You’ve probably heard about needle felting, maybe even tried it. However, have you ever considered teaching the art to your students? When I learned this was being taught to high school students, I had to learn more. So, let me introduce you to Shaelin Nilsen of Utah! She created these “Hands-On Textiles: Needle Felting resources” so you, too, can help your students learn about non-woven textiles and wool fiber while creating a simple little project!
The Trendy Threads Wardrobe Box project was created to simulate clothing subscription services that are advertised on the internet. These services are designed to tailor outfits that fit and flatter the personality, profile, needs and body type of their client for a fee. In this project, students become the personal stylist as they curate outfits for their “clients” based on profile information. It’s a great way for students to apply what they’ve learned in class and see if they enjoy being a personal stylist!
During COVID-19, April Dull of Pennsylvania presented a webinar: “Using Canva to Inspire Students to Think and Express Themselves Creatively”. After participating in her presentation where the cross stitch unit was introduced, I knew I had to feature April on the website! Read on to see how a cross stitch unit was taught virtually to her students. While this unit was taught E-learning style, it can be used within a traditional or blended classroom.
My son recently introduced me to “starter pack memes” which I had to look up! He had to create one for a college “get to know you” activity and once I knew what it was, I thought it would make a great, fun and interactive activity. So, below you will find my starter pack meme ideas for topics that can be used in a variety of different content areas along with instructions for creating.
It’s interesting to watch the trends in fashion change as new ideas emerge and old favorites get an update! Like history, fashion is bound to repeat itself and what’s old will become “new” again to a new generation! If you teach a course on fashion, you no doubt incorporate a lesson or unit on fashion trends. Read on to get an update on activities for teaching an old favorite!
Enrichment means to improve something…in this case the “something” was basic sewing skills (and fine motor skills). This year I chose to do a hand-sewing enrichment activity that was an extension of the rattle lesson in the infant unit. Students worked on their small motor skills while creating and hand-sewing an infant toy or rattle which was affectionately named Nessie. Please note, this project could easily be adapted to machine sewing if you have sewing machines in your classroom.
Are your students into fashion? Do any of your students sport a specific fashion style? This is a two part project, however, the second part could be optional. It’s an easy introductory activity to use at the beginning of a school year or course especially if your classroom is a revolving door with schedule changes. It could even be used as a sub plan because it doesn’t involve a lot of fashion lingo or background fashion information in order to complete. These assignments get students researching and creating immediately with some additional extensions that can be used to further add to the activity!
Whether teaching about fashion or interior decorating, color is an important concept to include. Believe it or not there is a lot of depth and meaning associated with choosing color and using it in design and decorating. Check out the resources below for some colorful ideas!
Another breakout here…this time with laundry! Laundry can be so dry and boring to teach that I wanted to put together something interactive and a little challenging for students to apply the information they learned. This is in keeping with my other breakouts as the challenges involve completing activities that lead to four digit codes that unlock succeeding boxes, ultimately, reaching the final prize box! I was not disappointed as students really worked well together in their randomly assigned teams, utilizing their knowledge and a little technology as they competed and collaborated to solve the challenges in under 43 minutes!
Capsule Wardrobes seem to be the latest trend in shopping and not just for the minimalists who strive to eliminate the excess! I decided to have my students explore this trend, create their own capsule wardrobe collection for a specific season and budget range as well as promote it through an infomercial using apps such as Polyvore and iMovie. Students were highly engaged as they looked for pieces to create their collection and somewhat frustrated as they had to revise when prices exceeded their budget range! Overall, a great practical lesson and project, simulating real life practices (except for the infomercial–that was just a fun, creative way to share their collections with the entire class)!
