James Alber and Andrew Kauffman

Alber and Kauffman’s innovative teaching idea, “High Altitude Learning” is focused on introducing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) principles through the launch and recovery of a high altitude balloon. Students from the school’s special needs science classroom and a third-grade science classroom will apply STEM principles to the planning, designing, and implementing of experiments that will be launched with the balloon. The results of the experiments, and the photos and videos from the on-board cameras, will be displayed in tablet presentations and a student-created webpage. The students will host an open house to showcase their project. This project will enhance the students' scientific knowledge, engage them in authentic learning experiences which will make science more relevant and fun, and hopefully inspire them to take more than the bare minimum of science classes as they progress in school.