In science. we have been conducting experiments on the 4 forces of flight: weight, thrust, lift, and drag. Students cut different nets of 3D shapes, taped them together, and dangled them in front of a fan to see which shapes had the least drag,and discovered that the triangular prism was the winner.
One day, we went outside to determine what affects thrust: how much you blow up the balloon, how tight you hold the fishing line that it travels along, etc. Today, we determined that weight directly affects thrust. Students added paper clips (or other classroom items) to the basket of their hot-air balloon and noted that it would not travel as high the more weight they added, unless, as one group learned, they added quite a bit more air to the balloon.
One day, we went outside to determine what affects thrust: how much you blow up the balloon, how tight you hold the fishing line that it travels along, etc. Today, we determined that weight directly affects thrust. Students added paper clips (or other classroom items) to the basket of their hot-air balloon and noted that it would not travel as high the more weight they added, unless, as one group learned, they added quite a bit more air to the balloon.