Summer Term 2023

Summer Term 2023 - "Let's build a Rocket!"

The theme for the summer is movement and propulsion.

You'll be building different types of vehicles - Competing to build the best vehicle, assembling and driving in an electric go kart and seeing who can build a rocket that can fly the highest - I'm hoping at least 300m!

Summer Term 2023 - "Let's build a Rocket!"

Week 1 - 29th April 2022 - Welcome Week

Week 2 - 6th May 2022 - Rocket Design

Week 3 - 13th May 2022 - Rocket Construction, Part 1 of 2

Week 4 - 20th May 2022 - Rocket Constuction, Part 2 of 2

Week 5 - 10th June 2022 - Lift off!!! (Weather depending) & Experiments with Electric Motors and Batteries

Week 6 - 17th June 2022 - Go Kart Construction, Part 1 of 3

Week 7 - 24th June 2022 - Go Kart Construction, Part 2 of 3

Week 8 - 1st July 2022 - Go Kart Construction, Part 3 of 3

Week 9 - 8th July 2022 - Track Day!

Week 10 - 15th July 2022 - Award time!

Week 1 - 29th April 2022 - Welcome Week

Let's make something that moves! With some wheels, a block(s) of wood, card, paper and a few axels, who can make a vehicle that will travel the furthest, will it fly, wriggle, float, roll?

This will be a term long project, that will hopefully bring out your creative side because what you make is completely up to you, the only limits are the materials available and your imagination.

In the first week we'll learn about prototyping (quickly giving an idea a go and seeing what works and what doesn't). So you can come up with some ideas and try them out.

You'll complete your idea, in the spare time between and after activities in all the subsequent weeks, so you should never have nothing to do!

Instructions

Pick some parts and get stuck in!

Design Goals

At the end of the year there will be awards for:

Function before form - Vehicle that goes the furthest, or moves in the most interesting way
Form over function - Vehicle that looks the coolest
Biggest bang - Vehicle that fell apart / didn't work in the most spectaular way
Simple is beautiful - the simplest design that works
I can't belive that worked! - the most complex design that works
I wish I thought of that - the most innovative design
You'll never get that done in time - most ambitious design
It's crazy but it might just work - the most bonkers idea
I just like this one - No criteria, I just like it

Risks

This is a crafting activity so scissors, glue (cool melt) and other pointy things (Axels) will be involved - Care is expected and must be taken when using these items and they should not be moved from the stations where they have been set up. If you need any help or are unsure or nervous about any of the tools or equipment used, please ask for help. These will be ongoing risks as most weeks involve crafting activity.

Hot water and a small fuel brick (fire) will also be used as part of a demonstration - club members will need to stand back to an appropriate safe distance during this.

Week 2 - 6th May 2022 - Rocket Design

How does a rocket work?
What makes it go up?
What stops rockets going up?
How do we design a rocket to go as high as possible?
How do we make sure the rocket flies straight?
How do we measure how high the rocket will go?
How do we recover the rocket safely?
What are the different types of rocket engine?

Instructions

We'll be static firing an rocket engine to see how we can measure thrust and estimate how hight the rocket will fly.

We'll also be using this website to show how we can calculate the height the rockets will reach.

Risks

We'll be firing a rocket engine (though it won't be moving) - safety googles will be worn and viewing of the engine firing will likely be done behind glass windows. A deadlock mechanism preventing the unintentional firing of the rocket will be used.

Week 3 - 13th May 2022 - Rocket Construction, Part 1 of 2

This week we'll be making and decorating the rocket fins.

Instructions

There are 4 different parts:

4 Fins
4 Rings
1 ring marked with 'T' or "Top" with slightly smaller hole through the middle (it will go on the top to stop the rocket engine shooting out of the top of the asssembly).
2 Plastic Launch lugs (not used in this step)

First before we assemble anything decorate the fins as you see fit.

Sand the edges of the fins to make them more streamlined (reduce the drag so they go higher!)

Using wood glue:

Glue 2 rings together - carefully ensuring the notches line up.
Glue the ring market T/Top to another ring lining up the notches
Glue the 4 fins to the 3 sets of rings (glue will help the parts slide together easily) - Tips: glue opposite fins at one time to help push things together or put your fingers inside the rings to make sure everything is fully pushed together.
Adjust everything so it looks straight.

After you've done this pass me the assembly and I'll drill a small in the bottom so that a wire can be inserted so when the rocket engine is fitted it won't fall out of the bottom.

Risks

PVA Glue and a small risk of splinters - Low

Week 4 - 20th May 2022 - Rocket Constuction, Part 2 of 2

This week we'll be making the parachute and assembling the rocket. If there's time we'll make some instruments to measure how high the rocket will go!

Instructions

First decorate the marked peice of paper however you would like. It will be rolled into the rocket body so there is no need to decorate the rectangles with 'Start Rolling here' printed on them.

Once you're happy with your design practice rolling the paper into a tube with the wooden dowel (the wooden pole).

Roll The Body

When you think you can roll the tube as straight and as tightly against the dowel as possible it's time to make the rocket body for real.

Start rolling the paper on the dowel, but stop as soon as you've made one rotation and paper starts to meet paper.

Using Pritstick start covering the unrolled part of the paper with glue (being careful not to cover any part of it that will be against the wooden dowel - you want the wood to slide out when you're finished!).

Once the paper is covered in glue finish rolling the paper into a tube and then remove the dowel.

Check the nose cone fits the rocket body well (sits on top and doesn't slip into the tube).

Attach the body to the Fins

Carefully using scissors cut out the slots marked for the fins.

Carefully slide the rocket tube on to the fins you made in the last session.

Using hot melt glue - glue along the 8 edges where the body meets the fins.

Using cellotape - tape around the rocket body just above the top of the fins (this will stop the body bursting so easily when the rocket engine ejects the parachute).

Attach the launch lugs/guides

Using PVA glue - stick the two launch lugs to the two crosses marked on the rocket body (at the top and the other near the fins). Make sure the holes line up as well as you can .

Making the parachute

Week 9 - 8th July 2022 - Track Day!

TBD

Instructions

TBD

Risks

TBD

Week 10 - 15th July 2022 - Award time!

Time to show off the vehicle you've been building all term and find out if you've won an award; also if we may fit in more track time 😆

Instructions

TBD

Risks

TBD

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