Rising With the Weather

Research the science and safety of hot air balloons then create a painting of yourself rising up in a colorful hot air balloon.

• 1.

  Find information about how hot-air balloons fly by doing research in books and electronically. Observe a flight. Talk with passengers and crew. Research information on how various types of weather affect air currents. How is hot air created to keep the balloon afloat? What safety precautions are essential?

• 2.

  Cover a table top with recycled newspaper. With Crayola® Washable Paint and Paint Brushes, paint a hot-air balloon, with yourself as a passenger in the basket.

• 3.

  Add pattern and color to decorate the balloon and basket. Show weather in which it is safe to fly. Dry on a flat surface.

Benefits

• Children research how hot-air balloons rise and descend, and find out how their operation is affected by weather.
• Students identify conditions in which it is safe to fly hot-air balloons, and equipment necessary for crew and passenger safety.
• Children create original artwork depicting themselves flying in a hot-air balloon.

Adaptations

• Explore related math topics: How long can hot-air balloons stay afloat? How far and fast can they travel? How hot is the air? How much weight can be carried?
• Find out about historic hot-air balloon flights, such as the January 7, 1785, first crossing of the English Channel by Boston physician John Jeffries, and French aeronaut Jean-Pierre Francois Blanchard. Write a first-person account of their adventure.
• With secondary school children, experiment to see what happens to a helium balloon when it is placed in a cold environment (it contracts, and falls), or when it is placed in a warm environment (it expands, and rises). Discuss the effects that temperature has on helium, and how temperature affects the motion of the balloon.
• Younger children and those with special needs can sketch hot air balloon scenes with Crayola Colored Pencils then fill in areas with paint colors.