Implementing Hot-Air Balloons in Your Classroom

1. ImplementingHot-Air Balloonsin Your Classroom

2. Activity Overview • Students are engaged with: • • Constructing • • Testing • • Evaluation

3. Materials • Zoon Balloon Class Pack II • Enough materials to build 25 cars • The class pack contains: • • 25 Zoon Balloon instructions • • 25 glue sticks • • Zoon Balloon template • •Assorted-color tissue paper • •100 paper clips

4. Tools Construction Phase Tissue paper Glue stick Scissors Pencil Paper clips Launch Phase Indoor Balloon Tester Inflation Station

5. 1) Locate six pieces of tissue paper and a glue stick 2) Lay one piece of tissue paper on a flat surface and make a line of glue one-half inch wide along one edge of its 30" sides. Take another piece of tissue paper of the same color and overlap the line of glue with one of its 30" sides. Construction of Hot-Air Balloon

6. Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 3) Repeat steps 1-2 two more times. There should be a total of three large sheets of tissue paper. 4) Stack the three sheets on top of one another. Align the corners and sides. Fold the sheets lengthwise to create a rectangle measuring 15" x 39-1/2". Once again, align the corners and sides. 5) Fold the sheets lengthwise again to create a rectangle measuring 7-1/2" x 39-1/2" (Figure 1). Figure 1

7. A B D C Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 6) Locate the gore template. 7) Align the sheets in alphabetical order, lengthwise. On Sheets B, C, and D, trim the excess paper from the sides labeled Edge 2, 4, and 6. Throw away the excess paper. 8) Take Sheet B and overlap Sheet A until the pattern is lined up. Glue the two sheets together at the overlap. 9) Repeat Step 8 to connect Sheet C to AB and Sheet D to ABC. Cut out the pattern along the lines on the outside edges of Sheets A, B, C, and D. Figure 2

8. Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 10) Hold the template and the tissue paper firmly and cut the paper around the curved edge of the template (Figure 3). 11) Remove the paper clips and the template. Unfold the gores while keeping them stacked together. There should be six gores. 12) Set the stacked gores lengthwise in front of you. Take the top gore and slide it straight up a half inch. On the gore that was just moved, make a line of glue half an inch wide along the bottom edge (the edge closest to you) (Figure 4). Figure 3 Figure 4

9. Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 11) Beginning at the center of the edge, fold 1/2" to 3/8" of the bottom edge of the second gore up and over the bottom of the first gore you just glued, fastening the two pieces together. 12) Fold the top edge of the top gore down to the bottom edge, thus folding it in half without pressing the crease (Figure 5). 13) Slide the second gore straight down a half inch. 14) On the gore you just moved, make a line of glue half an inch wide along the top edge (the edge farthest from you). Figure 5

10. Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 15) Beginning at the center of the edge, fold 1/2" to 3/8" of the top edge of the third gore down and over the top of the second gore, fastening the two pieces together (Figure 6). 16) Take the seam between the first and second gores and fold it up to the seam between the second and third gores. Once again, do not press the crease. 17) Repeat steps 12-16 to fasten the remaining gores to one another. Do not fasten Gore 1 and Gore 6 to one another. For now, leave these two edges free. 18) Pick up the folded balloon, unfold it, and turn it inside out. Figure 6

11. 4 3 1 2 Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 19) Using the same process as before, glue the remaining two free edges together. There should be two holes in the balloon. The smaller hole is the top and the bigger hole is the bottom. 20) Locate the excess tissue paper. 21) Take a large piece of the scrap paper and cut a six-inch square. 22) Fold the square in half twice to create a three-inch square. Carefully examine the four corners of the folded tissue paper. One corner has four free edges; the corner opposite it has none. 23) Cut an arc that trims off the corner with the four free edges. When unfolded, the paper should make a circle.

12. Construction of Hot-Air Balloon 24) Completely cover the circle with glue. 25) Put one hand inside the balloon through the bottom. With the other hand, take the circle and press it over the hole at the top of the balloon. Ensure a tight seal. 25) Locate the Zoon Balloon Mouth Pattern and cut along the two lines labeled “Cut line.” Overlap the pieces at the narrow ends a half inch and attach the pieces together using glue or tape. Fold the entire length of the joined pieces at the fold line. 26) Insert the bottom of the balloon into the folded strip and staple the strip to the balloon. Staple approximately every two inches. Overlap the strip if necessary.

13. Hands-On Activity Balloons can be tested indoors for holes using the Pitsco Indoor Balloon Tester. Studentsinflate their balloons with the tester, visually inspecting the balloons and physically running their hands around the balloons to find any escaping hot air. Any holes are patched before an outdoor launch is attempted.

14. Hands-On Activity Hold balloons over the launcher, allowing hot air to fill the balloons. After about a minute, the pull of the balloons upward will indicate the balloons are ready for launch. Let go of your balloons and watch them ascend into the sky and then descend after they have cooled.

15. Making STEM Connections • The Hot-Air Balloon activity provides many relevant connections to concepts in: • Science • Technology • Engineering • Math

16. Making STEM Connections: Science • Buoyancy • Density • Molecular motion

17. Making STEM Connections: Technology • Design processes • Modeling • Historical perspectives

18. Making STEM Connections: Engineering • Problem solving • Prototyping • Technological design

19. Making STEM Connections: Mathematics • Surface area • Volume • Measuring mass

20. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide Pitsco’s GS (Getting Started) Hot Air Balloon Teacher’s Guide provides student activities and teacher resources. Activities include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) connections for successful experiences in these areas.

21. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide • Activity Levels • Middle school and high school • Level 1 • Easier in concepts and required motor skills • Level 2 • More open-ended • Slightly more difficult

22. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide • Level 1 lessons include: • Working with Surface Area • Analyzing Balloon Flight • Investigating Balloon Physics

23. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide • Level 2 lessons include: • Varying Volumes • Investigating Gas Laws • Designing for Payloads

24. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide GS Guide Features and Resources • Standards Correlations – Each activity is correlated to national science, technology, and math standards • Supplemental Lessons – Ideas for extension activities that incorporate Hot-Air Balloons • Related Career Information – Lists related careers • Teaching Tips – Ideas and suggestions for safety, construction, tools, materials, and troubleshooting

25. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide GS Guide Features and Resources • Reproducible Student Pages –Student pages may be photocopied for use in your classroom • Vocabulary – Words and phrases that students should become familiar with in the area of Hot-Air Balloons • Word Search and Crossword Puzzles – Use vocabulary words and phrases related to Hot-Air Balloons

26. Hot-Air Balloon GS Teacher’s Guide • www.shop.pitsco.com/inflationstation • Table of Contents • A complete, downloadable activity (pdf) • Questions?