Download This Lesson:
A Colorful Life Background
Activity: Dying Yarn
Rubrics for Assessment
Maine Fiber Teaching Kit Free to Maine Teachers
Ideas for Alignment
Brief Description: Students will learn that Native Americans and colonists used natural substances to dye fibers, adding color to clothing, blankets and baskets. Mordants were used to “set” the color. Dyed materials were used to create many colonial weaving patterns. Students will be using natural substances to dye fiber/fabric samples of their own.
Level: Grades 3-5
Subjects: English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Skills: Listening, following directions, cooperating, collaborating, comparing similarities, explaining, observing, creating, developing vocabulary
Fiber Maine-ia: Exploring Maine’s Fiber History is an eight lesson program exploring the use and evolution of fiber from early man to the present, with a focus on Maine. The lessons could easily be used, without alignment activities, as an after school enrichment program or in learning centers during a Maine History Day.
The alignment ideas provide suggestions for including the lessons in a study of Maine history, with opportunities for alignment to the Maine Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction and the Common Core Standards. Teachers may use the ideas as written, or as a springboard to develop their own alignment activities. The alignment for Fiber Maine-ia has been done for the 3-5 grade-span., although grade 6-8 teachers may find ways to increase the level of cognitive demand in some of the activities to meet the standards at that level.
Helpful Links:
How to Make a Drop Spindle
How to Make a PVC Niddy Noddy
Resources
Correlations to State of Maine Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction
ELA = English Language Arts, HE/PE = Health Education and Physical Education, MA = Mathematics, SCI = Science, SS = Social Studies, VPA = Visual and Performing Arts
** Alignment possible only if lesson extension is done
Criteria for Fiber Main-ia Alignment
|
Grade |
Maine Learning Results |
Common Core Standards for English and Mathematics |
|
3-5 |
ELA B5a Writing: Practical Application E1a Listening SS E2a Individual, Cultural and Global Connections in History VPA B1 Media Skills E5c, e Interpersonal Skills |
ELA Speaking and Listening: 4 Writing: 4 |