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School Programs
Hot Air Balloons provide an exciting, vivid medium to engage children in the wonder of science. We have developed a number of learning experiences specifically tailored to children of various age groups. These programs were developed with the assistance of a Disney "Science Teacher of the Year" Honoree
LTA Aviation, Inc. will provide a ballooning professional to spend several class hours with your students and teachers. LTA serves as an expert resource for school programs based on hot air balloon activities.
Types of Learning Opportunities
| Grades 1 & 2: |
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Introduction to Ballooning Slideshow. This session introduces the students to ballooning. They will learn the parts of a balloon, a simplified description of how balloons fly and what a balloon flight is like. This can be complemented by bringing a balloon basket into the classroom.
Tissue Paper Balloons - Panel Decoration. The students can draw on tissue paper (using magic markers, or other marking device that does not add weight to the tissue paper) that will later be assembled into a tissue paper balloon. The actual construction of the balloon(s) is more complex than can successfully accomplished by students at this age level. Seven decorated sheets of tissue paper (22X20 inches) will be incorporated in the construction of a single balloon.
Tissue Paper Balloon Launch. This is most successfully done indoors in a large room with a tall ceiling like a gymnasium. The students will participate in launching their balloon(s) by helping to hold the balloon open as hot air from a hairdryer or small electric space heater is used to inflate the balloon.
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| Grades 3 & 4: |
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Introduction to Ballooning Slideshow. This session introduces the students to ballooning. They will learn the history of the invention of aviation, the parts of a balloon, a simplified description of how balloons fly and what a balloon flight is like. This can be complemented by bringing a balloon basket into the classroom.
Construction of Tissue Paper Balloons. The students will assemble the tissue paper panels that make up a tissue paper balloon, glue them together, cut out the "gore panel" pattern, and glue together the final balloon. (This last step may require adult assistance). These balloons can use the panels decorated by the younger classes.
Tissue Paper Balloon Launch. This is most successfully done indoors in a large room with a tall ceiling like a gymnasium. The students will participate in launching their balloon(s) by helping to hold the balloon open and inflating their balloon using a hairdryer or small electric space heater. This launch will be attempted after a demonstration launch is accomplished.
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| Grades 7 & 8: |
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Practical Micro-meteorology "How do balloons steer?" This is a two class period session - a lecture and a lab suitable for either general science or "earth science". Students are first exposed to boundary layer wind phenomena and terrain induced wind currents in a slide show and guided discussion. In the lab they will be asked to determine a suitable launch site given current wind patterns from which a balloon would launch and fly to the school. They are supplied with 11" diameter helium balloons, compass & stopwatch, and local maps. After first calibrating the rate of rise of their balloon in a controlled environment, the students then go outside to take azimuth readings of the helium balloon in free flight. After they have collected their data from several helium balloons, they return to the class room and select a launch site. The Balloon Pilot would then critique their findings.
If combined with the construction of tissue paper balloons, the students could predict the flight of their balloons and after recovery determine the accuracy of their predictions.
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High School Physics:
Grades 7 & 8: |
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Why Balloons Fly?: An introduction to Archimedes Principle, Bouyancy Force and the Standard Gas Laws. This is a two class session program which introduces Archimedes Principle and Bouyancy Force and the underlying mathematical foundation. Upon completion students will understand the effect of changes in relative density upon a object floating in a fluid. For those students with sufficient math skills (working proficiency in advanced algebra) the calculations for determining a balloon's lifting force will be introduced. The validity of these calculations can be tested in an additional lab session using tissue paper balloons of 1 cubic meter in volume. Measurements of internal and ambient temperature at static equilibrium will be compared with the theoretical solution and differences investigated. |
Hot Air Balloon Inflation and Tether
If the weather permits, LTA Aviation, Inc. will inflate and tether a hot air balloon on a large open field such as a playground or athletic field. This will occur in the early morning just as the school starts. At this time of day the winds are lightest. We will require the assistance of 3 or 4 "School Dads" to help with the inflation handling and packing up of the balloon. Should you desire, approximately 80 to 100 students could be given a short tethered balloon ride provided their parents give permission and sign a liability release.
Weather Parameters: Surface winds 3 knots or less, Winds aloft at 3,000 feet above sea level less than 15 knots, and no rain or thunderstorms within 50 miles of the school site.
If the weather does not permit an inflation we will demonstrate the burner system for the students
Price Schedule: Available upon request
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