Primary Schoolers launch model rocket
The study of science is not a traditionally strong subject for most Belizean schools, perhaps because the job opportunities in scientific research here are so limited. But much of the success of science education has to do with the way it is taught. Earlier this week I accompanied a group of Belize City students and discovered that science is not only important, it can also be fun.
The Science project first started as a classroom exercise, but before they knew it, the staff and standard one students of Grace Primary School were out on the field of the National Stadium. The air of anticipation was no less dramatic than that proceeding the launch of a space shuttle at Cape Canaveral.
Amir Hassan, “Rocket Man”
“Am today we are going to launch a model rocket. This is the model rocket and this rocket will go approximately one thousand feet high, right. I think the B.T.L. tower is six hundred feet high, so it should go beyond that.”
Showing the students just how air affects a rockets’ launch and descent, is Amir Hassan. Dubbed “Rocket Man” because of his love and fascination with space travel, the primary school teachers could not have invited anyone better equipped for the job.
Amir Hassan
“What will cause it to go up will be something like this. It is called rocket engine. It has in it something like gun powder, that when you light it to push up, and it will push the rocket up. See we have one already in here, one similar like this, and that will push the rocket up into the sky. When it reaches that one thousand feet, a parachute will come out, that will bring the rocket to the ground safely. So that is a basic idea of how the rocket will go up.”
As for the children, not even the scorching heat from the sun could have melted their excitement and the thrill of what they were prepared to see take place.
Kyle Domingo, 8 years old
“The rocket when it go up, like it will go up a thousand feet high, Miss and then you have to be far from it. Like what I said because it can hurt any part of you.”
Fiona Humphreys, 7 years old
“We made a parachute and we did an experiment with it. We made a parachute and we throw it up and then we see the air bring it down.”
The children eagerly anticipating the rocket’s thundering blast off, were safely moved back thirty yards from the launch pad. Mission control was now ready for the countdown.
The children
“Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one – blast off.”
Uh, Houston we have a problem. Not even after two more tries did the rocket budge from the launch pad. But before you think it was a mission impossible, Hassan says such delays are expected.
Amir Hassan
“Well, there are always times when you have unexpected circumstances, things like this happen. I think it was the battery supply. I checked the voltage on the batteries because, but apparently it wasn’t enough or the current wasn’t enough.”
It was then decided that maybe what was needed was the power supply from a twelve volt battery. That means it would take another twenty minutes before the students, already showing signs of frustration and fatigue, would witness their first live rocket launch.
But children are nothing if not resilient, an by the time the fourth countdown got underway their voices alone could lift the projectile skyward.
The Children
“Five, four, three, two, one”
At first we thought the rocket had surpassed the speed of light, thus making it impossible to see, But alas, the problem was closer to home. Our cameraman just lost it. But take my word for it folks, the Grace Primary rocket quickly shot up to one thousand feet and then parachuted for several minutes across the stadium before coming to a gentle rest in the football field at Saint John’s College. And it is not impossible that among these newly inspired students, we may one day find Belize’s first astronaut.
In addition to launching rockets, Hassan also builds his own from locally available materials. Any children out there with similar ideas are reminded to please have an adult supervise the project.
