A sixth grade class at Montevideo Middle School launched a solar-powered balloon Monday morning.

Students ran with the 30-foot tube-shaped balloon across the athletic fields to fill it with air.

After tying it off, the students anxiously waited for the sun to work its magic.

As the students watched, their teacher explained what was expected to happen.

"The energy from the sun is warming up the air inside of the balloon because of the black color," says teacher Barbara Palmer.

With a little lift from the class, the balloon was floating hundreds of feet above the students' heads.

"We're learning about renewable resources and solar energy. The sun heated the black balloon and wouldn't let the heat out and the hot air rose, carrying the balloon with it," says Andrew McDaniel, a sixth grader in the class.

After bringing the balloon down, the students had an opportunity to feel the temperature of the air inside the balloon and were shocked to see just how warm it was.