The Wonderstruck Rocket Show
A spectacular journey through the history and science of rockets. Plenty of inspiring demos, science content and lots of curriculum links!
The Neon quality mark shows this activity has been reviewed and meets Neon's quality standards.
Overview
If you’ve ever had a burning desire to find out how a rocket engine works, this is the show for you!
Wonderstruck has been spreading sciencey goodness around schools, festivals and public events since 2004 and this is their most frequently booked show.
Watch your presenter guide you through the science and history of rockets. You’ll find out about interesting characters such as Wan Hu, a 16th century Chinese official who strapped 47 gunpowder rockets to his favourite chair, lit them and was never seen again and Robert Hutchings Goddard, the inventor of the liquid propellant rocket who, as a child, nearly blew up the family home while testing home made explosives.
With the help of some large fireballs, incredibly loud explosions, a working jet engine and a 2-metre long rocket car students will discover the remarkably simple principles behind the vehicles that may one day take us to Mars and beyond!
This show is crammed with physics and chemistry, with the main topics covered being forces, energy and combustion. For post-16 groups, the presenter will introduce more advanced concepts such as impulse.
Wonderstruck highlight links to the curriculum and how this ties in with opportunities in STEM industries throughout the delivery of their workshops and shows.
Requirements
This show is usually performed in halls or sports halls as the presenter needs at least 3 metres floor to ceiling height. The performance space needs to be approximately 5 metres wide and 4 metres deep with a 2 metre safety space between that and the audience.
Any smoke alarms or heat detectors in the hall or adjoining areas into which smoke might drift must be disabled for the duration of the show.
Details
- School subject
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- Design and technology
- Engineering
- Physics
- Curriculum links
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- Engineering
- Biology: Material cycles and energy
- Physics: Energy
- Physics: Space physics
- Design and technology
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics: Application of engineering
- Sciences - Planet earth: Energy sources and sustainability
- Sciences - Planet earth
- Sciences - Planet earth: Space
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics
- Design thinking and engineering: Engineering
- Physics: Energy transfer
- Physics
- Technology & design - Manufacturing
- Sciences - Earth and universe: The environment and human influences
- Sciences - Forces and energy
- Sciences - Earth and universe: The solar system and universe
- Group size
- Whole year group
For up to 300 students.
- Participation level
- Watching or listening
- Duration
- Up to an hour
For schools, Wonderstruck typically run a 1 hour show with a maximum of 3 shows in a day.
There is a specific festival/public event version of this show which runs for 20-30 mins and has a much quicker turn around time. - Cost
- Cost applies
Starts at £650 + VAT.
- Location
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In-school
- England
- Wales
Learning outcomes
- Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
- Attainment and progress
- Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers
- Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering
Frameworks
Gatsby benchmarks
The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:
- 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
- 4 - Linking curriculum learning to careers
EqualEx
- Introduce and Inspire
Essential skills
The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:
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Enrichment framework
- 5 - An accessible and engagement enrichment offer
- 7 - An outcomes-focused enrichment offer
