22/09/2008 (Monday)
a) The balloon shrunk!
Yes......! That balloon shrunk.......its actual size was as big as the tamborine which we measured that day. Ze Yan immediately took the tamborine for me to re-measure.
JS : Why......?
Only Ze Yan said because there was a hole below and the air got out from there.
Everyone tried feeling the wind from that part but untrue. It was just the tying knot of a balloon.
T : Why do you sweat after playing at the playground? Where did the sweat come from?
Eugene : The water we drink.
T : Good.......because everyone has millions of tiny pores or holes on our skin.
The kids learnt that balloons have tiny holes too. No wonder, it got shrunk!
b) Poem
We recited the poem again for reinforcement.
This time, we held hands together forming a circle. We pretended being a hot air balloon. Initially, we were very small. Then we inflated and became really big!
We recited the poem while doing body movements.
Down Below
Each tree looks as small,
as a weed in the grass,
down below, down below.
Each river is just
like a silver of glass,
down below, down below.
Each cow in the field
seems as small as a bee,
down below, down below.
c) Jin Shan's birthday and young helpers!
* We wished him “Happy Birthday” and sang him birthday songs of 3 languages....haaa! He was
shy. Anyway, thank you Mrs. Chan for the lovely party packs...the kids were so excited!
* Yun Zhe and Wen Yue were absent last Friday. Thus, I asked the kids to explain about our experiment on last Friday.
* Eugene, Zi Yang, Ze Yan and Jin Nan were the main helpers.
We heat up air because hot air is lighter and that is why a hot air balloon can fly.
d) Hot Air Balloon: Second Try
We recalled on the necessary tools for the experiment. Today, our extra tool is a hair dryer from Eugene. So, altogether we had 2 hair dryers. I was really glad because the kids held to their words remembering what they promised to bring......especially at the weekends! Thank you parents!
I blew up the plastic bag with 1 hair dryer so that the kids could recall their memories.
This time, the kids took turn to hold the plastic bag vertically. They took turns to stand on the chair. I handled the hair dryer. Yes........it was better. We could see the bag collecting more hot air. As we let go the plastic bag together, it could only fly a little.
Eugene: Teacher, use 2 hair dryers.
So, I got Song Chuan to help me with the less powerful hair dryer while I handle the other one. Together, we blew hot air into the plastic bag.
Wow.......! It was really inflating! We flew it but it landed on the fan. The kids laughed like thunders!
T : Kids, why can't the balloon fly up smoothly. If it flies smoothly, it will not land on the fan!
I suggested the kids to narrow the mouth of the plastic bag.
We worked together to cut a cardboard. We rolled it to form a circle. Then, we pasted it to the plastic bag mouth.
Then, we tried with 2 hair dryers. Yes........much better. It flew higher and smoother.
e) Analysing and Recording
T : Why can't this plastic bag fly as high as a real hot air balloon?
Class : You must have fire inside.
T : Do you think it's clever to place a hair dryer in the basket below hot air balloon?
Song Chuan: Too heavy.
T : Le Xin brought some candles for us. Shall we try out with candles?
Class : Yes!!
* However, we would do this tomorrow. The kids had to jot down their observation in their little green notebook. It was interesting seeing them drawing hair dryers. They are really good artists!
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