Pre-Viewing Activity

• Students will discuss their perceptions and sightings of blimps.
• Students will make a presentation of research topic.

1. Have students go to the Internet and log on to http://www.vidicom-tv.com/tohiburg.htm. They are to read the article, view the video and scan through the pictures.
2. Students will then participate in a discussion addressing the following questions:

   What type of airship was the Hindenburg? Have you ever seen airships like this? Where?

   Why did the Hindenburg catch fire so easily?

   Would it be fair to call the Hindenburg a "flying bomb?"

3. Ask the students if they know how this problem was corrected.
4. Discuss the fact that helium is used in "modern-day" blimps.
5. Discuss other ways helium is used today.
6. Break the students into groups of three. Each group will become an expert in one of the areas below. They are to find four important facts about their topic and report those facts to the class. They can present their facts in any way they would like -- a slide show, a poster, a skit, etc.
7. Assign "expert groups" in the following areas:

   Airships History & Tactics http://www.magweb.com/sample/snav/sn10airs.htm

   What Are Blimps Made Of? http://www.goodyearblimp.com/q_construct.html

   How Airships Fly http://www.americanblimp.com/fly.htm

   How Blimps Work -- Inside a Blimp http://travel.howstuffworks.com/blimp1.htm

   How Are Blimps Used Today? http://www.goodyearblimp.com/q_business.html

   How Fast and How Far Can Blimps Go? http://www.goodyearblimp.com/q_construct.html

Computer with Internet connection

A large screen projection system, if available

The student presentations will be evaluated using this rubric.

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