Balloons Over Parker!

Junior Kindergarteners learned about the amazing balloons and the tradition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

We read the book Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet, which tells the story of Tony Sarg, the creative mind behind the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. Students learned about the inspiration for the first parade and how Sarg worked to design the intricate balloons that have floated across New York City for almost a century. We then looked at images of the famous balloons and a short video of the actual balloons that the parade showcases. JK students were excited to see famous characters they know and love.

Students made connections with what they learned about the Thanksgiving Day Parade and hosted their very own “Balloons Over Parker!” event in the Kovler Family Library. At their next library class, the LEGO table was set up as the parade route with a path and images of the Parker campus. First, JK students made illustrations of their favorite characters to create a float. Students then attached their illustration to helium balloons, and the balloons were attached to Ozobot robots, small robots that move based on lines drawn on paper. Once the JK balloons were ready to go, the robots were turned on, and the parade was underway!

Students made wonderful connections with information from books, images and videos and finished by making and creating their own balloons and celebrating a Thanksgiving tradition before the holiday!

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