4th Grade Weaving

My 4th graders are a couple weeks in to their weavings....and it is going great with most classes.  It is amazing how there seems to be "THAT" class that struggles every year?  Is it group think?  Is it the placement of certain kids together?  Is it the end of the year hitting harder in some rooms than others? I love weaving, and am very excited to teach it...and to help kids that are struggling.  However, with "THAT" class...I feel like I need to clone myself once or twice?!!?  How are the rest of you doing?  Do you have the same experience?

I personally do feel that there are "classes" that don't mesh, that are heavy on children that struggle in mental, emotional, or behavioral ways, or that have a classroom teacher that can be inconsistent.  All of which can greatly impact how the group responds to other teachers & other subjects.  

HOWEVER

I do believe that we have the power/ability to change the direction they are going.  I do believe that they can learn, grow, get along, and create amazing works of art!  I do believe it takes different strategies, different ways of encouraging, different levels of patience & grace.  I do believe expectations should be reexamined without lowering!  

Sorry....I think I was just giving myself a pep talk right there.  Maybe you needed it too? 

Art With Mr.E Summer Workshop 2017: Weaving

The AMAZING people at NASCO ( https://www.enasco.com/artsandcrafts/ ) provided looms, fabric strips(how amazingly handy to have precut fabric strips!!), and long plastic needles. THANK YOU SO MUCH NASCO!!!  We loved getting to use them & trying out the different size pre-notched looms.  Several of the teachers did multiple weavings during our three days together. They did a mix of the fabric strips & yarn.  You could just do fabric.  I'm in the process of working on a rag rug that I'm doing in sections so its easier to work with(more on this in another post!!).

I do like the idea of having different size looms for students that might finish early.  I've had some SUPER weavers in the past...as well as students that want to come in extra to weave more.  Having the different sizes might be a nice to keep on hand!

https://www.enasco.com/product/9709432

https://www.enasco.com/product/9737015

          

WEAVING: 4th GRADE

They loved circle weaving in 3rd grade!  They have loved weaving in 4th grade!  I hope that they have more opportunities to weave in middle school & high school art.  Here are a handful of weavings from this year.  I allowed theme to select 4 regular colors & 1 specialty yarn.  I'll try to post more as the last couple classes finish up this coming week!  

...When Your Normal Is Off...

I shared awhile back about the health issue I was diagnosed with in Dec/Jan(I'll do an update post on that soon!).  The doctor visits twice a week for treatment...getting stuck...poked at..checked out over and over has really messed up my normal.  I'm not talking about being "normal"...cause who of us are?!?!?!  I'm talking about MY NORMAL.  I'm usually on top of things, very organized, type A personality.  However, with all that I've been dealing with....I'm just not myself.   This week I found something that slipped past me this year....something I don't think has EVER slipped passed me.  I've always ordered rectangular pre-notched looms for my 4th grade tapestry weaving project.  Thinking I had them in my supply closet...I walked in Monday to prep for the day's lessons...NO PRE-NOTCHED LOOMS?!?!?!  (I use these because 4th nine weeks is so hectic & kids are out so much with camp, awards, etc......it is a time saver thing!)  It was a sink or swim moment!  I remembered I had ordered extra cardboard circles for the 3rd grade circle weaving...and decided those would have to do! I created squares to put in the middle to trace...so that they had something to aid them in creating their looms.  They then used rulers to measure off their markings.  Kids really are terrible with ruler skills now-a-days...so I'm glad I could give them extra practice(but it was enough to raise my blood pressure).

I also relied on peer tutors to help out the students that were struggling!  This too is a good thing...kids need to learn compassion for the classmates & realize they can be a life line for the struggling learner!! 

(NEXT YEAR...DON'T FORGET TO ORDER PRE-NOTCHED LOOMS!!! ha ha)

Circle Weaving Awesomeness!!!!

If you have followed me for awhile..you know I LOVE CIRCLE WEAVING!!!

It is truly one of my favorite projects of the year.  It has its frustrations...but the victories & successes are so much sweeter!!!! Here are a few of the awesome circle weaving so far (more to come later).  

A GIANT CIRCLE WEAVING

I love circle weaving...and 3rd grade will be creating their's next nine weeks!!  This summer I received this amazingly huge cardboard circle from an art teacher friend.  I knew I had to create a giant circle weaving!!! I JUST HAD TO!!!!!!!  So it has begun.  I'm sure I'll not finish this year, but I am going to have fun trying!!!

Circle Weavings: 3rd Grade

I think I probably say this every year....but oh well!?

I LOVE CIRCLE WEAVING!!!!!!

It hasn't always been that way.  I took no weaving classes in college (personality conflict with the professor...she didn't have one).  I don't remember even doing paper weaving as a kid (I didn't have art till high school).  So when I started teaching and saw that weaving was a part of every grade level's curriculum...I freaked!!!  I quickly mastered paper weaving...but it took me awhile to warm up to the rest.  Circle weaving was part of that curriculum back in 1997...and it scared me to death!!  Thank goodness I had friends to help me along...and after a couple years I started to fear it less and less.  Now it is actually my favorite lesson in all of third grade!!!  It is magical!!  The kids might struggle for a day or so...but then they get hooked!!  I open up my room in the morning the two weeks before semester's end so they can come in and work extra on them if they want.  I room is usually FULL (see picture below!).

                 

HERE ARE THE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR WARPING THE LOOM & GETTING STARTED!

http://www.artwithmre.com/2012/12/circle-weaving-step-by-step-guide-tips.html

HERE ARE ALL MY POSTS ON 

CIRCLE WEAVING!!

http://www.artwithmre.com/search/label/Circle%20Weaving

                 

                 

                 

                 

AFTER READING THE LINKS I PROVIDED....IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS..LEAVE ME A COMMENT OR SHOOT ME AN E-MAIL!!! I'LL TRY TO HELP!! 

                     

Tree Weavings: 4th Grade

Tree Weavings in Progress

This is the lesson made famous by Mrs. Cassie Stephens!  I usually do a more traditional rectangle 9in x 13in weaving.  However, time seemed in short supply this year.  The tree weaving takes a lot less time & is more forgiving for those students that struggle with hour glassing.  Week one I had students draw & paint a landscape for the background.  Week two they warped their loom & started the first string.  Week three students continued the weaving and began adding beads.  Most students are almost finished after week three.  It will take a partial class to finish the rest.  They've loved it!!  Adding the beads was a new trick for me....but I really like it.  Even if I return to the rectangular weaving...I think I'll keep the beads!!  

                                     

More 3rd Grade Circle Weavings

I just discovered pictures I hadn't posted before Christmas break!  I love the patterns the students created this year on their looms!!!!  If you haven't seen the others....  

!!!CLICK HERE!!!

Paper Weavings With Patterns: 2nd Grade

So were weaving in 2nd grade.  I like to start with paper weaving to make sure students understand the pattern of weaving strips(before moving onto fabric strips/ribbon).  However, they were so plain...I just wasn't happy with them & felt they didn't look like 2nd grade work.  So this week, we once again looked at African fabrics...pointing out colors, patterns, designs, and such.  The students used construction paper crayons to go back on top of their weavings and make them more interesting.  I LOVE THE RESULT!