I've been thinking a bit about how to introduce more science into the boys' lives. I'm not sure how I stumbled onto the air rocket. It may have been my perusing of Make Magazine. The materials were less that $20 and it took 20 minutes to construct -- and that with three helpers.
At this point I'm less interested in explaining to them the physics of things like rockets. They aren't that interested in abstract ideas such as propulsion, gravity, and resistance. They're more interested in stomping on a bottle and seeing how high they can propel a tube of paper. I'm hoping that experiences like this stick with them and they find interest in learning how those things work when they're a bit older.
They were interested in the rocket system for a couple of days, and then it was onto something else, but it was a fun couple of days.
this could be one of those things that they look back on in high school, when learning about propulsion and resistance, and remembering with awe how they already did this experiment - when they were kids, with their awesome dad.
ReplyDeleteThanks Megan. I hope that's true.
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