Rocket Launch 2022
Trash to Rockets
By Bryson Allen
On March 24th, we got to meet up with Mr. and Mrs.Gentner, they announced to us that we were
going to do trash to rockets. They explained that trash to rockets was pretty much building a
rocket out of paper, straws, ect. Then Mr.Gentner started explaining that we need to have bigger
wings in the back of our rockets to make it aerodynamic. He also said that the center point of
the mass should be right above the middle point of the rocket. He gave us the supplies we
needed, and reminded us that the cone should be in the front to also make it more
aerodynamic. After we got all of our supplies: straws, paper, paper towel roll, scissors, tape,
paperclips, party hat, cardstock, and a cup of confetti (the confetti was used for decoration once
it blasted off). The adults said that we couldn't use any hot glue and the box cutter by ourselves,
they would have to do that part, which was good. After that, all the teams started to think and
build. It was mostly groups of 4-6 with there being 6 groups. Everyone had different ideas,
some groups couldn't agree on anything, and others found out what they were going to do.
Looking back at it, it looks like the people who only used 1 paper towel roll for the middle and
the other they cut and used for their wings was the best idea. After 30-45 minutes of building we
were gathered with our projects to go out and launch them. Every team looked like they were
ready and done, I’m pretty sure all of us were nervous. All the teams sat down and waited for
their turn to see their rocket launch. The first two teams looked pretty amazing. One went the
farthest, and one team went the highest. Then the wind kicked in and changed the outcomes of
the other launches. One rocket even did loops up in the sky. Most of the team's rockets didn't
completely break, some were a little broken, but still intact. We had a really fun time building and
watching our rockets. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Gentner for letting us do this project!!
On March 24th, we got to meet up with Mr. and Mrs.Gentner, they announced to us that we were
going to do trash to rockets. They explained that trash to rockets was pretty much building a
rocket out of paper, straws, ect. Then Mr.Gentner started explaining that we need to have bigger
wings in the back of our rockets to make it aerodynamic. He also said that the center point of
the mass should be right above the middle point of the rocket. He gave us the supplies we
needed, and reminded us that the cone should be in the front to also make it more
aerodynamic. After we got all of our supplies: straws, paper, paper towel roll, scissors, tape,
paperclips, party hat, cardstock, and a cup of confetti (the confetti was used for decoration once
it blasted off). The adults said that we couldn't use any hot glue and the box cutter by ourselves,
they would have to do that part, which was good. After that, all the teams started to think and
build. It was mostly groups of 4-6 with there being 6 groups. Everyone had different ideas,
some groups couldn't agree on anything, and others found out what they were going to do.
Looking back at it, it looks like the people who only used 1 paper towel roll for the middle and
the other they cut and used for their wings was the best idea. After 30-45 minutes of building we
were gathered with our projects to go out and launch them. Every team looked like they were
ready and done, I’m pretty sure all of us were nervous. All the teams sat down and waited for
their turn to see their rocket launch. The first two teams looked pretty amazing. One went the
farthest, and one team went the highest. Then the wind kicked in and changed the outcomes of
the other launches. One rocket even did loops up in the sky. Most of the team's rockets didn't
completely break, some were a little broken, but still intact. We had a really fun time building and
watching our rockets. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Gentner for letting us do this project!!
Tarleton Physics Team
By: Turner O’Neal
On Friday, February 25, Hico Science Club held their monthly meeting. This was a special
meeting because we had some people come from Tarleton. Their names were Dr. Marble, Ms.
Lewis, and their student assistants. The first thing we did was talk about what we would be
doing at the meeting. Next, they split us up into four groups. In our groups, we did stations that
consisted of one with a musical bowl, a glass trick similar to the musical bowl, a tube that makes
sound when spun, and last but not least a machine that makes a magnetic field and shoots a
ring like a coil gun. The next station had a pipe on a stand, a pvc pipe with a rag to make friction
and you put the pvc pipe near the pipe and it will attract the pipe. The third station had a walled
pan that you would put liquid nitrogen in and then you could shrink a balloon. And last, but
certainly not least, the station had a hoverboard. After station rotations, we observed a chemical
reaction that caused a trash can to explode. (Don’t worry, we contacted the city and made sure
it was done safely). All of this was only possible with Dr. Marble, Mrs.Lewis, their student
assistants, Mr.Gentner, Mrs.Gentner, and Mrs. Weatherley. We all had so much fun and we
appreciate their time.
On Friday, February 25, Hico Science Club held their monthly meeting. This was a special
meeting because we had some people come from Tarleton. Their names were Dr. Marble, Ms.
