Pippen
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I packed up all of our rocket building stuff last week so I didn't expect to be making this inquiry but here goes...
My 9-year-old just did his first rocket this summer--a Fat Boy. He's a creative sort who marches to the beat of his own drum so instead of looking at rocket catalogues and websites and asking us to buy something, he gathers up materials from around the house (TP and paper towel tubes, cups, tape, etc.) and putters a bit and then starts asking questions about how to make it fly. He's also started looking at rockets and parts of rockets in terms of when it's all together whether they look balanced or not. He rarely follows a traditional path in learning so I shouldn't have been surprised but given my (ahem) vast knowledge in rocketry
(translation: only one rocket under my belt) I could use some ideas/direction.
First, is there anything here at TRF or elsewhere on the web that outlines basic principles or steps in a simple manner?
Second, is there any "kit" available that contains some basic components (preferably reasonably priced)? Or alternatively what would you list as some basic things to order seperately--enough to have some options but not so much as to be overwhelming. He's going to need help on order of steps and cutting tasks whether it's from a kit or done by scratch.
Third, if there's anything else I ought to have asked and have missed, or you have any other thoughts for me, I'm all ears! Like I said, I didn't think we'd be going here and it's totally unknown territory to me.
My 9-year-old just did his first rocket this summer--a Fat Boy. He's a creative sort who marches to the beat of his own drum so instead of looking at rocket catalogues and websites and asking us to buy something, he gathers up materials from around the house (TP and paper towel tubes, cups, tape, etc.) and putters a bit and then starts asking questions about how to make it fly. He's also started looking at rockets and parts of rockets in terms of when it's all together whether they look balanced or not. He rarely follows a traditional path in learning so I shouldn't have been surprised but given my (ahem) vast knowledge in rocketry
(translation: only one rocket under my belt) I could use some ideas/direction.First, is there anything here at TRF or elsewhere on the web that outlines basic principles or steps in a simple manner?
Second, is there any "kit" available that contains some basic components (preferably reasonably priced)? Or alternatively what would you list as some basic things to order seperately--enough to have some options but not so much as to be overwhelming. He's going to need help on order of steps and cutting tasks whether it's from a kit or done by scratch.
Third, if there's anything else I ought to have asked and have missed, or you have any other thoughts for me, I'm all ears! Like I said, I didn't think we'd be going here and it's totally unknown territory to me.
