Rocket Races

Materials Needed:
2 Clip clothespins
Tape (painter's or masking)
Long balloons (not round) (at least 4)
Drinking straws
String
4 Chairs

What to Do:
Cut two long pieces of string (at least 8 feet long).
Slide each string through a straw.
Place two of the chairs side by side at one end of the room, and the other two chairs side by side at the opposite end of the room.
Tie one string to each set of chairs, making sure the string is pulled taunt between the chairs. (You should now have two "rocket race tracks".)
Blow up two long balloons, and seal them by clipping the clothespins on the necks of the balloons. (You may need to fold the end of the balloon first.)
Tape the balloons to the straws by wrapping the tape around the balloons, and loosely around the straws.
Slide the balloons and straws to the beginning of the strings.
Simultaneously take the clothespins off the balloons.
Which "balloon rocket" went the furthest? The fastest?

*You may also want to try the race with one fully blown up balloon and one which is halfway blown up.