Teaching and Learning up in the Air

July 11th, 2007 |

Here is a cool story (Read about it here and here) that could be integrated into the curriculum in so many different ways. I’ll give a few examples to start the conversation, and then you can add your ideas in the comments section.

  • There is so much math and science involved with this endeavor (weight, altitude, speed, distance, global positioning, ballasting, weather, wind currents, and much more) that it could easily be integrated into data collection and presentation, measurement, etc. activities.
  • There is the potential to make connections to geography, maps, latitude and longitude, etc. in social studies and geography.
  • This story (or video of this story) could be used to kick-off a creative writing/ podcasting/ video/ journaling/ presentation exercise in reading, writing, speech or mass communications classes.

I’m sure you have other thoughts about using this in teaching and learning, or perhaps you’d like to expound on something already mentioned. Either way, please add your thoughts and feedback by clicking on the Comments link below.


Related Posts


Creative Commons License

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 at 2:24 PM and is filed under Curriculum Integration, Education, K-12 Education, Teaching. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

7 Responses to “Teaching and Learning up in the Air”

  1. TeachingInMemphisNo Gravatar Says:

    August 29th, 2007 at 7:37 PM

    Dr. Mims,

    There is a related post at Infinite Thinking Machine. I thought I would list it here. http://www.infinitethinking.org/2007/05/more-data-delight-test-2.html


  2. TeachingInMemphisNo Gravatar Says:

    August 29th, 2007 at 7:46 PM

    I missed these posts from ITM. The preceded the one above.

    http://www.infinitethinking.org/2007/03/rumor-has-it-my-wish-might-come-true.html

    http://www.infinitethinking.org/2007/04/collaborative-charts-and-graphs.html


  3. DonnaWNo Gravatar Says:

    June 21st, 2008 at 6:04 PM

    This is a cool story. I would integrate it with a transportation unit. We could discuss if this would be a good way to travel to school and students could defend their answers. It could also be integrated with a weather unit. We could discuss which kinds of weather would best suit traveling by balloons and why. Students could use Kidpix to illustrate their own air-balloon vehicle.


  4. alysha0No Gravatar Says:

    July 25th, 2008 at 7:00 PM

    I definitely think that this story could be used in a creative writing exercise. The students could explore the possibilities of creating/riding in a mechanism like this.


  5. Look What Landed in Our Yard | Clif's Notes Says:

    December 7th, 2008 at 7:49 PM

    [...] reminded me of this story and the classroom connections from 2007. Related Posts What Do Teachers [...]


  6. Amy SpencerNo Gravatar Says:

    July 22nd, 2009 at 8:05 PM

    This story is amazing! It is the stuff you see only in movies! It could be used in a science lesson or writing assignment.


  7. Meredith HausauerNo Gravatar Says:

    July 27th, 2009 at 4:46 PM

    they did an episode like this on Myth Busters, and it was equally as interesting!