Engaging my kids' schools

[DrewW]

Hello all,
After going on a wild rocketry adventure this past year, I've become really interested in volunteering with the local schools to develop a rocketry program for kids in grades ~3-8 as a hands on STEAM activity in physical sciences. Big question is what is the appropriate way to engage with them? Is it as easy as emailing a principal and saying, "hey I'd like to show up and teach interesting things to kids who are interested!"?

 

[dhbarr]

I find it's much easier to start a conversation with one of the science teachers. If they're willing (and it's necessary), they'd be able to help navigate the schools' internal bureaucracy

 

[mjennings]

If there is a Cub Scouts pack at the school 4th and 5th grade scout have elective adventures / awards that involves rockets.

 

[afadeev]

After going on a wild rocketry adventure this past year, I've become really interested in volunteering with the local schools to develop a rocketry program for kids in grades ~3-8 as a hands on STEAM activity in physical sciences. Big question is what is the appropriate way to engage with them? Is it as easy as emailing a principal and saying, "hey I'd like to show up and teach interesting things to kids who are interested!"?

Lets start from the beginning - what is your end goal? Building and flying rockets with kids? Just building? Just flying?
Reading your question, it may be interpreted as a desire to modify school's classroom or after-school science curriculum (in multiple grades) to including some aspects of rocketry?

I've been building and flying rockets with Cub Scouts (grades 1-5) for many years, and have found that engaging them OUTside of the school is FAaaaaar easier then trying to arrange for something to happen on school grounds.
What works for me is volunteering with local Cub Scouts Packs to schedule a rocket launch event. Then I run prep building sessions at the local library (meeting rooms are free). Then we launch at either local parks or school baseball/soccer fields, or combine rockets' launch with a camping event.

If you want to do something on school grounds, things get very complicated very fast.
Schools have become extremely security and safety conscious, so unsupervised interactions with students on school grounds are out. Supervised interactions require someone to pay the teachers to stay with you late after school, and also pay custodians to clean up after you (you can thank the unions and paranoid school boards for this). Thus you will need to setup an official school club, secure funding for it (competing for $$$ with other existing clubs), find a sponsoring teacher, get approvals from school administration, pay for background checks for yourself, etc, etc. PM for more details, if still interested in going down this road.

HTH,
a

 

[Scott_650]

Check with your local library - they’re typically looking for programming and have an established philosophy of using non-staff people to provide it. I did a two day build and fly for my daughter’s library as part of the summer reading program in 2019 well before the pandemic went critical - hopefully they’ll be receptive to doing it again next summer (we’re buying/selling houses to relocate so I can’t do it this year). Another option, though it may not be something intuitive, is with a local church’s bible school or after school care program - though you may need to have a background check done to work with church youth. I did science - including rocketry - for several years at my wife’s church vacation bible school (I didn’t exactly follow the canned curriculum but did basic science education with enough fun stuff so the kids enjoyed it - then added a quick verse at the end of my sessions to placate the minister and rest of the staff. They knew the score ahead of time - I pretty much made it a “condition of employment” ). I also did a rocketry unit for the pre-algebra class at my wife’s school but since it was with one of her teaching team members and I substitute teach at her school I had a very low hill of red tape to climb so I can see afadeev’s point that you may run into some obstacles.

 

[DrewW]

Lets start from the beginning - what is your end goal? Building and flying rockets with kids? Just building? Just flying?
Reading your question, it may be interpreted as a desire to modify school's classroom or after-school science curriculum (in multiple grades) to including some aspects of rocketry?

I've been building and flying rockets with Cub Scouts (grades 1-5) for many years, and have found that engaging them OUTside of the school is FAaaaaar easier then trying to arrange for something to happen on school grounds.
What works for me is volunteering with local Cub Scouts Packs to schedule a rocket launch event. Then I run prep building sessions at the local library (meeting rooms are free). Then we launch at either local parks or school baseball/soccer fields, or combine rockets' launch with a camping event.

If you want to do something on school grounds, things get very complicated very fast.
Schools have become extremely security and safety conscious, so unsupervised interactions with students on school grounds are out. Supervised interactions require someone to pay the teachers to stay with you late after school, and also pay custodians to clean up after you (you can thank the unions and paranoid school boards for this). Thus you will need to setup an official school club, secure funding for it (competing for $$$ with other existing clubs), find a sponsoring teacher, get approvals from school administration, pay for background checks for yourself, etc, etc. PM for more details, if still interested in going down this road.

HTH,
a

So to get a few background things out of the way, pre-covid I was approved by the school board as a volunteer (picture badge and all) at my kids' K-8 school. My formal education includes a degree in physics, and I make a living achieving really difficult technical objectives and showing other professional aerospace-industry engineers how to achieve their really difficult objectives. Many years ago I used to be a STEM-specific in-class aide for elementary through HS.

Specifically, I look at the local school system and frown at the lack of physical science education opportunities prior to HS. I believe rockets (reaction, air powered, water powered, seltzer, rocket powered) are a great tool for learning about our physical world, and the minds of kids before HS are, in general, very flexible and able to understand key concepts; this goes double for kids eligible for gifted programs.

Back to my specific end goals, I'm getting to an age where I've achieved a lot and am willing and able to give of my time and resources to make opportunities for kids in my local area, filling a gap that currently exists for pre-HS kids. I'd like to use rocketry as a means to do that, as it incorporates each element of the STEAM objectives, and is a way for kids to touch and feel (and decorate) physical science in action.

