Easy STEAM Activity: Thanksgiving Edition!

Easy STEAM Activity: Thanksgiving Edition!

Mobile Ed is leveling up our Thanksgiving preparations by adding in some physics lessons to our classroom activities this holiday. We plan to have some physics fun this month with a turkey rocket race using science from Newton’s Third Law. With this experiment, students have the ability to see physics working right before their eyes by creating force and seeing the reaction.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion explains that for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. In this experiment, students will blow up balloons, filling them with air that is under pressure, and then release the air rapidly so that the rockets can “race” one another. When the pressurized air is released, the air exerts a force on the balloon, moving the balloon forward on the string.

(Image from steampoweredfamily.com)

Turkey Rocket Race Experiment

What You’ll Need:

Paper
Craft feathers
Glue
String
Balloons (color of your choice)
Wide straws
Tape
Scissors
Binder clips
Anchor points

What You’ll Do:

Blow up your balloon(s) and use a clip to keep the opening closed. You don’t want air to escape the balloon.
Decorate your balloon any way you want, including like a turkey!
Pick your anchor points for your course. You will want to use chairs, tables, or walls to eventually attach your string to.
Cut straws to be about 4-5 inches if possible.
Cut a large piece of string about 10 feet (longer or shorter if desired). Repeat for the desired amount of courses you’d like to have.
Tape one end of the string to your first anchor point.
Push the other end of your string through the straw so that the straw rests in the middle of your string.
Tape the other end of your string to the second anchor point.
Repeat steps 3-7 as many times as needed depending on the number of courses you’d like. You will need at least two courses. Each “course” will use one string and one straw and two anchor points.
Attach your “turkey” (balloon) to the straw with tape.
Pull the balloon and straw back to your starting line.
On your count, release the clips on the balloons and watch the turkey rockets race!

ADVANCED VERSION: Change the amount of air in your balloons, the direction of your courses, or what angle you release the balloon from, and see what happens!

Physics is often an intimidating topic to introduce to students, especially in younger grades. Mobile Ed has several science programs that make introducing scientific principles and theories easy for students! Our Forces and Motion program makes physics simple and fun for all ages.

Through audience participation and engaging demonstrations, students will learn about: