Lessons & Resources for Educators
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Maine Fiber Today Background
Activity: Discovering Maine’s Fiber Producers, Processors, and Artists
Rubrics for Assessment
Ideas for Alignment
Brief Description: Students will research the revival of Maine’s Fiber industry with the establishment of small farms and mills. Using a map of Maine students will use computers to visit specific web-sites to learn about modern Maine fiber production.
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Mills and Money Background
Activity: Getting to Know a Maine Mill Girl
Rubrics for Assessment
Lowell Mill Girls
Ideas for Alignment
Brief Description: Mills gradually took over the spinning and weaving jobs done at home. Because of the number of rivers in Maine, water power was plentiful so many mills and mill towns were established. Mills carded, spun yarn and wove fabric. Maine was even involved in the production of silk thread in the mid to late 19th century. Often very young people worked in the mills and the jobs were dangerous. Students will discover what working … view full description & alignments
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Stitches and Stories Background
Activity: Traditional Rug Hooking
Rubrics for Assessment
Rug Hooking
Ideas for Alignment
Brief Description: Students will learn how early Maine families used worn out or outgrown clothing to make quilts, rugs and other useful items. Both boys and girls learned to sew. Students will research early samplers and rugs and make a basic rug using early techniques.
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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.
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Weaving a Life in a New Land Background
Activity: Weaving Cloth
Floor Loom
Rubrics for Assessment
Weaving on a Cardboard Loom
Ideas for Alignment
Brief Description: Students will learn that farms in the New World raised sheep and grew flax for fiber to weave. Students learn what a loom is and will use a small loom to learn basic weaving techniques.
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Did the Vikings Visit Maine? Background
Activity: Using a Drop Spindle
Spinning Yarn with a Drop Spindle
How to Prepare Fiber with Hand Carders
Using a Niddy Noddy
Rubrics for Assessment
Maine Fiber Teaching Kit Free to Maine Teacher
Ideas for Alignment
Brief Description: It is likely that the Vikings were responsible for bringing woven cloth to the New World. Students will use a drop spindle and Niddy Noddy to spin and measure wool. Teachers may borrow a free kit with hand cards, fleece, and other items needed to teach this lesson.
Download This Lesson: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Focus Areas: Pest Identification; Science
Focus Skills: observing, comparing/contrasting, drawing conclusions
Objectives
Essential Questions
Essential Understandings
Download This Lesson: People Need Plants
Brief Description: Students will be able to identify parts of a plant and recognize the importance of plants in our daily diet. They will learn new vocabulary and use these in activities pertaining to their own eating habits.
Download This Lesson: CAUTION: Chemicals
Brief Description: Students will use this lesson to understand cause and effect by seeing how chemicals can spread through soil as well as endanger plants and animals. They will conduct an experiment, observe, and draw conclusions as to why chemicals should not be the first choice when it comes to controlling pests.
Download This Lesson: Pesticide Wise
Brief Description: Students will learn about the selection, handling, storage and disposal of pesticides. They will read about the background of pesticide use and the harm it can pose. Students will look at new vocabulary and the information given on labels to find important information.