Last project

In general this project was a bit more camp-crafty than my usual lessons, but I decided that it was fibers enough rather than a different weaving project. I was inspired by this project through Craft Hope. If you are not familiar with Craft Hope, they are a group who works to send handmade items to those in need. They enlist crafters to help with different projects. This particular project was sending handmade bracelets to Russian orphans. I liked the idea of having my students make something as a service project. Some of the kids didn't get it, but others were excited to make bracelets for other people. I told students that, if they had time, their second bracelet could be kept. Unfortunately, with end of the year assemblies, field trips, and my own family emergency, we didn't finish quite as many of these as I had hoped. However, we did manage to send this pile of bracelets by the June 15th deadline. (I may have counted them, don't remember.)

Simple Paper Weaving

I've taught variations of paper weaving in the past, but hadn't seen any like this until this year  from other district art teachers. By simply adding thin strips on top of the thicker ones, they look deceptively complicated. Some of my kids really took off with the idea. Originally, I had planned to have them add smaller shapes to make these more interesting, but the end of the year seemed to come too quickly. These  are first graders.