Fire & Flight! Fireworks STEM Kit

 Where chemistry meets history, and the science behind every boom comes alive!

The Fire & Flight Fourth of July STEM Kit is a complete, everything-included activity kit that brings together chemistry, physics, engineering design, and the true global history of fireworks in a single hands-on experience — built for curious minds ages 6–14.

Students run a real acid-base chemical reaction that mimics the rapid gas-release at the heart of every fireworks explosion, map metal compounds to their signature colors using a research-grade emission spectrum chart, sketch the parabolic arc of a firework shell, and debate the engineering tradeoffs between traditional pyrotechnics and modern drone light shows. Then they trace the 1,200-year journey of fireworks science — from a Tang Dynasty accident in ancient China, across the Silk Road, through Italian-American immigrant communities, to the choreographed digital shows lighting up American skies today.

Every element of this kit is intentional: the reactions, the colors, the history, and the people who made it all possible.

This kit is part of the TP Designs STEM + Culture series — because representation in STEM starts with what we build, what we celebrate, and whose stories we tell.

What’s Included

 Every kit includes:

• Baking soda packets (reaction base)

• Citric acid packet (reaction acid)

• White vinegar (alternate acid)

• Food coloring — red, blue & white

• Clear plastic reaction cups

• Craft sticks / stirrers

• Pipette droppers

• Red, silver & blue confetti 

• Full-color kit guide with 6-step reaction lab, metal ion color chart & embedded science moments

• Student worksheet

• Culture Card

• Resealable poly bag 

Note: A waterproof tray is recommended. All liquid materials are food-safe.

Who It’s For

This kit was built for parents, after-school programs, enrichment providers, and educators who want to go beyond the worksheet — programs that believe every student deserves STEM that reflects the full, global story of how science actually travels through cultures and communities.

Ideal for:

• After-school and out-of-school time (OST) programs

• Elementary and middle school classrooms (Grades 1–8)

• Fourth of July and American heritage celebrations

• STEM nights, science fairs, and family engagement events

• Library programs, community centers, and youth organizations

Age range: 6–14 years (age-differentiated culture cards for grades 1–4 and grades 5–8)

Time to complete: 45–60 minutes

Facilitator Guide Add On - $10

STEM Skills

One kit. Five disciplines.

🔬 Science (acid-base chemistry, atomic emission, CO₂ gas production)

🏗 Engineering (projectile motion, drone vs. pyrotechnic design tradeoffs)

📐 Math (ratios, distance-from-sound calculation, parabolic arc geometry)

💻 Systems Thinking (engineering design process, tradeoff analysis)

🌎 Social Studies / Culture (global history of fireworks, immigration & American innovation)

Supports Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) alignment for grades 2–8 across PS1.B (Chemical Reactions), PS4.B (Electromagnetic Radiation), and ETS1 (Engineering Design), plus Common Core ELA/Math integration for grades 3–8.

Fire & Flight = The chemistry is real. The history is global. The science belongs to everyone.

Educational & Cultural STEM Engineering Kit for Kids & Teens

NOTE: ADULT SUPERVISION RECOMMENDED FOR ALL ACTIVITIES IN THIS KIT