Bring the Thanksgiving Day Parade to Your Classroom with the Balloons Over Broadway STEM Challenge 🎈🤖
If you’ve been on social media this November, you’ve probably seen the Balloons Over Broadway STEM challenge floating around. It’s a fun, creative way to combine reading, engineering, and coding — and Dash makes it even more exciting! Here’s how to bring this festive lesson to life in your classroom.
Materials You’ll Need:
Dash robots
Devices to code Dash
Balloons (one per Dash)
Large popsicle sticks (to attach balloons to Dash)
Craft materials (construction paper, tissue paper, glue sticks, etc.)
Book: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet
Balloon Float Planning Guide (grab it for free here!)
Step 1: Read and Imagine 🎨
Start by reading Balloons Over Broadway with your class. Discuss how Tony Sarg, the puppeteer behind the Macy’s Parade, brought imagination and engineering together to create his amazing balloon floats.
Step 2: Plan Your Parade Float 🧠
In groups, have students brainstorm and sketch ideas for their own balloon float design. Encourage them to think about what their balloon will represent — a favorite animal, a story character, or even a robot hero like Dash!
💡 Tip: If your students are having trouble deciding, have each student sketch their own idea first, then collaborate to choose one final group design.
Step 3: Build the Balloon Float ✂️
Now it’s time to bring those ideas to life! Using craft materials, students can create and decorate their balloon floats. Attach each balloon to Dash using the popsicle sticks — and get ready for the parade!
Step 4: Program Dash to Roll Along the Parade Route 💻
Now it’s time to bring your parade to life! Using Blocky or the Wonder app, have students code Dash to roll along their planned parade route while proudly carrying their balloon float. Encourage them to experiment with speed, turns, and even sound effects to make their parade extra festive.
💡 Tip: Have students test and adjust their code — just like real engineers do! They can measure the distance Dash needs to travel, tweak the path for smoother turns, or add a little “parade music” using Dash’s sound blocks.
Step 5: Host Your Parade 🎉
Here are a few fun ways to show off your creations:
Option 1: School Hallway Parade
Line the hallways and let each group code Dash to carry their balloon float through the school for a festive showcase.
Option 2: Build a City Parade
Use one of our coding mats or design your own city on large paper. Students can code Dash to navigate the streets of their mini city while carrying their balloons.
Option 3: Green Screen Parade
Set up a green screen and film Dash parading across the scene! Just remind students to avoid green materials so their floats don’t disappear when you add digital backgrounds.
Hallway Parade Examples
Build-A-City Parade Examples
Did You Use A Green Screen?
Post a video of your Green Screen activity and tag us on social media so we can include you in our gallery of school activities!
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