Lewis, and their student assistants. The first thing we did was talk about what we would be
doing at the meeting. Next, they split us up into four groups. In our groups, we did stations that
consisted of one with a musical bowl, a glass trick similar to the musical bowl, a tube that makes
sound when spun, and last but not least a machine that makes a magnetic field and shoots a
ring like a coil gun. The next station had a pipe on a stand, a pvc pipe with a rag to make friction
and you put the pvc pipe near the pipe and it will attract the pipe. The third station had a walled
pan that you would put liquid nitrogen in and then you could shrink a balloon. And last, but
certainly not least, the station had a hoverboard. After station rotations, we observed a chemical
reaction that caused a trash can to explode. (Don’t worry, we contacted the city and made sure
it was done safely). All of this was only possible with Dr. Marble, Mrs.Lewis, their student
assistants, Mr.Gentner, Mrs.Gentner, and Mrs. Weatherley. We all had so much fun and we
appreciate their time.
Hico Science Club Launches Eggs!
By, Bryson Allen
At the beginning of the Science Club meeting, Mr.Gentner, brought Hunter Kennemer, who
started to explain how he found out that someone in an earlier Science Club didn’t have an arm.
Therefore, he decided to make an arm. So starting out he was going to build it out of legos and
a tiny computer, and it took him a couple tries. After the second try he was successful. It took
him 2-3 weeks but he perfected the arm. The tiny computer controlled how hard the hand could
grip and where\how it would move. After that Mr.Gentner was telling us how we were doing the
egg drop. He was talking about the velocity of the egg and how we could save the egg from
breaking. So we got in groups, Caden, Aubrey, and Jaxson were in my group. There were 6
other groups, and so for our task we had to create protection for the egg. He had a potato
launcher that he was going to launch with. For that, he told us we had to make it to where the
protected egg would fit in the launch tube. Mr.Gentner’s wife handed out supplies that we could
use for the project, and they gave us an hour and a half to finish. To sum it all up, all the teams
thought of the idea for parachutes, and a lot of layers on the outside of the egg. After about an
hour and fifteen minutes all the groups were done so we started heading outside. Once we got
out to the track, Hunter brought the “egg launcher” out. All 7 groups had to gather with their
other members and get ready. The first group that went up (my group) had a great job with the
egg not breaking or even cracking when shot, the second group went and after theirs was shot
up in the sky it broke. Everyone else’s after that went perfectly! That was our Science Club
meeting, in my opinion it was really fun!
At the beginning of the Science Club meeting, Mr.Gentner, brought Hunter Kennemer, who
started to explain how he found out that someone in an earlier Science Club didn’t have an arm.
Therefore, he decided to make an arm. So starting out he was going to build it out of legos and
a tiny computer, and it took him a couple tries. After the second try he was successful. It took
him 2-3 weeks but he perfected the arm. The tiny computer controlled how hard the hand could
grip and where\how it would move. After that Mr.Gentner was telling us how we were doing the
egg drop. He was talking about the velocity of the egg and how we could save the egg from
breaking. So we got in groups, Caden, Aubrey, and Jaxson were in my group. There were 6
other groups, and so for our task we had to create protection for the egg. He had a potato
launcher that he was going to launch with. For that, he told us we had to make it to where the
protected egg would fit in the launch tube. Mr.Gentner’s wife handed out supplies that we could
use for the project, and they gave us an hour and a half to finish. To sum it all up, all the teams
thought of the idea for parachutes, and a lot of layers on the outside of the egg. After about an
hour and fifteen minutes all the groups were done so we started heading outside. Once we got
out to the track, Hunter brought the “egg launcher” out. All 7 groups had to gather with their
other members and get ready. The first group that went up (my group) had a great job with the
egg not breaking or even cracking when shot, the second group went and after theirs was shot
up in the sky it broke. Everyone else’s after that went perfectly! That was our Science Club
meeting, in my opinion it was really fun!
Multimeters!
By:Turner O’Neal
On November 18th the Hico Science Club held their monthly meeting. We began with Mrs.
Gentner passing out 9 volt batteries. You might be asking why she did this. We were learning
about electricity. The first thing we did with the 9 volt batteries was have some brave...maybe
crazy students, volunteer to touch their tongue to the battery. Next, Mrs.Gentner passed out
some very cool lights that Mr.Gentner made for us on the 3D printer. They had a plastic housing
for a Hico “H” to light up. Then we used the 9 volt batteries to power the light bulb. Next, Mrs.
and Mr. Gentner passed out our very own multimeters that Coles Hardware paid for and gave
us. Thank You Coles Hardware! The first thing we did with these was test the amount of voltage
our 9 volt batteries were putting out and as you could guess it was 9 volts. The next thing we did
with these was test conductivity, and we found out that if you draw really dark with a pencil it is
able to conduct electricity due to the metal content. All of this could not be possible without
Coles Hardware, Mr. and Mrs. Gentner, and Mrs.Weatherley. So if you see them say how good
of a job they did.
