| Are you looking for some topics to present that can | | | | to test one control feature.2. Safety. When you go |
| add | | | | out to fly rockets, knowing how |
| excitement to your science classroom? Rocketry and | | | | they'll behave is an important aspect of safety. |
| space | | | | Precautions |
| exploration, like no other subject, have a way to | | | | can be made. By running the simulations, the students |
| captivate | | | | learn |
| students that makes it easy for them to learn science. | | | | what concepts contribute to keeping the actual launch |
| They | | | | safe.3. The scientific value is awesome. Each launch |
| are having so much fun, that they don't even realize | | | | simulation |
| they | | | | generates a mountain of useful data. Analyzing this |
| are learning basic science concepts.To leverage the | | | | data is |
| benefits of this area of study, you can use | | | | a fantastic way to teach the scientific method.4. |
| your school's computer to explore a lot of different | | | | Students love software because it is fun! It has |
| science | | | | features |
| topics. In the January 2005 issue of the education | | | | like a video game, so the students may not realize |
| magazine, | | | | how much |
| "Tech Directions" ( there is | | | | they are learning at the same time.5. The RockSim |
| an article by Spencer C. Wilson of J.R. Fugett Middle | | | | software is the same tool that is used by |
| School | | | | real rocketry professionals - like NASA, military |
| in West Chester. In it, he describes how he uses a | | | | contractors, and universities. So you can feel |
| rocket | | | | confident in |
| design software, called RockSim ( to | | | | the results you get back from the program.6. The |
| show students the process of engineering design.In | | | | software allows students to explore their creativity. |
| this article, I'd like to give you some other ideas on | | | | They can design vastly different looking models, while |
| how to use the model rocket design software to | | | | learning engineering skills, assembly steps, and |
| demonstrate | | | | physics.Here are just some of the many topics you |
| other basic science concepts. Here are some | | | | can explore with |
| benefits to | | | | RockSim:1. Aerodynamics and drag reduction.2. |
| using RockSim software:1. Allows the student to | | | | Forces of flight: Lift, Drag, Thrust, and Gravity.3. |
| simulate hundreds of rocket flights | | | | Projectile motion.4. Rocket propulsion as used for |
| very quickly -- this saves lots of money! Just think of | | | | space travel.5. Atmospheric studies: how does |
| the | | | | temperature and pressure |
| time saved too. You don't have to spend hundreds of | | | | affect performance?6. Planetary differences: how |
| dollar | | | | does the same rocket perform |
| buying motors and hours-and-hours of time building | | | | on different planets in our solar system.7. Dynamics |
| different | | | | and harmonic motion with damping.8. Engineering - how |
| configurations, launching, recovering, and repacking | | | | parts fit together.9. Newton's Laws of motion.10. |
| rockets | | | | |