Vivify STEM Blog
Weather Balloon Launch: Preparing for Launch Day
As the launch day approached, we started getting nervous! How were we going to pull this off? So many variables seemed to be out of our control so we focused on what we could control. Preparation is key! Here are some highlights as we prepared for the balloon launch:
Weather Balloon Launch: Mission Control
As we continued in our adventure into HAB (High Altitude Ballooning), our main challenge was channeling 50 eager middle school students into productive work! We decided to tackle this by splitting students into 4 teams based on the main tasking involved. Each team was lead by a Director and Project Manager. Below is a description of each team.
Weather Balloon Launch: Getting Started with High Altitude Ballooning
The best approach to this project, especially for beginners, is to purchase a kit from several companies that are dedicated to weather ballooning. These companies provide you with most of the supplies required along with instructions on building, launch, and recovery. Two companies to check out are: High Altitude Science and Stratostar.
Weather Balloon Launch: What happens to bacon at 100,000 feet?
To begin our journey of launching a weather balloon, I started with a quick YouTube search of “weather balloon launch” leading to over 17,000 results. I was amazed at the incredible footage and especially by what people sent to the stratosphere: paint balls, marshmallows, action figures, bacon, crickets, beer, and even a hamburger! You can check out the footage of the “10 Weird Things Humans Have Sent to the Stratosphere” here.
Weather Balloon Launch: An Introduction
What can be more exciting than launching a balloon into near-space and seeing footage of the Earth from above? In a series of posts, I will chronicle the adventures of 2 science teachers, 1 aerospace engineer (that's me!), and 50 middle school students in San Antonio attempting to launch a balloon and payload over 100,000 ft! As a first time adventure for all involved, this has been an exciting, engaging, and frustrating experience managing the logistics of launching along with the attention span of middle-schoolers! Above all, it has been a worth-while journey for students to experience a real-world engineering project with all the design challenges and failures along the way. Read on for our adventure to the edge of space.
Catapult Challenge
After years of STEM activities, including towers, bridges, race cars, and rockets, one of my favorites is the classic catapult challenge! It incorporates all aspects of a quality STEM activity: easy math connection, engineering design process, student-driven learning, and hands-on fun! Read on to see my ideas to incorporate into your classroom.
The Story Behind Heart Rate Math
Heart Rate Math is one of our first TeachersPayTeachers products and continues to be our best seller. I think the popularity is due to the ease of incorporating into the classroom with minimal prep and supplies. Here is the story behind our first product--
Pipe Cleaner STEM Challenge
The Pipe Cleaner (aka "Fuzzy Sticks") Challenge is one of my favorite STEM activities to introduce students to STEM learning. This is a fun, inexpensive, and engaging challenge that can be tailored to different ages, settings, and time-frames. This challenge is also an excellent team icebreaker.
Vivify Presents: Winter STEM Calendar
Just in time for the winter holidays, we have created a STEM winter-themed calendar! Students will pop frozen bubbles, make fake snow, design a new Santa sleigh, build a wrapping paper bridge, and much more. The calendar is jam-packed with ideas to keep the learning going during these holiday months. This calendar is recommended as a STEM challenge to students for the holiday break!
I Didn't Always Want to be an Engineer
What!?! Yes, it is true. Engineering was never my ultimate dream job; but it was part of my dream.
I remember one day in an engineering class at Texas A&M University where the professor asked my classmates and I, "Who in here wants to end up working with people?" I don't remember the point of this question, but I do remember that there were only two people in the class that raised their hands-- me and my Vivify sidekick, Natasha. You see, my dream was always to help people. I enjoy working with others, finding creative ways to solve the problems of this world, and ultimately improving the lives of others. The issue was, however, that I had this knack and interest in engineering, particularly for Aerospace Engineering. So where and how would my skills and my dream collide?
Diet Coke + Mentos Balloon Experiment
A staple science experiment is the famous Diet Coke + Mentos reaction. Every child loves the impressive geyser created from combining these two ingredients. If you are not familiar with this classic, I highly recommend you try it out or at least watch this video: MythBusters
One problem with conducting this experiment in a classroom is the obvious messy factor. Another issue is having students actively participate instead of just watching an awesome explosion (still highly recommended). My twist on this experiment involves a smaller version of the reaction that is contained inside a balloon! Read on to learn more.
Mobile STEM Classroom
These past few months have been a whirlwind! I moved to San Antonio and started my new work at Communities In Schools. I was excited, but nervous, to take on the challenge of creating brand new STEM programs for middle school students. Luckily I had a few years of volunteer work in Maryland developing and leading after school programs, but this is an official role with lots of eyes watching!