Introduction

Many times a teacher adopts similar didactic strategies in different classes of the same course obtaining always different results and reactions.
At the beginning of the Scientific Lyceum course, three years ago, the present 4rd class - section C, seemed to be nothing but a class as many others. The adopted strategy was therefore the typical approach to guys who had just left the last class of the Secondary School. Introducing Physics mainly through its experimental appearance, making students work on practical experiences, especially if realized with easy to find or self-made materials, the commonly so-called poor materials.
Learning with fun, without for this belittling any content or aspect of the didactic activity, was the last, but not less important, factor.
The answer since the first year of the course was enthusiastic. It was the birth of that mutual feed back between students and teacher for which more they were involved and more I was engaged not to disappoint their expectations.
Actually guys have faced up to a very hard, even if (thanks to the funny aspect and to the practical approach of the activity) unperceived job.

The water-propulsion rocket idea was born since the very first year of the course, school year 2002-2003. In the Scientific Lyceum P.N.I. (National Plan for Informatics), Physics starts to be taught during the biennium. While approaching the dynamics principles as well as the momentum and conservation laws, the idea of the rocket was immediately accepted and accomplished. Researches carried out on similar studies convinced the students to improve the launch platform, the rocket high-pressure air retention system and the locking/unlocking device.
During the second year of the course, students faced up to the study of thermology and thermodynamics. The thermal gas processes then completed the range of necessary knowledge to carry on the water propulsion rocket study.
Acquire the necessary informatics know how by the end required a relatively little commitment since the very biggest part of students was already able to "handle", and in some cases even with proficiency, a personal computer.
The present year has been employed on a complete review of the job, the new launches, the check of what realized and the validation of the acquired data.
During the first two years of activity (School years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004), we made use for every communication (ideas and jobs circulation) of the e-mail tool. This year, the birth of the school website (carried out by prof. Franco Caporali) with e-learning facilities, has enhanced and greatly powered the interactivity possibilities. Lessons, notes, questions and chats have become our new means of communications.
Guys' commitment will have its epilogue this year 2005, with the presentation of this job during the Scientific Culture Week, a national manifestation promoted by Ministry of Education, yearly realized by this Scholastic Pole too.

Anyhow the story will not get to its epilogue here. During the next future years everybody's commitment will be addressed also to study the on-line data acquisition systems. Guys will have to learn about the structure of a computer and, mainly, on how data are codified and transferred not only inside the PC, but also between the CPU and the external world, and vice versa. They'll get knowledge of the interface ports of a PC and, even if without getting too deeply into the electronic details, they'll get used and familiar to the functioning principles of the data acquisition systems.
Final purpose of the study will be in primis to measure the take-off thrust exercised by the rocket during the propellant expulsion phase and to improve its functioning comprehension.
At the same time, this method will have to be implemented, together and in parallel with the manual measurement system, to the new experiments that students will study to carry out.