On Feb. 25, 6th graders at Miller Middle School (MMS) took their learning to the skies with a hot air balloon launch during first period. In the crisp morning air, students filled their handmade balloons with hot air and put their lessons on weather, atoms, and thermal energy to the test.
To fly, the air inside had to be less dense than the cold air around it. That meant real problem-solving. After the first launch, students went back to tweak their designs — adding staples or pennies for weight, patching tiny leaks, cutting vents, and trying again. It wasn’t about getting it perfect the first time. It was about testing, adjusting, and launching again.
As MMS Science Teacher Sarah Margoles told them: “You can launch multiple times and try different things. Test it out. See what works best. This is science class, after all!”