Weaving in Grade 3

Have I mentioned before how much I love my Social Studies curriculum? Our focus is on four unique and different countries: India, Peru, Ukraine and Tunisia. I love the curriculum because there are so many cross-curricular connections that can be made. My favourite has to be tying in art projects.
A few weeks ago my class successfully weaved mini-rugs. They worked so hard and all of them had such a positive attitude about it. I am was very impressed.
Like most of my ideas, I can't truly claim ownership. This art project was first shown to me when I invited a few members of our cities local art gallery to come in to teach my students about weaving. The set up and instructions were so easy I decided to make my own weaving boards and have done this project every since with my students.

 

Materials:

-       14cm x 18cm cardboard square (cut 1 cm slits into two opposite edges)

-       different colours of yarn

-       Powerpoint

Preparation:

1.   Create a Powerpoint with pictures of weaving.

2.  Cut out 22 cardboard squares.

3.  Cut 1 cm slits into two opposite edges. There should be 13 on each side.

4.  String yarn from one slip to the others. End the string on the opposite side in which you started.

5.  Cut 50 cm pieces of coloured yarn.

Instructions:

1.   Begin by showing students the Powerpoint presentation of weaving in Tunisia and Peru.

2.  Demonstrate how to weave.

a.   Have students choose 5 different colours of string and a weaving board.

b.  Tie the string on the weaving string about 1 inch from the edge.

c.   Weave under and then over… alternating each time.

d.   When the string is almost completely weaved through, tie another string to the end and continue to weave.

e.   When all the stings are weaved through tie the string to the weaving board string.

f.   Clip the weaving board strings that are tied around the edge slits and tie two together to create tassels.

g.  Trim the tassels. Be careful that students don’t trim these too short of else the knots will fall out.