Picnic Bug Weavings

First-grade weaving.  What a joy! I really like showing these minis how to weave and I have found that it fascinates them. I do something different every year so here is the rundown for 2015.

First, we did a little pre-test (first weaving) to see where all students are at.  They had some paper that they made at a station in a previous class so we used them for their weavings. The paper was a little warped from the paint but it they all ironed out nicely!  I also tried something new using different materials for weaving such as ribbons, wire, and strings.

Students created their weaving and brought them up to me.  I mounted them onto a background as they wrote their name on a name tag. These actually turned out to be sweet little works of art.  I'm was thinking they would just be process pieces, but they were display-worthy.

For our second weaving, I decided to have each class work on something different for a full display.  Music was doing a concert with the theme of picnics.  I chose to make that our theme too! One of my classes created paper weavings as place mats for their 'picnic lunch'.  I did this last year as well (see post)

The rest were approached the same way.  Day one the students did a weaving at the end they cut out a shape and glued it to the back of their weaving. So for example, below a student would cut out a large apple shape and glue it to the back of the weaving for it to dry.

Day two, students cut out the weaving around the 'tracer' glued to the back. This allowed the weaving to stay together but also for us to give the weaving a different shape (a butterfly, a fruit, a circle for a bug body... )  This could work for any shape for sure.

I really enjoyed the look of the fruit weavings and butterfly weavings, but my favorite was the bug weavings below. 

When the weaving was cut out, the students created these great faces with big bug eyes and so much character!  All of the paper for this was scraps from other projects. Strips of paper from cutting down larger sheets. I showed them how to curl and fold to give texture and each bug turned out so different, and so dang cute! 

The very best part is I had a talented volunteer, Kelly VonBank, offer to come in and display.  This wonderful woman was there all day making what could go down as he best display in the history of Hassan, at least since I've been teaching there. This was in perfect time for the 1st-grade music performances.  Parents were all over this school wanting to see the amazing performance of their minis, and all the kids were excited to share the work that they made in the art studio. 

I made time for our 1st-grade students to also venture out the large bulletin board to see their artwork on display.  They were excited to find their art, but also thrilled to look at all the other students beautiful creations too! 

Weaving: Spring Nests

Weaving is one of the best fine motor challenges for our young artists.  I find that weaving can be introduced with K's but is the most appropriate challenge for the average 1st grader.  Most students have to work mentally and physically to achieve a good weave and therefore, when successful, our students feel accomplished!  I have lot's of different options for weaving right here on MiniMatisse.blogspot.com in past posts (click here).  This year, we created nests for our pre-test and introduction to weaving.  I always like to do a paper weaving before I do the end of the year fiber weaving. 

I taught the students with this video.  This way I could play and replay it for the majority of the class, and assist individuals when needed. 

The first day the students did the weaving and glued the shape on the back.  We let it dry until their next visit.

At the start of the next day, students cut the weaving out.  They then used tempera sticks to draw a branch.  We had some paper left over from an earlier project, so some of them created little eggs to go in their nests as well. 

We played them on the floor to dry.  My youngest students are at the end of the day so we leave them out on the floor so we can have a discussion about the projects and also take pictures for Seesaw to share with parents at home.

Fiber Weaving on a Loom

In the last month of school, I have been posting on Instagram the amazing weavings that I do with my 1st graders.  Why are they amazing?? Because they had all my first-grade students working hard on these magical little fiber weavings right up until the last minute of Art class. Motivation can be challenging at the end of the year, but I have always found that fiber weaving engages my young artist like nothing else. 

I was asked so many questions about the weavings that I thought I would put together a little 'how-to' lesson to explain all the things I have learned over the past 15 years of teaching students fiber weaving.  I made a presentation with resources about weaving vocabulary, suggested materials list, students samples, but best of all, I filmed 6 videos explaining the how to start and end these weavings in my classroom.

The videos talk about how to string a cardboard loom.  This process is something I start early in the year.  I also have volunteers help me with stringing the looms. This is a great job for parent volunteers to either complete at your school, or at home. I show how to prepare the yarn for your class, as well as a successful way to distribute the yarn.  I give a video sharing how I teach my students how to weave... it has been tested and improved year after year, and it works... really works for most if not all students.  Another video shows how to successfully take the fiber weavings off the loom and distribute them to your classes. It's everything I could think of.

This lesson plan is intended for teachers who are a little nervous to introduce fiber weaving to their students. It could be helpful for a Visual Arts teacher, however, I also make it to assist a Regular Ed teacher who feels fiber weaving would be a great addition to their classroom. I think weaving is one of the best activities to support and improve fine motor skills in our young students.

