Ben Franklin's Balloons

Gr 7 Up—Historical commentary and animation help tell the story of the courageous and curious scientists who attempted to take the first flight in a hot-air balloon. While the Montgolfiers, a pair of French brothers, faced many challenges before taking a five-mile flight lasting 25 minutes, others learned from their failures and discovered more about the science and necessary equipment for successful flight. The concepts developed in the 1780s in these maiden voyages are still used today in hot-air-balloon travel. Through the successes and failures of a French team reenacting the first flights today, viewers learn that these replicas (made of 18th century material and craftsmanship) would not be possible without Benjamin Franklin's detailed journals about these first flights. The narration is done well, emphasizing significant steps in the process leading up to the first flight. Science teachers will appreciate the discussion involved in getting a balloon to take off, while history teachers may find this to be an interesting detail of the 1700s.