This hands-on lesson offers two pathways for teachers to choose from to answer the question “How does the mass of a rocket’s payload affect the maximum height it can achieve?” In the first pathway, students will build a rubber band rocket to see the effect of mass on the altitude the rocket reaches. In the second pathway, students will complete an online, interactive investigation of the effect of mass on a rocket.

Both pathways will lead to a rocket build and launch, where students will add a payload of pennies to the rocket and analyze the effect of mass on the altitude reached by a model rocket. For the assessment, students will use a CER model to answer the essential question.

Note: This lesson is derived from the unit “Does Mass Matter?” For a more in-depth look at the relationship of mass to altitude, acceleration, and velocity, we recommend that unit.