Kids on the Net is going to make some it's workshop projects available to teachers and students here at this part of the site. Complete with pictures and instructions, you should be able to f ind everything you will ever need to repeat workshops or further study something we covered.

 

Rockets you can make yourself, using the properties of air and water pressure. This activity can be altered to allow for payloads (eggs!) and they're safe landing after flight!

Materials:

-- pop bottles (2L works best, but use whatever you can get, and they have to be small mouthed, to fit the cork from a wine bottle)
-- a bicycle pump with needle
-- a wine bottle cork (used or unused, it doesn't matter)

Method:

-- Fill the bottles with different amounts of water (to see which creates the most pressure in the bottle to send the rocket highest)
-- Push the needle through the cork (you may need to trim the cork to make sure the needle goes all the way through), and then use this as a stopper for the mouth of the bottle
-- Create a launchpad with rocks or snow - enough to hold the bottles upright while upside down
-- Use the bicycle pump to oump air into the bottles, creating pressure.
-- When there is enough pressure, the rockets (bottles) should pop right off the cork and fly into the sky! Watch your heads when they come falling down!
 
 

Materials:

-- tissue paper (each balloon requires 12 sheets)
-- markers, gluesticks and scissors
-- cut out diagram, as given
 

Method:

-- Each group has to have 12 sheets of tissue paper
-- Glue the shorter edges together in pairs as shown in the diagram
-- You should now have 6 pairs of sheets per balloon.
-- They should now be folded in half lengthwise. Place the flat edge of the cutout shape against the folded edges of the tissue paper.

--Trace out the cutout, and cut all the pieces.
-- Glue the edges of all the pieces together, and then flip over the whole balloon to close it.
-- Let the balloon dry overnight.
-- Before flying, turn the balloon inside out (it takes time and patience, but basically, you have to reach through to the top, and then pull it through). Be careful not to rip the tissue paper! But if you do, it's not too hard to make a patch.

Launch:
-- Using a Coleman stove and a stove pipe, focus the air into the balloon. It should almost be floating on it's own by the time it is full and ready to go. Lift Off!!
 

Materials:

-- pre-made tart shells (can be bought from a grocery store, or, as in our case, flown in by the grocery store by speacial request)
-- 25 Premium Plus crackers
-- cream of tartar
-- 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar
-- 1 and 1/2 cups of water
-- pot, spoon, baking tray

This should make about 6 tarts (4'' diameter)
 

Method:

-- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
-- Boil the water. Once it starts to bubble, add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved.
-- Add 3/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
-- Slowly add the crackers at about 5 at a time, stirring them and breaking them up (but not into mush!) until they look a little like apples!
-- As soon as the crackers have become part of the mixture (and some of t he water boils off), it should have the consistency of clumpy paper mache. : ) Pour the mixture into the tart shells and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tart shells start to turn brown.
-- Aloow to cool for 15 minutes, and then enjoy apple pie, without any apples!