The school/teachers worked with the fire marshall and they were present for the school launch as well. They were also very helpful. For my small part, I simply volunteered to help as a parent to first work with the kids to build their Estes Make and Take rockets, then on a different day, launch them along with 3 other 3rd grade classes. The grand finale, was a newly finished Big Daddy on a D12-3. Imagine 120 3rd graders watching with anticipation and counting down from 10 to launch the Big Daddy. This is what rekindled my interest in rocketry that had been on hold since the 70's.
 
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