Model Rocket

We're Aren, Jessica and Mary Lynn, and we think model rockets rock! Not only do we love to build and fly model rockets, we put our designs to the test in model rocket contests. For our DragonflyTV investigation, and for an upcoming competition, we asked: How do we create a rocket that reaches our goal altitude of 1,600 feet (488 meters)?

How would you investigate this question?
Decide which parts of a model rocket really make it fly (or flop). Is it the rocket's body shape, fins, or nose cone? Is it the weight or length of the rocket? How would you measure the rocket's altitude? Describe your investigation in your notebook and discuss it with your teacher, or go to Model Rockets to learn what Aren, Jessica and Mary Lynn did (and how they fared in the model rocket contest!)