I am a 1-8th grade art teacher in Green Bay, WI. I have concocted some of these lessons or stolen them from other talented teachers. Enjoy!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Baskets





6th graders created woven baskets. Students viewed baskets made all over the world out of different materials. Then they received a wooden base, and cut stakes to put into the holes. Next class students soaked about 2 1/2 inches that was sticking out of the bottom to create a woven bottom. Next, students picked about 8 strands of reed. All materials were kept in brown grocery bags until next class. Students filled the sinks daily with hot water for soaking. To change the shape of their basket students manipulated the stakes. Students were careful to not have "snaky stakes" which meant that that strands were pushing against them altering their shape.

Lastly, student ended their baskets by gently curving each stake next to the one in front of it. Students could also add beads to their stakes. This has been an old stand by of mine. I have been doing these for 10 years, and the kids--yes even the boys--love them!

3 comments:

  1. Gorgeous - my kids would LOVE this, heck, I would love this!! But 1/2 the time we can't get the water to get hot. These must have taken a long time to do. Are the materials expensive?

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  2. Hiya, I'd love to do something like this with my summer enrichment crafts class. Where did you order the materials from for this lesson?

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  3. How did you bend the stakes once the baskets were woven?

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