FIRST GRADE . . . Weaving with patterns

First Graders are learning to weave in art class. This is a project that celebrates the art and culture of the Native Americans and teaches us a wonderful technique using patterns.

Our handmade looms were created out of the cardboard base from water bottle trays and we recycle these looms every year. Six slits are cut into both ends of the cardboard and yarn is strung from top to bottom creating the warp (or vertical) strings of the loom.

Next students choose their first color to weave with. We learned how to measure the yarn against a table edge by working in pairs with our friends. One student holds the end of the yarn against the end of the table and the other student unrolls the yarn to match the length of the table and cuts it off. To weave our colored yarn into the loom threads, we learned how to follow a pattern of "Over, Under, Over, Under, Over and Under." Not only is the process of weaving a pattern, but we can also create a pattern by alternating our colors of yarn.

Here is a short video of some of our students demonstrating how to measure the yarn and weave!