Balloons, Bots, and Broadway: A Parade of STEM Innovation in Vicenza
Check out the video here!
Vicenza students brought creativity and collaboration to new heights during the Balloons Down Broadway STEM Challenge. For the second consecutive year, this cross-grade initiative united Mrs. Lubba’s 3rd graders, middle school “Coding Captains,” and high school video production students in a hands-on learning experience inspired by the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Third-grade students partnered with Mr. Hoff’s Applied Technology (robotics) class to design and program Sphero “floats” that could successfully navigate a parade route. Using the Engineering Design Process, students began by asking questions about constraints and goals, imagining creative float designs, and planning their routes and code. They then created and tested their Sphero floats, analyzing performance and improving designs through multiple iterations to achieve successful movement and control.
Middle school students played a key role by supporting the design, engineering, and coding process, serving as mentors and problem-solvers throughout each phase of the challenge. High school video production students documented the experience through interviews, behind-the-scenes design moments, and footage of the final parade.
This collaborative event highlighted teamwork, innovation, and the power of authentic STEM learning, demonstrating how impactful education can be when Vicenza students engage in standards-based instruction while applying the 5 C’s: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and citizenship.
