Wonderful Wacky Weaving - 3 projects

We've been doing a little introductory weaving in my primary grades. Second graders did a version of an annual paper weaving project that looks more complicated than it is:

This weaving below was done using foam strips, by my 2nd grade student who is blind. I stapled together a mat of the strips to start, and it worked great for him to use the tactile foam.

And in grade 3 we did some simple weavings in burlap by removing some strings and sewing in yarn in instead. It always amazes me how much the kids enjoy this simple project:

But the 1st graders, oh the 1st graders - I dreaded the annual paper weaving that is always such a challenge for some of them. So when I came across this post: http://artlessonsforkids.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/recycled-paper-weaving-in-grade-two/, I was totally captivated. But when I tried the project as written, I thought it would be a little too difficult for my little first-graders. So I made some changes to make it easier.

Here's what we did the first day:

• Each student started with a piece of mat board (the scraps my framer gives me each time I see her - thank you Judy!!). The pieces were cut to about 6"x 9".
• We cleaned out some teachers' recycle boxes (some old notices, extra math papers, daily bulletins, etc) and each student took 4 pieces and twisted them like crazy, the long way.
• We used Elmer's Glue-All (NOT Elmer's School Glue) and put a blob at each end of the cardboard, stuck a recycled strip in at each end so it was slightly curved up (like a bridge), and counted to 20. They stuck nicely.

Here's what we did the second day:

• We raided my leftovers from other paper weaving projects - patterned and bright colored paper strips, and wove them in, gluing down the ends with a glue stick.
• We jazzed up the mat board a bit with construction paper crayons.
• Finally we went to town with watercolors anywhere and everywhere on the project.

The kids LOVED this project because it was totally stress-free. I didn't require them to use any sort of pattern, and they just had the best time digging through a tray filled with paper strips and blobbing paint over the twisted recycled paper. Thanks to Art Lessons for Kids for the great idea.