It IS Rocket Science!

We are about to embark upon an utterly cool project about rockets and flight Insha'Allah. I found the idea and all the resources on the NASA website. You really must visit this site people...honestly it is amazing and choc-a-block with wonderful images, information and cool educational resources. Each project has a detailed introduction which explains which subjects are covered by the various chapters and experiments and for which ages they are most suited. I recently got Harry to work his way through the entire project (I printed it all out and put it in a folder) in order to make a 'shopping list' of things we will need...this was, in fact a ploy on my behalf to get him to practice writing legibly. Harry's handwriting is absolutely awful and he really needs to work on it, but what 13 year old boy wants to sit and do handwriting exercises? So I have to be a little cunning about it.
 I was pleased to note that most of the activities and experiments can be done at home...or the park with things that are easily available - either already indoors or at a hardware shop. My plan is to take H to B&Q with a list and let him locate, enquire after and pay for the materials. One thing I have noticed in my older boys is that they are not very confident in so many areas of life...that must be my fault and so I need to address this problem and nip it in the bud.
I chose this project for a number of reasons...it has a great mixture of hands on experiments, construction of rockets and launchers etc with mathematics (trigonometry and algebra!!) and history. So we will not only make paper, coke bottle and tin can rockets, but we will make launchers for them, learn the theory of rocket flight, do the mathematics and read up on the history of rocket science from the ancient Chinese fireworks up to the present day.
Saaliha will be able to join in with some of the experiments and I have downloaded a really great little rockets workbook for young children that she can colour in and work through. There are so many things we can incorporate into this topic such as the planets and solar system, geography and weather studies, Art and crafts and English too. We can also combine the project with looking at some of the verses of the Qur'an that speak of the Universe and space Insha'Allah.
So stay tuned folks because pics will follow shortly Insha'Allah :D