Last week we started Amanda Bennett’s History of Flight unit study.
One of the weblinks in the study shows you how to make a large hot air balloon out of tissue paper. I decided that we’d give it a whirl because I knew both boys would go crazy over it!
Just so you know, this is involved (but worth it!).
Here are parts of our process.
Jason making the pattern.
Simon "helping" with the pattern.
Elijah working on making the panels (six total). The original instructions call for 2- 20 x 30 inch pieces of tissue paper for each panel. I could only find 20 x 20 inch pieces, so we had to use THREE pieces of tissue for each panel (making the 60 inches).
Six panels complete!
The six panels are stacked and the pattern gets pinned down. Then you cut around the pattern. I did this for Elijah. Actually, Jason and I took over from this point on as it gets somewhat complicated.
After lots of glue sticking, we have a balloon!
You can’t just hold the balloon like this; it took two of us to get it going (Jason held it up high by holding the loop on the top with a long stick). Once it was mostly inflated, though, I got to back up and snap a picture.
We did three launches and we were able to retrieve the balloon each time. We hope to find a field to fly it in so we don’t have to worry about power lines or trees.
The rest of the pictures are self-explanatory!
That is astounding!! I bet Elijah and Simon were really excited to see it take off….I’m sure mom and dad were, too. 🙂 Great to get to see the pictures.
You guys are awesome parents!!! I bet the boys had an absolute BLAST! That was just a way cool project, one they’ll never forget.
What did you use as a heat source?
WOW – way to go Ami and family! What a way to learn – I wish I could have been there to join in the fun. Talk about a memorable learning adventure – keep up the fun and learning, and thanks so much for taking the time to take the pictures and share the adventure!
Uh… I’m amazed. This is so…. high tech. Wow.
A hot air balloon. You MADE it.
Speechless, really.