Rocketing to success in the classroom

ELI van den Berg and Corey Daniels are pretty chuffed – their rocket, made from a plastic drink bottle, has flown more than 110 metres, smashing a previous competition record by 18 metres.

It’s all part of the biannual bottle rocket challenge, run by the award-winning Rivers Academy of STEM Excellence, to celebrate Science Week.

The challenge involves about 100 students from 12 primary schools and three high schools using water and compressed air to make a PET soft drink bottle fly the farthest distance possible.

Eli and Corey are Year 7 students at Lismore High Campus of The Rivers College and have been working on their rocket since last term in their Industrial Arts class.

Lismore High Year 7 students Corey Daniels and Eli van den Berg with their rocket from the Bottle Rocket Challenge. Photo CATHY ADAMS

“We 3-D printed the nose cone because we had to have something computer-generated to enter the competition,” Eli said.

“We’re currently in first, so that’s pretty good.”

They use 1.25-litre drink bottles and redesign them to make them as aerodynamic as possible – balancing them and finding the centre of mass to aid flight.

By doing so, they learn about data collection, measurement and keeping accurate records of trials.

STEM program officer Zane van den Berg said the day brought together the best rockets made by students from across the region.

“This is a culmination for most of these students of a full term of their science learning,” Mr van den Berg said.

“A lot of them have done it through learning about forces, particularly in the primary schools.

“In the high schools, some of them have done it through science, looking at energy. Others have done it as an engineering project in their Technology and Applied Studies.

A rocket made by Year 5 student from Goonellabah Public School, Frankie Rico, during the Bottle Rocket Challenge. Photo by Cathy Adams

“It brings STEM and science to the forefront. We have a lot of focus on sports teams and I think sometimes it’s just really nice to celebrate the academic pursuits as well.”

It’s also a fun way to learn.

“They know they are going to have a great time at the end of it, so they really work hard,” Mr van den Berg said.

“It builds their resilience. They just keep on trying and trying; even when their rockets aren’t flying, they are happy to keep on improving their designs.”

The Primary School Challenge was won by Eli, Quinn and Franklin from Dunoon Public School with a distance of 55.5 metres.

The High School Challenge was won by Caelan and Fred from Richmond River High with a distance of 115.5 metres.