A science mission to space nearly lost the battle to a weather lesson Friday at Co-Lin’s annual Kid’s College.

For the last day of the camp, fourth- through sixth-graders made their own rockets from overturned two-liter bottles for the lesson on water pressure.

For instructor Anne McMullen, water became the keyword, in a last ditch attempt to orbit the final projects. Small groups of children stood under building cover while McMullen braved the pouring rain and lightening to launch the homemade crafts.

And some worked better than others.

&uot;The blue marvel flew,&uot; 10-year-old Aaron Wesley said of his blue and orange bottle. &uot;About 10 feet.&uot;

The luck wasn’t the same for Keith Myles, 6, who chose the class over the one with kids his own age.

&uot;My rocket might go all the way to the trees,&uot; he said before liftoff.

Instead it went about a foot off the ground.

McMullen launched the rockets with an air pump. Each bottle was filled about a third of the way with water. Pumping in the air forced the water out and the rocket up, sometimes.

Other science lessons included electricity and static, bubbles, color wheels and mirrors.

&uot;In the old days you just memorized words with science,&uot; McMullen said. &uot;The easiest way to learn science is to experiment.&uot;

McMullen teaches high school science at Trinity Episcopal Day School.

The science class was only one of many offered this week and in late June at Co-Lin. Other students participated in puppet, cooking and computer classes.