Digital Station- Fiber Web

I'm continuing with my digital lessons, so far I'm really concentrating on fibers. I just think this is a medium that can be so overwhelming for teachers to maintain, however, is so engaging for young students. I also feel that many art teachers have these supplies in their classroom storage, and just need some reason to get them out and offer them to your students.

This will be my fiber lesson posted and with the last one, on Button Sewing, I got this message on Facebook from Ms. Compas.

So here we go, more to the series... This lesson I'm calling a 'Fiber Web'.  Most of us know this project as Ojo de Dios or God's Eye.  The best part about this lesson is that it has two learning levels.  There are two videos included in this lesson, one is for students just starting out and the second is for students who have already practiced level one with this skill.  This creates differentiation in your classroom and gives students multiple ways to use the same process.

Let's say you already do Gods Eyes in your classroom, here is a tip in the video that has saved me a lot of head ache that you might want to implement in your lesson.  I explain that you can use any kind of straight objects such as popsicle sticks, natural sticks, sturdy straws.  I also mention that there are many ways to get your Fiber Web started.  One way is to cross the two sticks and just start working.  This creates a lot of frustration for the students because the sticks are hard to hold together for these young artist hands. Another way is to pre-glue the sticks with hot glue for your students.  This works really good but with all my lessons, I try to create the most independence I can for my students.  This is the best chance you have to allow students the opportunity to create using these skills outside of class. So this has been my winning solution... baby rubber bands.  I have a bunch of these left over from when my daughter was little.  You can also use rainbow loom bands.  Simply cross your sticks in a 't' as shown below.  Place the rubber band on one stick and then over the opposite end. It works like a dream!  It holds the sticks together long enough for the students to start the fiber 'looping' or 'weaving'. 

As I have offered in the Braid Station and Button Station, this Fiber Web Digital Station comes with a QR code leading students to a 'how to' video.  In this lesson, however, there is a bonus lesson. Two QR codes to two lessons to create leveled learning. There is also a URL for both if the scanning is not successful or possible, a material list and several suggestions of how to set this up for your classroom.  In this lesson, I also have pictures of a finished product for each of the lessons. 

I ran this digital station last year and found it to be VERY successful! Students were very motivated by this lesson.  They loved making the Fiber Webs and it was reported that several of them created webs outside of class as well, that's when you know you have a winning lesson. 

Share with me your students take on this lesson if you implement it into your classroom. I know your students will love it!