Rockets & Hotdogs

The Annual Rocket Day and Family Picnic at Table Mound Elementary was bigger and better with rockets going higher and higher.

Video Essay by the Kids from Clarke College, October 2002

o you ever want to soar into the heavens (voluntarily, of course)? Well, here's the next best thing: Rockets & Hotdogs at Table Mound Elementary School in Dubuque. It's the annual family picnic and model rocket event that has become a family and school tradition at Table Mound.

We've covered this story before, and we will continue doing it because it is so much fun. If you have any doubts about Expeditionary Learning and its inclusive curriculum style which not only covers a broad range of educational subjects from math, science, reading and writing to visual and performing arts, you will quickly become a proponent as you see the enthusiastic faces of these students, from kindergarten to sixth grade, as they launch their love of lifelong learning into the heavens aboard a tiny cardboard and plastic rocket with adoring parents looking on.

Click on the button for a three minute video clip of the event. It's darling.

If you have high speed access to the Web (T-1, Mediacom Cable Modem, or similar service), try this MPEG video. It's absolutely dazzling quality!

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Instructions For Those Outside of Our School Network (The General Public)

We are now providing a choice of RealPlayer applications for you to download and install on your computer to enable you to view the video and audio files. One is RealPlayer8 and the other is RealOne Player, which is an excellent player with many new features. It's easy to install, so just follow the on-screen steps. You will be required to register with Real.com, but these are free software applications (there are versions you can pay for if you choose, but they are not necessary for basic viewing and listening).

Which Player is Best for Me?

Of the two types of free players available, RealPlayer 8 is the traditional player that is free and will work beautifully to access Web based multimedia files from our site. There is also a new player available, which is also free, called RealONE. Either player will probably work for your operating system. If your system is older (Windows 95, NT), however, you may want to use the RealPlayer 8 software. If you are running a newer, faster system like Windows 98, ME, XP, or 2000, go for the RealOne player.

Macintosh Owners:

You can get a RealPlayer for Macintosh, Visit Real.com to download their free player options. Remember, look for the FREE players. They are sometimes difficult to find on their Web site.

Oh, and one more thing... sometimes when you click on a sound or video file in our Web site with the RealPlayer installed, you get a little commercial window that pops up on your desktop. It's annoying, but a small price to pay for the privilege of having the free RealPlayer on your system. Just click it off, and it will disappear.
Instructions For Machines on our School Network (Teachers and Staff)
We are recommending (and IT is supporting) RealPlayer8. This is for ALL computers on our network (in all school and administration buildings throughout the District). This includes all Windows 2000 machines. Click here to get the free player from our network server. If you do not have administrative priveleges, please call your building media specialist to help you.
The shear joy of watching a launch is on the faces of these boys. Hundreds come to this annual event held in September where food and fun combines with science and learning. Table Mound is an Expeditionary Learning School

The Rocketman, left, prepares to launch a large, inflatable rocket that required permission from the Dubuque Regional Airport to fly. Above, the firing line where students launch their rockets to a chorus of countdowns.
Above, a sixth grader and her kindergarten buddy run out on the field after the all clear to retrieve their rocket. We found it... or at least what's left of it.

The Doty family has had two sons in the rocket program at Table Mound. It's a family tradition. They have a son in 8th grade who returned to the event just to relive his good old days.

Joe Dolan, science teacher, runs the show from Houston... uh, that's Table Mound. "I have the bull horn," says Joe, "and that makes me Mission Control." He really enjoys this event.

Dr. Hall, principal of Table Mound, wears appropriate safety gear. Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's our rocket!"
Teachers and adult volunteers help with the launch details. Safety is stressed first and foremost. One of the big rockets launches from it's pad. They are capable of traveling several hundred feet into the air.
   
   

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