Iowa City fifth graders are getting a view of the Earth they’ve likely never seen before thanks to a collaborative hands-on learning project with University of Iowa students and the UI School of the Wild.

Thirteen elementary education methods students worked with UI graduate Kami Skay's Shimek Elementary fifth grade class earlier this week to design and build helium weather balloons. The balloons carry cameras high into the sky to measure the curvature of the earth.

At 9:30 a.m. today, Friday, April 25, the students launched three balloons carrying GoPro cameras and GPS devices at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area.

The 13 College of Education students were guided by science education clinical Instructor Ted Neal. Neal and his students are searching for the devices this afternoon.

He reports that as of noon today, two of the three devices had been detected by GPS including one near Walcott, Iowa, and the other near the Gander Mountain store in Davenport. The third had not yet been located.

They will share the results on Tuesday, April 29, with the Shimek elementary students.

Neal says this outreach activity demonstrates to his students the value of learning that takes place outside of the traditional classroom.

"This went off without a hitch, and the kids had a fantastic time," Neal says. "This encompasses every piece of STEM learning from the science and technology to the engineering and math."

Presenting fresh approaches to learning in the fresh air never hurts to inspire curiosity in learning, Neal adds.