Decas Elementary third and fourth graders went parachuting on Tuesday.

That is, they tested parachutes they recently designed out of large coffee filters, clear plastic or tissue paper.

The students are enrolled in the Office of Beyond School Time’s CARE after-school program, which helps students build upon the skills they learn inside of the classroom. (For more information about the CARE Program, click here.)

The students were inspired to create their parachutes after reading a book about  two friends who send notes to each other via parachute. Teachers Mauritha Sidebottom and Jeff Taber told the students about all the components of a parachute.

To construct their own parachutes, each student used the same string, or “suspension lines,” and the same plastic cup. The canopy, however, was a decision each student had to make.

The students found that the coffee filters worked the best when the parachute was weighted with lima beans. In fact, the filters opened up and delivered the lima beans safely to the ground with no spilling.

Taber was charged with climbing the ladder and releasing the parachutes in the school’s lobby. Check out the photos and video to see how they floated!