Lesson Plan
Milly and the Macy's Parade Teaching Guide
Use these quick learning activities and thought-provoking writing prompts to enhance the experience of reading Milly and the Macy's Parade with your class.
Grades
PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5
Quick links to lesson materials:
About the Book
Milly and the Macy's Parade is set in the 1920s and tells the story of the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade through the eyes of a young girl. This fun and heartwarming holiday tale introduces readers to the spunky, young Polish immigrant, Milly, and follows her as she plans a way to incorporate the various traditions of the many immigrants working at Macy's, including her father, into the holiday festivities. This book not only teaches children perseverance and positivity, but also gives them an example of the way in which America is a melting pot of many different cultures.
This book is historical fiction and explores themes including:
- New York City landmarks and history
- Immigration
- Feeling homesick
- Holiday traditions
- Kids' empowerment
Author Information
Born in Savannah, Georgia, Shana Corey grew up reading and loving books that told tales from the "olden days." Now, a children's book author and editor, Corey has won several awards, including Publishers Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2000 and Booklist Editors' Choice for 2000, for her picture books inspired by real historical events. By showing children ordinary characters that impact the world, Corey hopes to give them the confidence and courage to change the world too.
Materials
- Milly and the Macy's Parade by Shana Corey
- Milly and the Macy's Parade Activity
- Computers for student use
- Milly and the Macy's Parade Vocabulary Quiz printable
- Milly and the Macy's Parade Vocabulary Quiz: Answer Key printable
- A Marvelous Idea Worksheet printable
- Story Map Graphic Organizer printable
- Story Map Answer Key printable
- Feeling Homesick Worksheet printable
- Holiday Traditions Worksheet printable
- Exploring Similes Worksheet printable
- How Would You Feel? Worksheet printable
- Mr. Macy's Reaction Worksheet printable
- Milly's Marvelous Idea Worksheet printable
- Milly and the Macy's Parade Reading Comprehension Quiz printable
- Milly and the Macy's Parade Reading Comprehension Quiz: Answer Key printable
Before You Read Activities
Students get warmed up for reading by exploring vocabulary and themes featured in the book.
Milly and the Macy's Parade Vocabulary Quiz
The Milly and the Macy's Parade Vocabulary Quiz printable presents words from the book in context with a choice of three definitions. The words are:
- trinkets
- homesick
- caroling
- festive
- twinkle
- tradition
The answers to the quiz are in the Milly and the Macy's Parade Vocabulary Quiz: Answer Key printable.
Personal Connections
A Marvelous Idea
Ask students to complete the Milly and the Macy's Parade: A Marvelous Idea Worksheet printable. They will need to think of an idea they've had for an invention, a new way of doing things, or a big, new event. They complete three sentences:
- My marvelous idea is...
- Here's how it would work...
- It's a marvelous idea because...
While You Read Activities
By completing the Story Map Graphic Organizer printable as they read, students will collect information they'll need to make an illustrated book report, part of the Milly and the Macy's Parade Activity.
With the Story Map Graphic Organizer printable, students record:
- The title and author of the book
- The setting
- The main characters and supporting characters
- The main problem and solution from the story
Suggestion: Have students navigate to the Story Map (PDF) in the Milly and the Macy's Parade Activity, click on the Story Map (PDF), and open the file in Adobe. There they can type directly into the fields of the graphic organizer and then print out the Story Map.
The Milly and the Macy's Parade: Story Map Answer Key printable is an example of a completed story map.
After You Read Activities
Personal Connections
Feeling Homesick
In the Milly and the Macy's Parade: Feeling Homesick Worksheet printable, students are asked to write two sentences or more describing a time when they felt homesick and what they did to feel better.
Holiday Traditions
Students are asked to write one sentence or more describing a special holiday tradition that they enjoy in the Milly and the Macy's Parade: Holiday Traditions Worksheet printable.
Read and Reflect
Exploring Similes
In the story, Milly says Macy's department store "was like a giant present waiting to be unwrapped!" Use this charming simile as a jumping off point to explore the figure of speech. On the Milly and the Macy's Parade: Exploring Similes Worksheet printable, students will draw a line connecting five simile beginnings to their appropriate endings.
How Would You Feel?
Students are asked to put themselves in Milly's shoes and write one sentence or more answering how they would feel walking into Mr. Macy's office in the Milly and the Macy's Parade: How Would You Feel? Worksheet printable.
Mr. Macy's Reaction
The Milly and the Macy's Parade: Mr. Macy's Reaction Worksheet printable asks students to compare and contrast how Mr. Macy and Mr. Snidely react to hearing Milly's idea.
Milly's Marvelous Idea
Students use their imaginations and their senses to transport themselves back in time to the very first Macy's Parade. The Milly and the Macy's Parade: Milly's Marvelous Idea Worksheet printable asks students to complete six sentences:
- At the parade, I look around and see...
- I listen and hear...
- If the parade had a taste, it would taste like...
- I breathe in through my nose and smell...
- I reach out my hand and touch...
- Being at the parade makes me feel...
Illustrated Book Report
Students can use the book report maker, part of the Milly and the Macy's Parade Activity to create and print their illustrated book reports.
In each book report:
- Students create a cover page with illustrations and photos.
- Students complete a text page with the information from the Story Map (PDF) plus a one-sentence summary of the story.
- Students tell their favorite character and their favorite part of the story, and say whether they would recommend the book to a friend and why.
Reading Comprehension Quiz
The Milly and the Macy's Parade Reading Comprehension Quiz printable tests students' reading comprehension on:
- Book facts like the story setting and why Milly understands what it's like to feel homesick.
- Interpretative information like what Milly means when she says, "Macy's was magic" and why the parade was a success.
The answers to the quiz are in the Milly and the Macy's Parade Reading Comprehension Quiz: Answer Key printable.
