From: mkennedy@shentel.net (Marilyn Kennedy)
Subject: Re: Rockets and Payloads activity
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 04:11:21 -0500
Dear Claire, My students made "rocket shields" and the straw was taped to the shield. Then the blown balloon was inside this shield. See the picture our pictures under Kids Gallery. The directions for making these rocket shields are: 1. Blow up the balloon. With one of your team members ask them to hold it closed while you measure the balloon around its fattest width. Also measure its length. Write down both measurements and then let the air out of the balloon for now. 2. Put 2 pieces of tissue paper on top of each other. On the top piece, draw a rectangle that is as long as your blown-up balloon and 2 inches wider than HALF of your balloon width. Find the mid-point of one of the short sides of the rectangle, and draw lines from that point to points 1/3 of the way down each of the long sides. (This makes the point of the rocket) 3. Cut out the two pieces of tissue paper at the same time. 4. Run a thin bead of glue along both sides and the pointy end of the tissue paper rocket shield. Lay one layer of your rocket shield on top of the other. Press the gluey edges together. 5. After the glue has dried, cut fringe along the unglued bottom of the rocket shield. 6. Cut a plastic drinking straw to a 6 inch length. Tape it to one side of the tissue paper rocket shield with 2 small piece of tape. 7. Thread one end of monofilament line through the straw. Tie that end to the back of the chair. Pull the monofilament tight and out about 20 feet. Cut it and tie this end to the back of another chair. 8. Blow the balloon up. While holding the neck of the balloon tight, slip the balloon inside the tissue paper envelope. Move the jet kite down to one end of the line. Be sure the point end of the rocket is facing the long part of the string. 9. Count "One! Two! Three! Go!" and let those rocket jets fly. Hope this works for you!! Have fun! Marilyn Wall John Wayland Elementary Bridgewater, VA