return to home page Digital Cameras in Education eBooks in Education Technology Enhanced Literature Circles Effective Distance Education Assistive Technology in Education Teaching Science with Dinosaur Footprints Science Education Resources Other Technology Applications and Fun Stuff
Quick menu - click on the above images

  return to homepage
more about us
courses we teach
educational resources
some of our books and other publications
workshops that we will present
some of our recent presentations
search the DrsCavanaugh site
contact us by email

OCTOBER SKY

Teacher Information

Content Areas:

Earth and space science, physics of forces and motion, chemical reactions

Synopsis:

A high school boy in a coal mining town is inspired by Sputnik to explore rocketry. His science teacher helps him enter the science fair. He and his partners win the science fair and a life beyond Coalwood.

Good Science:

Rocket parts and functions are accurately described. Proper lab safety is modeled by students. Correct explanations are given for the motion of propellant gas through the nozzle of a rocket.

Bad Science:

Students in the film did not show their careful documentation of their experiments. Such documentation is described in the book, Rocket Boys. The boys unsafely prepare rocket fuel with alcohol over an open flame.

Note to teachers:

Warn students that rocketry is a dangerous activity: proper equipment, safety practices, supervision and knowledge are required.
This film is recommended for high school classes only, due to mature language ("ass, damn, hell, son of a bitch")

World Wide Web Sites:

The Universal Pictures October Sky Study Guide is available from http://www.universalpictures.copm/octobersky/studyguide
Homer Hickam, Jr.'s website at http://www.homerhickam.com
NASA http://www.nasa.gov
The Heavens Above site for visual spotting of satellites http://www.heavens-above.com
WebWings from the Academy of Model Aeronautics at http://www.bsu.edu/academy/webwings

Return to the Learning Science With Science Fiction Main Page

Site Search

Drs.Cavanaugh

 

Send mail to cavanaugh@drscavanaugh.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Drs.Cavanaugh  Last modified: March 06, 2008