Mentoring a School Club

[jqavins]

If schools are open as usual in the Fall (which seems decreasingly likely) I hope to start a rocketry program in my local high and/or middle school. But I don't know what I'm doing.

Let me put that another way. I can get some inexpensive, simple kits, probably a bulk pack. I can demonstrate construction steps then look over the kids' shoulders and advise them as they do it. I can give the appropriately simplified (but not more so) lessons, i.e. the parts of a rocket and the physics of stability.

But I'm suddenly afraid I'll discover when I start that there are a hundred other things about doing this that I haven't anticipated, and I'm now thinking of some that I realize I should have. I should go in with a plan, obviously, yet I'm coming to the realization that I have little idea what that plan should look like.

• What mix of theory and building?
• Assuming computers are available in the school, I'd like to incorporate OR designs and sims. So now I have to ask what mix of the three things, not just two?
• How long does it take a group of kids to build their first rockets?
  • I don't figure it'll certainly be their first for all of them, but anybody who's built some before can wait for the others to catch up.
• What super-important, world shaking, club killing pitfall is there that has not even occurred to me?

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

 

[Steve Shannon]

If schools are open as usual in the Fall (which seems decreasingly likely) I hope to start a rocketry program in my local high and/or middle school. But I don't know what I'm doing.

Let me put that another way. I can get some inexpensive, simple kits, probably a bulk pack. I can demonstrate construction steps then look over the kids' shoulders and advise them as they do it. I can give the appropriately simplified (but not more so) lessons, i.e. the parts of a rocket and the physics of stability.

But I'm suddenly afraid I'll discover when I start that there are a hundred other things about doing this that I haven't anticipated, and I'm now thinking of some that I realize I should have. I should go in with a plan, obviously, yet I'm coming to the realization that I have little idea what that plan should look like.

• What mix of theory and building?
• Assuming computers are available in the school, I'd like to incorporate OR designs and sims. So now I have to ask what mix of the three things, not just two?
• How long does it take a group of kids to build their first rockets?
  • I don't figure it'll certainly be their first for all of them, but anybody who's built some before can wait for the others to catch up.
• What super-important, world shaking, club killing pitfall is there that has not even occurred to me?

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

I’ve done a lot of these from my wife’s 2nd grade class on up to high schoolers. You will do great! I start by showing them the parts and explaining what the purpose is and then I do a quick launch of a previously built rocket. Then I dole out kits and help them build. They will drive the class at least partially.
Now, if it helps, nasa has a ton of educational Rocketry articles designed to help teachers in their science classes.
https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/rockets.htmlhttps://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/rocketry/home/index.html

 

[jqavins]

Thanks. The first day showing parts and a quick launch sounds like a good idea. I'll have to read the NASA docs later, and I'm sure they'll help.

 

[mcderek]

Make sure you check with the school administration as some of them are 'rocket motor with flame' averse. Air rockets work great in that situation.

 

[boatgeek]

This is cool! It's always great to see another school starting up!

@mcderek hit the big club-killing thing that you might be missing: support from at least one teacher, the principal, and possibly the central district administration.

Teacher: You need to have someone who wants you in their class or in an after-school club. This can be surprisingly difficult.
Principal: Before any fire happens, the principal needs to be on board. This is doubly true if you're launching on the school fields. Definitely invite the principal (and any faculty or staff who want to see) to launches.
Central district administration: Dear God, keep it away from the folks downtown if you can. But some bright bulb might ask about liability, safety, etc. etc. and screw the whole thing up. This is usually less of a problem in a small district than a big one, but you can often fly under the radar in a big district until you have an established group.

You will also need to register as a volunteer in the district, which will likely include a background check to make sure you're not a child molester (not saying you are, but they have to check). The school or PTA usually picks up the cost of these, but it's possible they might want you to pay for it. If you aren't launching on the school's field, some districts will want field trip paperwork from parents (I wish I were making this up). You'll have to think about how students are getting to and from the launch. Can students ride with other students who are licensed?

Having done this for a while, I would start them off building and launching the kits and then get into the science stuff later. On the day they launch, bring a bigger project that flies on a big and loud motor (eg F or G white) to pique their interest. Some people will love it, and some will bail out if it's a club or lose interest if it's a class. I'd also start with a range of difficulty levels. It's nice to have some pretty E2X types, but also some slightly more involved kits. Some people might want to kit-bash and make something new. Having a goal (eg TARC) is very helpful as well, as is a local flying field where they can launch LPR or MPR rockets and see HPR going up.

The biggest thing I learned is that the first launch safety briefing needs to include "Phones should be in your pocket while there are rockets in the air. If you want to take pictures or video, have someone next to you spotting rockets for you." This saves a lot of heartache with people not paying attention to what's in the air.

 

[neil_w]

My guess is that building is the most fun part for the kids, so keeping some building interspersed among the other activities will be good to keep them engaged.

I feel like any kid from middle school through high school ought to be able to understand the basic notions of the forces that act on a rocket and rocket stability. Using OR as a teaching tool to illustrate a lot of those concepts seems highly useful, and gives the kids another hands-on activity.

Will they all have computers?

 

[jqavins]

Thanks, boatgeek. To address some of what you brought up, here's what I know:

It's a small school district, rural, not wealthy, but not really impoverished either (unless I'm in for an eye-opening).

Many months ago I contacted the principal offering to volunteer, if the school would be interested in having a rocket club. I heard nothing and forgot about it. When I remembered and wrote again, he responded that he had forwarded my original offer to the technology teacher, and didn't know why said teacher hadn't responded. A few weeks later (and I still hadn't heard from the technology teacher) the principal wrote again saying that due to the then unfolding COVID situation we should punt until next school year; I agreed, and had been expecting it.

→ This tells me that that principal is on board - in principle - and may or may not tell me anything about the technology teacher. If it does tell me anything, it isn't anything good.​

My original pitch to the principal was about "model rockets"; I don't remember how specific I was about what that meant, except that I know I mentioned TARC as a possibility.

→ BP motors shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, but that doesn't mean they won't. I'll be sure to bring that up explicitly when my contact with the school resumes.​

"The folks downtown" are in an office building next door to the school, or close enough.

→ Trying to keep something from them that they're bound to find out later sounds like a really bad idea.​

The school has a field big enough for LP launches. I don't know a place big enough for G motors any closer than my not-so-local NAR chapter, which is the best part of an hour away. But I do plan to put in a plug for them and get any kids to come who can talk their parents into bringing them to a monthly launch (once we start having those again). I could and will bring something to launch on a composite E, once I confirm the field dimensions are adequate.

Neil, as for computers, I really don't know what to expect there either. I assume at the least one in a classroom, and I would hope with a projector. One per student would be better and I wouldn't be surprised to see that. I just really don't know.