Each year, Ms. McKenna’s 4th grade STEM classes kick off their Thanksgiving balloon project by reading Balloons Over Broadway, the story of Tony Sarg, a self-taught immigrant who invented the first balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year marked the 3rd annual celebration of our 4th graders creating their own balloons and hosting a Thanksgiving parade at school.
The project actually began as an idea Ms. McKenna discovered on TikTok during her first year as the STEM teacher—and it has become a beloved tradition ever since! Students were randomly assigned to groups of 3–4 and spent time brainstorming and selecting a theme for their balloon. Over the course of the past month and a half, the students dedicated approximately five hours to designing and building their creations.
Great job, 4th graders!
