ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM
Source: Babble Dabble Do
Use an empty juice pouch as a homemade launcher and create your own mini rocket!
Materials
- Empty Capri Sun pouch or other plastic juice container
- Flexible Drinking Straw
- Coloured Paper
- Pencil
- Tape
- Scissors
- Glue Stick
- Washi Tape (optional)
Directions
- Snip off the end of the flexible straw so that it has a point. Remove the straw that came with the juice pouch.
- Insert the pointed end of the straw into the straw hole of the empty juice bag. This will be your launcher.
- Cut a 3″ by 3″ piece of paper for the rocket body. Roll it over a pencil to make a paper tube. Tape along the seam and remove the pencil from the tube.
- Cut three equal strips of paper (approximately 3/4″ wide x 2.5″ long) to make fins. Glue two ends of two strips together. Tape the rocket body to the two fins. Glue the third fin to the flaps of the other two fins. Trim the ends at an angle.
- Add a piece of tape to seal the top of the rocket.
How to Launch Your Rocket
- Inflate the juice pouch by blowing into the flexible straw.
- Place the straw rocket over the end of the juice pouch straw. Bend the flexible straw to aim the rocket up.
- Place the juice pouch rocket on the ground.
- Stomp down on the juice pouch to launch the rocket up and into the air. Alternatively, use your hand to press down and push to launch the rocket.
This activity supports the development of the following STEAM skills:
Science and engineering: What is powering your rocket? Does it make a difference in how far your rocket goes if you stomp or press down on the launcher with your hand? What happens if there’s a hole in the juice pouch or the straw?
