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Science Reaches Great Heights At Jackson School
By Keith Hagarty
 | | --Photo Submitted By McAuliffe Middle School Students' spirits soared to new heights in Jackson as pilots Gene Burnstein and Ken Leota treated the kids to a hot air balloon demonstration, kicking off Science Day at McAuliffe Middle School. |
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JACKSON - What at first appeared to be nothing more than a long rainbow colored tarp strewn across the grounds of McAuliffe Middle School soon became a feast for the eyes, as a colorful hot air balloon rose 70-feet into the skies high above the school.
The idea for the hot air balloon showcase held on May 25 was born from seventh grade science teacher, Elaine-Jernee Cameron, who wanted to share her love for ballooning with her students.
"My husband and I are avid balloonists," said Cameron. "We have been flying since 1993 and we try to take at least one flight per year. We have come to know a great group of local pilots that belong to the Great Eastern Balloon Association."
Early in the morning, pilot Gene Burnstein arrived at the school's field with his balloon, ClipAway, and his crew, consisting of co-pilot Ken Leota and a few trained hands.
All seventh grade science teachers at the school teach a chapter called "Motion and Forces" in which students learn about motion, velocity, acceleration and density. All perfectly exemplified by the massive demonstration.
"This is where the hot air balloon comes in to play," said Cameron. "I also wanted to use it as a prelude to our Science Day to pique the students' interest."
Other activities involved from the school's Science Day included: math classes making homemade ice cream, while working on ratios and proportions, and seeing how energy is absorbed; literacy classes read "Bartholomew and the Oobleck," in which the students made and played with oobleck, and answered questions on the properties of the oobleck; in the science classes, students worked in teams to create structures out of marshmallows and toothpicks to withstand a student-created earthquake; while the social studies classes related dancing to animal behaviors (humans, mammals, birds, insects).
The students also created dancing spaghetti
using baking soda and vinegar which yielded
carbon dioxide. After watching the spaghetti "dance," each student gave a name to the dance
and then matched different dances to the cultures where they originated.
Having the opportunity to make her students' jaws drop in wonderment, while also learning a thing or two in the process, was something Cameron won't soon forget.
"The culmination of watching the students in awe of the amount of work it takes to inflate a hot air balloon of its size, and their hands-on fun with science was pure excitement for me," she said. "It is an event they will never forget."
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