FIRST GRADE . . . How many patterns did we use?

Ranney students love their weaving project! Taking a break from drawing and painting, we used yarn to learn about what makes a pattern in art. We began by recycling cardboard that was used as a tray for water bottles and made handcrafted looms for our weaving project. Each loom has 6 strings attached to the cardboard and we used an over and under pattern to weave colorful yarn through these loom threads.

Cardboard loom

Weaving on the loom

First graders learned how to measure the correct length of yarn for their loom and cut their own pieces of yarn out of 16 different colors! We practiced the over and under pattern of weaving using our fingers first. That was a little tricky for some of us! Then we wove the colorful strands of yarn over and under the loom threads, following one basic pattern for weaving and creating yet another pattern by alternating colors of yarn.

The wonderful bark that each weaving is displayed on are twigs and sticks that the students found outside and brought in for their project. Here are a few examples of our finished weaving. Please check out our page on Artsonia.com for all of our first grade projects!   http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

Weaving by Ian

Weaving by Eva

Weaving by Gavin

Note to families...
This art blog will be updated regularly with new posts sharing our daily activities in the art room and news about upcoming art exhibits. To respect the privacy of our students, names will always be limited to first name only and identifiable photos will never be accompanied with a name. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below or send me an email at blevine@ranneyschool.org. I would love to hear from you!
    In my class, students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.
     Remember to check out our display of finished artwork and student portfolios in the Ranney home page of Artsonia.com.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839