quick activity ideas

[whatevah]

I just intend for this topic to have some good quick activities that you could do at a unit in 20-30 minutes with minimal prep time.

Off the top of my head, the famous...  Paper planes, and alka-fuji rockets.

There's also the bottle-rockets, take a plastic bottle, add some cardboard fins, put it on the pump and launch...

the Estes "Alpha" rocket kits can be made in 2 or 3 class sessions if taught correctly. (I can personally build one in 15 minutes if I have fast-drying glue)  this does require purchasing the kits, exacto-knives and glue, so not the cheapest activity, but they get to launch their rockets over and over again.  the launch pads are pretty cheap, and the motors can be purchased in bulk. some hobby places will give CAP a discount, which helps a little.  one place gave my unit a small discount, plus included discount coupons to be given to every cadet.

I've never built an RC plane, but that (IMO) would be a wonderful project to do over a series of meetings.

[Greg]

I just intend for this topic to have some good quick activities that you could do at a unit in 20-30 minutes with minimal prep time.

Off the top of my head, the famous...  Paper planes, and alka-fuji rockets.

There's also the bottle-rockets, take a plastic bottle, add some cardboard fins, put it on the pump and launch...

the Estes "Alpha" rocket kits can be made in 2 or 3 class sessions if taught correctly. (I can personally build one in 15 minutes if I have fast-drying glue)  this does require purchasing the kits, exacto-knives and glue, so not the cheapest activity, but they get to launch their rockets over and over again.  the launch pads are pretty cheap, and the motors can be purchased in bulk. some hobby places will give CAP a discount, which helps a little.  one place gave my unit a small discount, plus included discount coupons to be given to every cadet.

I've never built an RC plane, but that (IMO) would be a wonderful project to do over a series of meetings.

What are "alka-fuji rockets"? 

[whatevah]

tape a paper nose cone onto the bottom of a film canister, and paper fins onto the sides. fill it 3/4th full with plain water, drop in an alka-selter tablet, put the cap back on the canister, and it upside down on the ground.  the pressure builds up inside the canister and blows the cap off.  Newton's law that states "for every action..." forces the bottle up into the air.

certain canister types work better than others, though.  the ones that have the cap around the outside of the canister work best, I think.  there is less grip pressure than the ones with the cap inside the canister.