Duration: 90 minutes
Primary SPIRIT Skill(s) focus:
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
Brief description
Making a Hot Air Balloon:
- Cut out the part of the egg carton where the eggs sit—this will serve as the basket of the hot air balloon.
- Attach 4 to 6 equal-length toothpicks to the inside of the basket using painter’s tape. The number of toothpicks can be freely chosen by the students (4, 5, or 6 are all acceptable).
- Place a styrofoam ball on top of the toothpicks and secure it with a small amount of liquid glue.
- The hot air balloon can be decorated as desired.
- If the diameter of the styrofoam ball is larger than the width of the basket, it can be placed onto the toothpicks without glue by piercing it onto them. However, to ensure stability, it is recommended to use a little glue even in this case.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills?
During the creative activity, students encounter situations where their initial plans may not work out at first, or they need to adjust while using materials and tools. This supports the development of resilience, as they learn to experience and accept failures and seek new solutions. The competency of flexibility is demonstrated when students adapt to changing conditions, think creatively, and find alternatives to emerging problems. Throughout the activity, students actively engage in problem-solving, communicate, and reflect on their work, which also supports the competencies of self-regulation and collaboration.
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
The aim of the activity is for students to learn to accept failure and be able to restart the task, thereby strengthening their resilience. It is important that students develop flexibility in adapting to emerging problems and become capable of seeking alternative solutions. The activity also aims for students to recognize and express their own feelings and thoughts during the creative process, supporting their ability for self-reflection. Part of the development is to boost the children’s self-confidence and encourage them to embrace challenges with perseverance in completing the task. Finally, the goal is for students to improve their collaboration skills and be able to listen to others’ ideas in order to find solutions together with flexibility.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
- Development of memory
- Improvement of reading comprehension and vocabulary expansion
- Interpretation of the themes and motifs of artworks (e.g., nature, hot-air balloon, the relationship between humans and the environment)
- Basic understanding of the function and role of the hot-air balloon as a means of transportation
- Material knowledge: recognizing the properties of the materials used (Styrofoam, paper, plastic)
- Model-making through simple technical steps
- Understanding the role of basic structural elements (e.g., how a model hot-air balloon can stay in the air)
- Practical knowledge of how to work with and use materials
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- scissors
- glue
- wooden skewers
- egg carton
- Styrofoam ball
- paint, coloured paper, glitter, etc. (for decoration)
- painter’s tape
Preparation notes
To successfully carry out the activity, it is essential to prepare all necessary materials in advance. It is helpful to demonstrate the steps of building the hot-air balloon beforehand and show examples to support students’ visual understanding. Clear and simple instructions should be provided, and students should be given enough time to experiment and start over if needed. It is important to consider students’ varying abilities and offer flexible support throughout the creative process. Safety guidelines should also be explained in advance, with special attention to the use of glue and small parts.
Guided Questions
- What is your plan if something doesn’t work out the way you imagined?
- What can you do if the glue doesn’t hold well enough? Do you have another idea?
- How would you change your original idea if it doesn’t work as planned?
- What other materials could you use if this one isn’t available?
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- Was there a part you had to start over? How did you feel during that?
- What was something you found difficult at first but managed to solve in the end?
- If you could make it again, what would you do differently?
- What are you most proud of in your finished hot-air balloon?
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- If students feel uncertain or are afraid of making mistakes, encourage them to try without fear and emphasize that mistakes are valuable opportunities for learning.
- If the glue does not hold properly, help them find alternative solutions or allow more time for drying.
- When different ideas arise, highlight the value of creativity and multiple solutions, thus developing their flexibility and ability to collaborate.