Characters
Who is the main character and narrator of October Sky?
Homer Hickham
What does the acronym "BCMA" stand for?
Big Creek Missile Agency
What inspires Sonny to build rockets?
Seeing Sputnik in the night sky
In what state is the town of Coalwood located?
West Virginia
What does Miss Riley give Sonny that helps him with rocketry?
a book on rocketry and propulsion
What movie was based on the book "October Sky"?
October Sky
What is Sonny's father's job?
Superintendent of the coal mine
What is the first type of fuel the boys use in their rockets?
What happens to the first rocket the boys launch?
It explodes in Sonny's mother's rose garden.
What is the primary industry in Coalwood?
coal mining
What does Sonny's father want him to do instead of building rockets?
work in the coal mine
What fun fact can you discover by rearranging the letters in "October Sky"?
Rocket Boys
Who is Sonny's best friend and the first member to join the Rocket Boys?
Quentin Wilson
What crucial element does Sonny's team add to their rockets to improve performance?
potassium nitrate
Where do the Rocket Boys eventually launch their rockets?
Cape Coalwood
What physical challenge does Homer Hickam Sr. face to his job?
black lung disease
What does the Rocket Boys' success symbolize?
the power of preserverence and chasing dreams
What is Sonny’s favorite type of candy, often mentioned in the book?
a chocolate bar
Which teacher encourages Sonny to pursue rocketry?
Miss Riley
What scientific principle does Quentin teach Sonny that helps their rockets fly higher?
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Why does Sonny get in trouble with the law?
Because he is accused of starting a forest fire with a rocket
Why does Sonny's mother want him to leave Coalwood?
She doesn't want him to become a coal miner like his father.
DAILY DOUBLE
It represents Sonny's farewell to Coalwood.
What unusual ingredient do the Rocket Boys use in their later rocket fuel?
alcohol (moonshine)
What is the name of Sonny's mother?
Elsie Hickham
Where does the BCMA get the metal for their rocket nozzles?
How does Sonny prove that his rockets did not start the forest fire?
By using trigonometry to show the rocket landed miles away
What happens to Coalwood after the events of the book?
What does the book's original title, Rocket Boys, symbolize?
Sonny and his friends' journey from small-town kidss to aspiring scientists
Where did Sonny’s mother say she would set up a retirement house?
Myrtle Beach