As rockets soared high above the baseball fields on Beech Street, there were “oohs” and “ahhs” from Wantagh Elementary School’s fifth grade students, as well as dozens of parents who came out to watch.

The annual fifth grade rocket launch is a long-standing tradition for the students as they wrap up their elementary years. On a sunny morning on June 10, children donned their Class of 2024 shirts, grabbed their rockets and headed out to the big field across the street. Teachers helped students set up on the launch pad, then showed them where to stand to push a button and send the rockets into the air. 

Teacher Traci Weiss said the project took about two weeks from start to finish. A little time during class each day was devoted to assembling the rockets from kits. Many students also personalized their rockets with unique designs.

As the rockets soared one by one, each student ran down the field to try to catch it as it landed. If the parachute opened the way it was supposed to, it was a gentle glide down. Some students ran zig-zag patterns as the descending rockets were pushed by the wind.  

The rocket launch reinforced their knowledge of several scientific concepts such as aerodynamics, air resistance, drag and gravity. Ms. Weiss also noted that assembling a rocket is good for their fine motor skills. 

The Wantagh Elementary School PTA funded the rocket kits for all fifth graders as well as new launch pads.