Implementing Hot-Air Balloons in Your Classroom

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ImplementingHot-Air Balloonsin Your Classroom
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Activity Overview
Students are engaged with Constructing
Testing Evaluation
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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
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Tools
Construction Phase Tissue paper Glue
stick Scissors Pencil Paper clips Launch
Phase Indoor Balloon Tester Inflation Station
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Construction of Hot-Air Balloon
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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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Hands-On Activity
Balloons can be tested indoors for holes using
the Pitsco Indoor Balloon Tester. Students
inflate 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.
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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.
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Making STEM Connections
The Hot-Air Balloon activity provides many
relevant connections to concepts in
Science Technology Engineering Math
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Making STEM Connections
Science
Buoyancy Density Molecular motion
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Making STEM Connections
Technology
Design processes Modeling Historical
perspectives
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Making STEM Connections
Engineering
Problem solving Prototyping Technological
design
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Making STEM Connections
Mathematics
Surface area Volume Measuring mass
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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers Guide
Pitscos GS (Getting Started) Hot Air Balloon
Teachers Guide provides student activities and
teacher resources. Activities include Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
connections for successful experiences in these
areas.
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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers 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

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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers Guide

• Level 1 lessons include
• Working with Surface Area
• Analyzing Balloon Flight
• Investigating Balloon Physics

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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers Guide

• Level 2 lessons include
• Varying Volumes
• Investigating Gas Laws
• Designing for Payloads

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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers 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
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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers 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
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Hot-Air Balloon GS Teachers Guide

• www.shop.pitsco.com/inflationstation
• Table of Contents
• A complete, downloadable activity (pdf)
• Questions?