A Thanksgiving Parade in Your Classroom

How many of you turn on the TV to catch the Thanksgiving Parade? I absolutely adore watching the parade to see what new and innovative balloons on display. How about incorporating Thanksgiving festivities into your classroom celebrations!

Let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at the it in 1920’s.

Watch it in 2018…

Showing parts of these videos can open many different educational discussion topics.

What did you notice about both parade?
How are they the same?
How are they different?
What do you think makes the balloon float?
Have you been to a parade?

Read the Book

Balloons Over Broadway

Activity Idea #1

After watching the videos of past Thanksgiving Day parades and discussing what they used to look like. You can have the children design their own parade balloon. You can have them use the prompt “What would your balloon design look like?” or “What do you predict will be a balloon in this years’ Thanksgiving Day Parade?”

Display the pages in the hallway with a title “Balloons Over {Your School Name}”

Activity Idea #2

I have a download for you of a turkey that your students can color and cut. Then they will attach it to a balloon and attach strings to the balloon to make it move – BONUS POINTS if you can get a helium tank for them!