Ask a science teacher how they would acquire a class set of Estes rockets, or any other great hands-on science materials for their classroom. If you talk to science teachers, you'll find that many of them would like to do more hands on science activities, but hands-on materials cost money. Teachers have been told over and over that there is no funding. The fact is - there is funding, but their particular district just isn't spending it on science. As stated above, a sufficiently creative science teacher can supplement a number of hands-on science activities with materials they acquire or make themselves. But this model doesn't hold up over time. This conversation isn't over rockets being the right hands-on activity or not. There are many project based learning activities students could be doing. It ultimately comes down to districts deciding to support science with the funding for the materials to upgrade your child's science lab. Some districts (and states) do have a strong focus on science - and do equip their students with some of the best materials. If you are lucky and live in the right spot, your kids will go to one of these schools and have access to these materials. If you are SUPER lucky, that school will have one of those incredibly exceptional teachers that inspire students to stay in a science or engineering field. Increasing science literacy in the US is not a bad investment.