Flying House: Activities


Before You Read
Can a house usually fly? Why not?
What do you need to make a house fly?
What problems do you need to figure out?

Key words to learn
Ballast - heavy material to keep balloon stable
Crew/pilots - drive and guide the plane
Figure out - solve a problem or puzzle
Rigging - system of ropes on ship or balloon
Altitude - height above sea level

True or False
a) the length of the house was 60 feet
b) the width of the house was 16 feet.
c) it weighed around 200 lbs
d) It took two weeks to build.
e) nothing was built in advance
f) the house floated over Los Angeles for 2 hours
g) it was the largest balloon cluster flight ever.
Answers
Vocabulary
Fill in the gaps using the words below
  • Without ---- a balloon will be unstable.
  • Both the ---- were experienced balloon -----.
  • The aircraft was ten stories high
  • They needed to ----- out how many -----balloons they needed.
  • Engineers worked on the ----- before the flight.
  • It flew to an ----- of 10,000 ----.
figure out * crew * altitude * feet * ballast * rigging * pilots * stories * weather
Answers

Writing
  • Imagine you are one of the pilots. Write your diary for the day of the flight.
  • You are one of the ground crew preparing for the flight. Write down five things you need to do before the flight
  • You are a radio reporter about to interview the pilots. Write down five questions.

Role Play (speaking & listening)
Work in pairs or small groups
a) Work in teams or pairs. Pilots and flight engineers need to talk to each other during the three key stages of the flight: a) take off b) in the air c) landing.
Roles: Pilot(s), flight engineers
b) Conduct an interview with the Flying House Team for television news. Ask about the flight, preparation etc.
Roles: Pilot(s), flight engineers, journalists, spectators

Project
You want to enter the Bristol Balloon Fiesta.
  • How much does it cost?
  • How many pilots per balloon?
  • The entry deadline?
  • Any technical requirements?
  • You need sponsorship for your balloon and approach a company called Mighty Mortgage for finance.
Prepare a presentation asking for sponsorship. Include design sketches, suggested slogans, promotion etc

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Your site just gets better and better!' Wendy Arnold IATEFL - Young Learners Special Interest Group