Red Rock students enjoy balloon day
Students from Mrs. Miller, Ms. Dubes, Mrs Lefler and Mrs. Clouse's classes chase down their balloons before they go too far.
ROYAL CITY - Red Rock Elementary fifth grade students had fun and studied science at the same time on June 3 during the school's annual hot air balloon day.
The students worked in two- or three-person teams to build hot air balloons out of tissue paper and glue. They had to follow directions and build the balloons with certain dimensions.
According to counselor Nicole Schwartz, the students then studied some of the following vocabulary and concepts: heat energy, wind current, air temperature and humidity. Using some of these, they made predictions and observations about the flights the balloons would make.
Students launched their balloons using a Coleman camping stove and coffee can pipes. The weather was bright and sunny with a slight breeze. Depending on the direction of the wind and timing of the launch, some balloons simply flew across the field while others drifted high into the sky and out of sight.
A couple balloons managed to flatten mid-air and linger in the same spot, as if something were holding them, before eventually floating to the ground.
"The students waited patiently for their turns to launch and often ran off together in pursuit of their balloons, hoping to catch them before they floated out of sight," Schwartz said.
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