This week we celebrated Science Week in St Mary’s. What a brilliant day we had in Primary 3 with our Rocket Mice! We asked lots of interesting questions and experimented to find the answers.
This activity involved shooting a rocket high into the air by rapidly squashing a plastic bottle launcher.
The children investigated what makes the rocket fly and what makes it come down again. The children engaged in lots of discussion about why the mouse takes off when they clap the bottle, what makes the mouse move and what forces are involved when the mouse is moving (going up or down ) and why doesn’t the mouse keep going up for ever.
The children learned all about the Science behind launching their Rocket Mice.
They learned that the bottle used as the rocket launcher is not really empty: there is air inside it. When you squeeze the bottle, the air inside is forced out through the top. The force of the air against the rocket top sends it shooting upwards.
The children discovered that the harder you push the sides of the bottle together the greater the force of the air leaving the bottle and the higher the rocket will go.
The children also learned that the force of gravity pulled the Rocket Mice downwards.
Please enjoy the video below showcasing our fantastic Primary 3 Scientists!