To celebrate this new lesson I'm putting on a sale for this item for a limited time.  I have this item priced at $12.00 (resources, students samples, and 6 videos).  For the next few days, I will sell this item for $9.60.  That is 20% off!!  This sale will end on June 19th so please visit soon!  

Fiber Weaving on a Loom

Rainbow Weaving

As many of you know, I have been home for medical leave. I have been using Art as therapy and really excited to discover some new methods of weaving.  One of the lessons I experimented with was this Rainbow Weaving. (click here to go to TPT store) I thought it would really fit in nicely for a middle school.  I couldn't wait to share it with you.

If this lesson looks interesting to you, be sure to watch this video first to make sure you have what you need or are willing to get what you need to create the Rainbow Weaving.

I would also like to mention that this is NOT a beginner project. This project is perfect for an Artist who has a basic understanding of weaving. Fine motor skills and patients will make this lesson more successful. I would suggest this for grades 5th and up. It would be perfect for small group activity like an Art Club, Homeschoolers, or Scout Groups.

In this lesson, I have 3 videos explaining the whole process of this weaving. This allows the viewer to break down the steps, watch it over and over as needed, and pause to create a self-guided lesson that fits them well. The slideshow can be placed on Schoology or shared with students, or it can be presented in group format under the teachers' instruction using projection in the classroom.

There are also step by step images of the project in process. So this lesson has both video and image to support the weaving process.

If you are interested in looking at this weaving for your classroom. I encourage you to visit my Teacher Pay Teacher website. 

#Crush on the Medium Fibers

FIBERS!!! I can't wait to #Crush on Fibers!! It's one of my passions in my personal art. I would like to share some of the ways to use fibers in  your class, but also some of the ways I have shared my personal work using fibers in the past as well. 

This is a simple way to get wet felting into your classroom.  Trolls are so last year... but this project doesn't have to be.  I have three different ways to make trolls and one involve wet felting at on this post. 

These fiber sushi rolls were a blast for the kids to make! They used up a lot of scraps as well. The students then played games with the rolls such as picking up and passing them with chopsticks.

Sew-a-Softie was a fun blog post challenge that I took part in this summer. When I started thinking about these softies, I couldn't stop.  Instead of one post, I made two. Here are the posts for the Softie Owls and the post for the Softie Fish. There were many others who participated in the Sew a Softie event this summer... I have their post on this Padlet. You want inspiration... look here...

I love bringing in fibers to our Artist Trading Cards. Here is a lesson using plastic mesh and yarn.  It's a bit challenging for a whole class but perfect for choice work or small group. Click here for many images and directions on how to create this fiber landscape.

Here is another lesson for choice-based learning. This crafty project allows student so to develop their fine motor skills.  I have provided this to students as young as 1st-grade with success.  Click here for the Fiber Web Lesson and here to see the Crochet Chain self-pace lesson.  I also have a yarn braiding lesson here.

And then there is weaving... So many weaving lessons.  I adore weaving with paper but it is to get to the next level, weaving with fibers.  Click here to see multiple weaving lessons from the MiniMatisse Art Studio, including one lesson with instructional videos, images of students works, and tons of tips and tricks to have a successful loom weaving.

Admittedly, I'm a little behind in bringing fibers into my classroom being I ADORE fibers in my personal work.  Here is a post about how to 'stitch a memory', or make a triangle bag.  I love hand sewing and machine work as well.  Felting is a blast, especially dry felting. I love it all... and really like sharing the skill but find it challenging in a large group.

This year I'm proud of myself for braving a dream I have had for a long time.  I have always wanted to have students design and create their own recorder case for their 3/4/5 grade musical instrument.  I have invited several volunteers to come help me.  This has been a wonderful experience and I'm VERY excited to share it with you upon completion.  We are in the thick of it right now.

Watermelon Weavings

I love weaving with 1st grade! Here is the paper weaving that I did this year with my 1st grade... Watermelon Weavings! 

To start the lesson I had them weaving with their body. 

This year I taught this lesson over two days.  In the video below you can see how I broke it down. Every time you see 'Your Turn' I would send the kids to their seats to 'do' then they came back to the carpet for the next instruction! Lots of movement in this lesson. 

We went BIG with these weavings! I like doing weavings over two days so I can see who need a little extra help. As they turn in their work on day one, I put them in two piles. Day two, they watch the weaving portion again and I hand back the weavings. The 'needs help' pile, I have sit by me on the carpet until I see they are able to be successful on their own. I have found this also give the 1st-grade brain a little time to let it soak in. They always do better the second day.

As I mentioned, I LOVE weaving with kids so I have plenty of weaving lessons in past posts.