Are you looking for a tool to make learning for your students fun and exciting? Rocketry and other aerospace topics are the tool you are looking for. Space and aviation, more than any other disciplines, has an ability to inspire youth and create an excitement in a classroom setting that can spill over into other academic areas. It is a phenomenal tool that can be used to grab the attention of any age level of student, and keeps them focused on the subject being taught.

Hundreds schools and thousands of teachers have found that rocketry and aerospace topics have many benefits, besides just teaching the physics of flight. Here are some of the positive benefits that you will see too when using rocketry and aerospace topics in your classroom:

1. Attendance improves. Because students are inspired by space and aviation, they don't want to miss class when these subjects are being taught; and therefore, absenteeism decreases dramatically.

2. Suspensions decline. Students don't want to miss out on being a part of the rocketry class, so they behave better in class, as well as outside the classroom.

3. Increased participation. Students become more attentive when space related subjects are being taught, and are more inclined to participate in classroom discussions.

4. Reading and math ability increase. Not only do grades go up in these important areas, but they improve in all other subjects as well when the student makes the connection between those subjects and excelling in their other space related course work.

5. Increased self-esteem. The students gain self-worth and become proud of their achievements in building and flying their own rockets.

Here are some of the long term benefits provided by continually using the space and aviation "tool" in the classroom.

1. Academic progress. When aviation and space topics are continually stressed throughout the student's grade progression, they are more likely to continue their education by attending college.

2. Increased parental backing. When the student is excited about learning and takes an active role in trying to improve themselves, the parents will also be drawn into the process. It has been shown in various studies that the parents of these students have a willingness to sacrifice financially to keep their children in school.

3. Employment. Because of the higher grades and better behavior of students brought about by the excitement generated by using rocketry, these students have a much greater chance of landing and maintaining a job after they finish school.

4. Sense of mastery. Like the increase in self-esteem, the students who get to use space and aerospace topics have a greater sense of control or mastery over one's fate. These students expect and achieve more out of life.

With all these great benefits that come from utilizing rocketry and aerospace topics, you're probably ready to give it a try. But you might have some reservations about getting started because you don't have much knowledge about these topics. Teachers need not be specialists in rocketry to use rocketry data and materials as a practical application of the things they teach in the various school subjects. However, teachers do need practical ideas and suggestions on what aviation and space content to emphasize and how to obtain appropriate instructional materials. That is where us folks at Apogee Components come in. We will help you in these two important areas.

The real world of space and aviation impacts our society in so many ways that it is nearly impossible to separate it out. So often though, we try to do this in the academic setting. The most obvious way and most used method by teachers to utilize rocketry in their classrooms is to teach the principals of rocketry and aeronautics. The topics of Newton's three laws of motion are an example of this. But to utilize the power of rocketry (to inspire, focus, and motivate), you need to incorporate it into other subjects besides science.

The enrichment approach, which is the standard course offerings that are supplemented with pertinent aspects of the aviation and space sciences is the way to tap the full power of rocketry.

Entire schools have been set up using this approach. Every course taught in the school utilizes aviation and space in some way to motivate the student. Note: I attended a college that was set up to teach this way. This makes learning fun and nearly effortless for everyone involved.

Setting up an entire school around aviation may be too much for many people to start with. So many teachers have teamed together to try aviation and space enrichment approach for a single week or two. This too has turned out to be a tremendous success! Every student looks forward to the "space" week!