 

[Dipstick]

Check with your local library - they’re typically looking for programming and have an established philosophy of using non-staff people to provide it. I did a two day build and fly for my daughter’s library as part of the summer reading program in 2019 well before the pandemic went critical - hopefully they’ll be receptive to doing it again next summer (we’re buying/selling houses to relocate so I can’t do it this year). Another option, though it may not be something intuitive, is with a local church’s bible school or after school care program - though you may need to have a background check done to work with church youth. I did science - including rocketry - for several years at my wife’s church vacation bible school (I didn’t exactly follow the canned curriculum but did basic science education with enough fun stuff so the kids enjoyed it - then added a quick verse at the end of my sessions to placate the minister and rest of the staff. They knew the score ahead of time - I pretty much made it a “condition of employment” ). I also did a rocketry unit for the pre-algebra class at my wife’s school but since it was with one of her teaching team members and I substitute teach at her school I had a very low hill of red tape to climb so I can see afadeev’s point that you may run into some obstacles.

Now all I want to know is, what verse was it?

 

[drgarymartinez]

As a school teacher, I would strongly recommend reaching out to the science department. Districts are constantly looking for STEAM ideas that will enhance their school’s programs. two Years ago I introduced rockets into my school through the physical science class I taught. Everyone got so excited. I introduced sugar rockets to my chemistry students as well. Last year the principal asked if I would start a rocket club. 4 students joined. 1 obtained Level 1 certification. We traveled 3 times to HPR fields and launched LPR. Word traveled fast through the school and interest has gone through the roof. This coming school year the teacher asked me to teach a robotics/rocketry class as an elective which would allow our students to compete on a regional and National basis. This year my physical science students will be doing scratch build LPRs and my chemistry students will be making composite rocket fuel for HPR motors. Obviously safety, safety, safety is first. All I can say is that my students are amazed and excited and eager to learn more and more. The collaboration between you and a science teacher could probably be the best way to go.

 

[afadeev]

Specifically, I look at the local school system and frown at the lack of physical science education opportunities prior to HS [...] my specific end goals [...] filling a gap that currently exists for pre-HS kids. I'd like to use rocketry as a means to do that, as it incorporates each element of the STEAM objectives, and is a way for kids to touch and feel (and decorate) physical science in action.

If you want to do right by your kids and their friends - go ahead build and fly rockets.
If you want to change public school's curriculum to your liking - have fun storming the castle!

 

[boomtube-mk2]

If you want to change public school's curriculum to your liking - have fun storming the castle!

There seems to be an enormous disconnect between the teachers, that actually teach, and the "Academics" that are telling the teachers what to teach.
And don't get me started on what the teachers' union has become.

 

[RocketTree]

It should be kept relatively simple. Overcomplicating things will discourage everybody involved.

1. Contact the physics teacher/instructor. Explain your intentions, offer your knowledge. The teacher can work it into the curriculum. If they have no interest, move on. Rocketry is not a requirement.

2. Criminal background check is required when working within the school system.

3. Safety is always the main priority. School will likely require waivers, as most field trips and outings have some risk or safety element involved. The teacher/school should look after this.

4. Acquire a permitted suitable launch site and transportation to-and-from.

5. Determine how the cost of motors and rocket materials will be covered.

6. Verify all requirements have been met and communicate with the teacher involved.

Lets get the next generation into rocketry.

 

[boomtube-mk2]

It should be kept relatively simple. Overcomplicating things will discourage everybody involved.

1. Contact the physics teacher/instructor. Explain your intentions, offer your knowledge. The teacher can work it into the curriculum. If they have no interest, move on. Rocketry is not a requirement.

2. Criminal background check is required when working within the school system.

3. Safety is always the main priority. School will likely require waivers, as most field trips and outings have some risk or safety element involved. The teacher/school should look after this.

4. Acquire a permitted suitable launch site and transportation to-and-from.

5. Determine how the cost of motors and rocket materials will be covered.

6. Verify all requirements have been met and communicate with the teacher involved.

Lets get the next generation into rocketry.

This is "Simple"?

The sad fact is that it has become virtually impossible for an "Outsider" to have anything to do with school children these days, heck I could talk about my experience, now that the nightmares are in the past, being one of the leaders of a group of High Schoolers on a week long bicycle trip over summer vacation back in the '80's and I wasn't even the one organizing it, but you don't really want to know or you'd have your own nightmares.

In today's environment all it would take is for one student to "Feel bad" about his/her experience and everyone evolved would be brought on the carpet.

 

[Scott_650]

Now all I want to know is, what verse was it?

Whatever it was for that day or, if I forgot that one, the overall “theme” verse for the week - there was usually a poster but sometimes I’d forget to change it each day

 

[DrewW]

If you want to do right by your kids and their friends - go ahead build and fly rockets.
If you want to change public school's curriculum to your liking - have fun storming the castle!

Not looking to change public school curriculum to my liking that is tilting at windmills; I was looking at how to best engage the school to volunteer, to sponsor a club or less formal program to use rocketry as a fun, engaging, and immersive learning tool. I may have slipped into ranting along the way and given the wrong impression.

 

[drgarymartinez]

Not looking to change public school curriculum to my liking that is tilting at windmills; I was looking at how to best engage the school to volunteer, to sponsor a club or less formal program to use rocketry as a fun, engaging, and immersive learning tool. I may have slipped into ranting along the way and given the wrong impression.

Though schools get big bucks, little makes it into the classroom. I promise you, if you will provide the funds to purchase kits LPRs, and the equipment to launch, you will find the physical science and/physics teacher open to including rockets in their classroom. Remember NAR provides insurance if you follow the guidelines. After bringing it to the classroom, try to establish a partnership where you can start and after school rocket club.