Classroom Commotion: The Love/Hate Relationship between 4th Graders and Weaving

If there ever was a project that 4th grade students struggled incredibly with, it was weaving with yarn. If there ever was a project that 4th grade students couldn't get enough of, it was weaving with yarn. Here's a little break down of how it goes each year...

Class 1: We learn about weaving as an key component to South American indigenous cultures as a form of folk art and work with simple over-under weaving with construction paper looms and paper strips. Level of engagement- above normal. Level of enthusiasm- varying.

Beginning of Class 2: The idea of weaving on a cardboard loom with yarn is presented and demonstrated. Level of engagement- very high. Level of enthusiasm- very high. This is generally the point in which students believe they are already master weavers and therefore ignore all my instruction and rush me along to get their hands on their materials.

Approximately 5 minutes later into Class 2: Students working independently on their weavings. "Mrs. Kerrie!" is reverberating off the walls. Knots are growing larger by the second. Tears beginning to form in the corners of meek student's eyes. ADHD student is wiggling uncontrollably in and out of the chair. Overachieving student is almost finished with wrapping the yarn around the entire loom with out a single string woven. Level of engagement- very high. Level of enthusiasm- the lowest of lows. This is generally the point in which I, the art teacher, wonder why the heck I thought this was such a successful lesson last year. In my head I think, "Where the heck are my freaking scissors, I'm just going start cutting all these strings loose, screw this "brilliant" idea of making a bag let's just stick to freaking place-mats."

The rest of the duration of Class 2: Review is offered for how to make a pattern of over-under-over-under with the yarn. Knots mitigated. Undoing of mistakes done and redone. Multiple sighs heard from students and myself alike. I pray that a glimmer of hope would just shine it's yarn-y face upon us. Looms are packed up for homework. Level of engagement- below normal. Level of enthusiasm- regaining steam to below normal.

Approximately 15 minutes into the next period: One or two students pop into my classroom showing me their weaving success and asking for more lengths of yarn to continue working! (why are there here during another class period? Are they really that sneaky?)

At the end of the school day of Class 2: Over half the class has come and gotten more yarn (some students more than once) so they can continue their weaving. They are showing me their work anytime I see them on campus. Students tell me their plans to work on it over the weekend. Level of engagement- very high. Level of enthusiasm- miraculously high. Now I realize why I wanted to repeat this lesson.

One of the design principles of expeditionary learning is success and failure. This weaving project encompasses both so perfectly for these 4th graders. With in one class period we all hit a point of wanted to give up and thinking that this task is impossible. Then when the light blub flashes on, it does so like a 180 degree turn and BAM! The students love weaving! They can't believe that by the end they will have made their own little bag and they are literally waiting for me at my classroom door to get more yarn to work ahead. I couldn't ask for more ownership over their work!