Rocket Mice

In this activity you can make a paper mouse hit the ceiling using forces and the power of air.

Year groups: 1-2 (ages 5-7), 3-5 (ages 7-10)

Paper mouse being shot out of plastic bottle

Educational objective

Squeezing air through a small opening gives it enough force to move objects.

Key learning

Air can move objects.

Materials needed

1 mouse template
1 plastic milk bottle (2-litre or 3-litre bottles work best)
Tape
Scissors
Pink rubber-glove material or paper and pens (optional)

Practicalities

Flexible plastic bottles such as milk bottles work better than firmer fizzy-drink bottles.

Health and safety

Advise children not to lean over the bottle when they are launching their rocket mice. Children should lean back and squeeze or 'clap' the milk bottle with their arms extended. This will ensure their faces are away from the rocket mouse when it is propelled upwards.

Open-ended investigation

For a more inquiry-based activity, ignore the template and challenge the children to make a paper mouse or rocket to launch into the air using only household materials. Click here for a guide to planning open-ended investigations in your classroom.

Discussion

What is making the mouse move?
Which direction are you applying a force? Which direction is the mouse travelling?
What difference do the size of the bottle and the force of the push make?
Can you think of any other ways to make the mouse move?

Extensions

Can you direct the mouse to hit a target?
What can you do to make the mouse travel further or faster?
What is the heaviest mouse you can launch?

Try adding measured quantities of modelling clay inside the mouse’s nose cone and make a graph of weight and height/distance travelled.

Links to everyday life

A pneumatic drill uses compressed air to move the drill bill into the concrete or rock that it needs to break. Not only is the force strong enough to break very hard materials, but also the air explodes producing noise up to 100 decibels and vibrations that can cause a condition known as ‘white finger’.

Air bags are used to raise delicate artefacts from shipwrecks, e.g. the Titanic. The pressure of the air inside is powerful enough to lift the huge weight of objects, or even pieces of the ship, through the water pressing down on them.