These canisters are perfect for building your Alka-Seltzer rockets! The tight fitting lid allows the pressure to increase enough for the rocket to fly several feet into the air. Great activity for changing the variables; amount of tablet, amount of water, with or without a nose cone, with or without fins, the way the paper rocket is rolled, etc. Comes with complete instructions for building film canister rockets.
Read more on our Blog!
Download the pdf of this lesson!
Film canisters are not always easy to procure, but here at Educational Innovations we're proud
to offer canisters in bulk! Finally, an easy and inexpensive way to bring these little containers
into your classroom. These canisters are dry and clean, perfect for any of the following uses:
Students of All Ages
Film canisters make great storing devices. Use these canisters for liquid or solid samples. For
a hands-on homework assignment, distribute the canisters and have your students collect
water samples from a local river or pond. These canisters will seal tightly enough to prevent
spilling, but will open easily again for classroom use. Equip your students with a microscope,
and they'll be amazed to observe all the microscopic life in their water samples.
Sensory Exploration
Explore sensory perception by using film canisters to store interesting smells. Soak a cotton
ball in a strongly smelling liquid, like vanilla extract or vinegar, and place it in a canister. The
tightly sealing lids will prevent the odors from leaking out until the canister is opened. Very
young students will be interested in identifying the unknown smells. With older students, you
can discuss diffusion in air. Open a canister at the front of a classroom and ask students to
raise their hands when they can smell the liquid of your choice. Have your students make
observations on who raises their hands first and last. This will demonstrate how quickly
different smells spread from their origin (the film canister) out into the air.
Film Canister Rockets
Your students will be thrilled to make their own rockets! First, have students create the rocket
by rolling construction paper into a tube that fits tightly around the base of a film canister.
Make sure that the open end of the film canister is accessible at the base of the rocket. Tape
the construction paper in place. Add a nose cone by cutting out a circle of construction paper,
cutting a slit from the edge to the center, and twisting the paper to make a cone. Tape the
nose cone to the end of the rocket opposite the film canister. Students can add 'tail fins' to the
rocket as long as they do not block access to the film canister.
Baking soda and vinegar or alka-seltzer tablets and water can power these rockets. First,
holding the rocket upside down, place the liquid fuel inside the film canister. Quickly add the
solid fuel, cap the film canister, place the rocket right side up on a flat surface, and BACK
AWAY. After adding the solid fuel, everything must be done rapidly or the rocket will not
launch. Adult assistance may be required for this step. To delay the launch by a few seconds,
try wrapping the solid fuel in 1-2 sheets of tissue paper. CAUTION: launching rockets may
be dangerous. Make sure all students wear safety glasses and are clear of the launch area
before mixing fuels.
Advanced Science
For even more fun with film canisters, try Educational Innovations' Piezo Popper Kits (HS-
2A). Using a few drops of an alcohol (perfume will work) for fuel, these amazing poppers
will launch over 20 feet! The amazing piezoelectric device generates a spark of a few
thousand volts at the touch of a button. It can be used as a safety lesson to demonstrate the
flammability of alcohol or perfume. Safety glasses and adult supervision required.
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Product Rating:
Date Posted: 2012-05-16 07:21:14
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Prize Winning
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Posted By: Melanie
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Location: Georgetown, DE United States
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Comments:
These film canisters are a big hit at our house. The kids are homeschooled and all of them love the excitement of making a rocket and launching it. Our daughter won a $15 prize in a competition using these canisters to build her rocket. Lots of fun and learning for a low price!
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