Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Science

TITLE:  Balloon Fun

AUTHOR:  Jeann Harder, Lynch Elementary, OR
  
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  all

OVERVIEW:  Sometimes we take it for general that all is as it seems,
however it helps to explore what is and what is not.  Here is a 'magic
trick' that students and adults will really enjoy.

PURPOSE:  Excellent motivator; to peek curiosity in the world around each of us.

OBJECTIVES:  To allow students to think about conditions as they seem  and
to questions what is before them. To increase questioning and thinking
skills.  To begin investigation skills.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
  1.  Balloons - the tougher the balloon's skin, the better, especially
on first attempts.  Variations: include different types of balloon shapes
and textures.
  2.  Skewers - the bamboo kind available at any market that are used for
shish kabobs are just fine.  Variations: other types or kinds of skewers
- metal, plastic, etc. in a variety of sizes.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
  l.  Blow up a balloon just a little, then stretch the balloon a bit and
let the air out. This makes the balloon more flexible.
  2.  Blow up the same balloon to its fullest. Tie a knot to hold the air
in the balloon.
  3.  Find a spot just opposite the knot and insert carefully a skewer;
just keep working the spot carefully until the skewer goes into the balloon
skin. ( Watch the awe in the crowd!)  If it pops, just back to #1 & #2 with
a new balloon.
  4.  After inserting the skewer into the balloon, continue the skewer on
through the balloon to the knot area.  Work the skewer through the balloon's
skin in this area near the knot.  Now the skewer will be through the balloon
with its ends sticking out each side of the balloon.  
  5.  What has happened?  Has anything changed?  How many balloons did it
take?  Can it be done at other points on the balloon?

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
  1.  Questioning strategies: what happened; can it be duplicated; list
or brainstorm variations; can one see what actually changed or moved on
the exterior surface of the balloon? etc.
  2.  Lang. Arts: articulating the outcomes by individuals, by small
groups; writing/drawing/acting out the results, ie. one person may want to
write up what he saw happen and how he thinks it happens without popping
the balloon; another person may choose to draw the stages of the activity,
while other people may choose to act it out by holding hands tightly while
one member uses a skewer to try to work carefully between someone's fingers
to make a gap large enough to let the skewer pass through the outer 'skin'
of hands.
  3.  Science: stepping off into discussion and research of molecules,
etc. and the world around us.  Are there other areas in our life where things
are not as they seem, ie. the surface of an orange seems smooth yet upon
closer investigation one sees indentations.
  4.  Math: graph how many successfully completed activities and the number
of balloons used;  the various textures of the balloons; the circumference
of different balloons and the success rate, etc.

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