Trams on Parade for Moomba

Trams on Parade for Moomba lesson plan

Join in the Moomba fun! Parade down St. Kilda Street in Melbourne, Australia, with trams decorated for the celebration.

  • 1.

    The Moomba Festival, which takes place in early March in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, is a citywide, 4-day festival. The word Moomba probably comes from an Australian Aboriginal word. This celebration is 4F–-family, fun, festive, and free--every year. The Yarra River is one highlight of the occasion with water sport competitions and shows. A tram parade is another one.

  • 2.

    What is a tram? Streetcars, trolleys, and trams are all similar types of transportation. Did trams run in your area? Find out about various types of energy used to power trams. At the Moomba tram parade, there are even pedal-powered trams.

  • 3.

    Choose a theme that captures one of the 4 Fs of Moomba. Decorate a cardboard box with Crayola® Gel Markers. If the box has lettering on it, first cover it with paper using Crayola Glue Sticks. Make colorful designs and show the celebrating passengers. Add festive details with Crayola Glitter Glue, feathers, or other collage materials. Air-dry the glue.

  • 4.

    Stage your own mini-Moomba with a parade of all the colorful trams that you and your classmates made.

Benefits

  • Students find out about an Australian festival, Moomba.
  • Students research early tram usage and power sources.
  • Students construct 3-D tram for their own tram parade.

Adaptations

  • Find Melbourne on a map. What time is it there? What season? How far is it from where you are? Plan an imaginary trip to the Moomba Festival.
  • Decorate large recycled boxes, such as refrigerator boxes, as trams. Younger children and children with special needs can work together on one big tram and use it for dramatic play.
  • What other common words have Australian Aboriginal roots? How far have those words traveled?
  • Some experts think it would be a good idea to return to trams for city transportation. What are the reasons? What do you think?
  • Assessment: Consider the detail, care, and originality with which each tram is decorated.