Easy DIY Earth Balloon Project

If you haven’t heard, we love hands-on activities here at Mobile Ed. Our educators are passionate about engaging students in ways that are both effective and entertaining. Using interactive assignments in the classroom helps students in learning content, memory, team work skills, and problem solving. Our team has procured another awesome tutorial for you and your students to work on this school year! 

(Image used as example and provided by Classroom Tested Resources)

This project is simple, inexpensive, and fast. Though many websites offer printouts of the seven continents, we found resources from PBS that provide clear instructions and a few different printouts that can be used for this popular learning activity. 

What you need: 

• Large, blue balloons
• Printed continents
• Glue/tape
• Scissors 
• Marker
• A globe to reference
• String (optional)

What to do: 

1. Create and cut out your own continents or use one of these printouts (Labeled + Unlabeled). 
2. Color each continent a different color if not already colored.
3. Inflate the balloon to its fullest size and tie a knot. 
4. Oriente the balloon with the knot at the top. Looking at your reference globe, draw the equator and prime meridian with a dark marker.
5. Paste all seven continents with glue or tape in the correct locations beginning with Antarctica and continuing with North America, South America, Asia/Europe, Africa, and Australia. TIP: Use a globe for reference or do this activity as a class. 
6. Label all seven continents and the four major oceans by looking at the reference globe. 
7. Draw a star where you live just for fun! Observe the locations of each continent and their relation to other continents. 

OPTIONAL: 

1. Draw time zones on balloons using a marker.
2. Draw latitude and longitude lines on balloons using a marker.
3. Tie balloons from the ceiling of your classroom with string to observe them for the week. 

The Mobile Ed Productions team has also seen educators take this project one step further by using paper mache to make their balloon globes last all year. We also encourage teachers to display students’ work throughout their classroom if possible; doing this creates a strong classroom community and fosters the ability to learn from one another and respect one another. 

(Image provided by PBS)

Our mission as an educational entertainment provider is to equip educators with ways to educate our youth through purposeful entertainment, whether we are physically in your classroom, conducting a virtual assembly, or providing tools for you to use in your classroom. The Mobile Ed Productions team hopes you have fun creating hand-held models of Earth in your classroom! 

Are you looking for more materials related to the earth’s continents, oceans, and geography? Our Earth Dome assembly program is one of our most popular assemblies and has fascinated students across the country for years. 

Topics covered in our Earth Dome assembly include: 

• Continents
• Plate Tectonics
• Mountains
• Rivers and Oceans
• Time Zones
• Geology
• Latitude and Longitude

We invite you to take a further look at our Earth Dome assembly and contact us with any questions, big or small, about bringing our fascinating dome to you this school year.