On November 18th the Hico Science Club held their monthly meeting. We began with Mrs.
Gentner passing out 9 volt batteries. You might be asking why she did this. We were learning
about electricity. The first thing we did with the 9 volt batteries was have some brave...maybe
crazy students, volunteer to touch their tongue to the battery. Next, Mrs.Gentner passed out
some very cool lights that Mr.Gentner made for us on the 3D printer. They had a plastic housing
for a Hico “H” to light up. Then we used the 9 volt batteries to power the light bulb. Next, Mrs.
and Mr. Gentner passed out our very own multimeters that Coles Hardware paid for and gave
us. Thank You Coles Hardware! The first thing we did with these was test the amount of voltage
our 9 volt batteries were putting out and as you could guess it was 9 volts. The next thing we did
with these was test conductivity, and we found out that if you draw really dark with a pencil it is
able to conduct electricity due to the metal content. All of this could not be possible without
Coles Hardware, Mr. and Mrs. Gentner, and Mrs.Weatherley. So if you see them say how good
of a job they did.
The Results Are In!
This month’s science club was a blast! Schrieber sent over Dustin who went over our swab
results, and he was up early that morning to laminate the results. When we went over the
results some of them surprised us! A paper towel dispenser we thought would be covered in
yeast and mold was cleaner than we expected. Also, we thought the doorways would be dirty
from us touching them, however we were wrong. Dustin explained that we were just looking at
yeast and mold so if we were looking at bacteria it would probably be covered in it. Dustin put
the swabs in an environment that let the yeast and mold grow. Austin did a slide show and
talked about the yeast and mold and how they develop in some areas better than others. What
an interesting lesson!
By: Hudson Clifton
results, and he was up early that morning to laminate the results. When we went over the
results some of them surprised us! A paper towel dispenser we thought would be covered in
yeast and mold was cleaner than we expected. Also, we thought the doorways would be dirty
from us touching them, however we were wrong. Dustin explained that we were just looking at
yeast and mold so if we were looking at bacteria it would probably be covered in it. Dustin put
the swabs in an environment that let the yeast and mold grow. Austin did a slide show and
talked about the yeast and mold and how they develop in some areas better than others. What
an interesting lesson!
By: Hudson Clifton
Having Fun in Science Club
By: Bryson Allen
October 14, 2021
What we did today at our meeting was fun, but also really interesting! Today we gathered in Mrs.Weatherley’s class, and Anne Marie, Dustin, and Mr. Gentner explained what we were going to do for today. First, Mr. Gentner was introducing us to Anne Marie and Dustin, he explained that they were from Schreiber Foods, and they were here to show us our swabbing activity that we were doing today. We got a piece of paper that tells us what we were going to swab with our cotton swabs. The whole point of the cotton swab activity was to teach us about bacteria and how some places can be dirtier than others, and they were going to take our swabs back to Schreiber to get tested and see whose was the dirtiest. Whoever got the dirtiest test would win a big prize! So we all got our pieces of paper, and then we got our Qtip swabs and started. We all got different places to go and swab, I got a classroom door handle so I went to Mrs.Gillespie's class (4th grade) and swabbed her doorknob. Some other people did: instrument mouthpiece, the lunchroom keypad, the bottom of a shoe, and more. It was really fun and we learned a lot. Thank You Mr. Gentner and everyone else!
October 14, 2021
What we did today at our meeting was fun, but also really interesting! Today we gathered in Mrs.Weatherley’s class, and Anne Marie, Dustin, and Mr. Gentner explained what we were going to do for today. First, Mr. Gentner was introducing us to Anne Marie and Dustin, he explained that they were from Schreiber Foods, and they were here to show us our swabbing activity that we were doing today. We got a piece of paper that tells us what we were going to swab with our cotton swabs. The whole point of the cotton swab activity was to teach us about bacteria and how some places can be dirtier than others, and they were going to take our swabs back to Schreiber to get tested and see whose was the dirtiest. Whoever got the dirtiest test would win a big prize! So we all got our pieces of paper, and then we got our Qtip swabs and started. We all got different places to go and swab, I got a classroom door handle so I went to Mrs.Gillespie's class (4th grade) and swabbed her doorknob. Some other people did: instrument mouthpiece, the lunchroom keypad, the bottom of a shoe, and more. It was really fun and we learned a lot. Thank You Mr. Gentner and everyone else!
Hico Science Club First Meeting
On Thursday, September 14th, Hico Elementary 5th Graders had their first Science Club meeting. Mr. Gentner introduced himself and explained the activities and experiments that we would be doing this year. We voted on what our t-shirt color would be and what design we would have on them. Last, we voted on officers. Our officers are: President: Turner O’Neal, Vice President: Bryson Allen, Secretary: Hudson Clifton, Director of Communication: Myles Booth.