exploring patterns through coast salish weaving · 2017. 11. 2. · diamond – scale) and patterns...

PreparedbyNadineMcSpadden–SD36–[email protected]

ExploringPatternsThroughCoastSalishWeaving

CoastSalishWeaving–Sample1Artist:PaulaJames,KatzieFirstNation


CoastSalishWeaving-Sample2Artist:?


LessonOneCoastSalishWeavingandExploringShapes

LearningStandardsCurricularCompetencies:

• Usetechnologytoexploremath(usingmanipulativesandaps)• Modelmathematicsincontextualizedexperiences(actitoutbyusingconcrete

materials)Content

• Fromaconcretepattern,describethepatternrulesusingwordsandnumbers(attributes)

• Understandingthepreservationofshape

Materials:• PhotosorsamplesofCoastSalishWeavings• Patternblocks(squares,rectangles,triangles,diamonds)• Paperblankettemplate• Foamblocks(squares,rectangles,triangles,diamonds)

IndigenousConnection

• CoastSalishweavinglinksdirectlytoindigenousknowledge(harvestingweavingmaterials:processingwool,spinning,dying;traditionalCoastSalishweavingvscontemporaryCoastSalishweaving).

• UnderstandingthatFNartoftenrelatestotheconnectiontolandandplace.Symbols,animalsfeaturedinFNartdemonstratesthestrongconnectiontothelandandanimalsandnature.

Activities:TeacherwillshareseveralexamplesofCoastSalishweaving.Idealytheywillbeactualsamplesbutifthatisnotpossible,usethephotosincludedinthislesson.LookingatSample1:WeavingbyPaulaJamesQuestions:

• Whatdoyounotice?• Whatisthisblanketmadefrom?• Whatshapestoyouseeinthisblanket?• Howdoyouthinkitwasmade?

Giveeverystudentapatternblockandoneatatime,askstudentstoseeifthecanlocatetheirshapeontheblanket.Askthemtodescribetheirshape.Howmanysidesdoesyourshapehave?Howmanycorners.Howaresomeoftheshapesthesame/different.


Askthemtoplacetheirpieceonthematchingshape.Itmaynotbethesamesizebutitwillhavethesamenumberofedgesandvertices.LookingatSample2:Questions:

• Howisthisweavingthesame/differentfromthefirst?• Whatshapesdoyousee?• Doyouseeanypatternsinthispieceofweaving?• Whatmakesapattern?

BesuretotalkaboutCoastSalishweavingasart.Learningtoweavetakespatienceandtime.Weaversoftenlearnedbyworkingalong-sideamasterweaver.Askstudentstothinkabouthowtheylearnanewskill.Whatisinvolved?Whatarethestepsinvolvedinlearninganewskill?Canyoubecomeareallysoccerplayerafterplayingonegame?Whatdoesittaketobecomeareallygoodsoccerplayer?TheideahereistohelpstudentsunderstandthatIndigenousartisaskillthatislearnedandmastered.Ittakespractice.Thereisknowledgetobelearnedtoo.Let’sMakeaBlanket–Station1–Usingfoamshapes

1. Modelhowyoumightmakeablanketfromtheselectedshapes(squares,rectangles,diamonds,triangles).Studentsgetabasetemplateandthenorganizeshapestoplaceotopoftheirtemplate.

2. Whatshapestoyousee?Talkaboutyourblanket.Explainhowyoudecidedonwhatyoumightincludeinyourblanket.

Let’sMakeaBlanket–Station2–usingPatternblock

1. Modelhowyoumightmakeablanketfromtheselectedshapes(squares,rectangles,diamonds,triangles).Studentsgetabasetemplateandthenorganizeshapestoplaceotopoftheirtemplate.

2. Whatshapestoyousee?Talkaboutyourblanket.Explainhowyoudecidedonwhatyoumightincludeinyourblanket.

Let’sTryWeaving–Station3–Makingaclasswallhanging

1. Eachstudentisgivenonelengthofwool.Theyaddittotheclassloom.2. Seevideosforinstructions.

WhenItriedthislessonout,wesetuplearningstationsforstudentstoexplore.Letstudentspickthestationtheywanttovisit.Alsoallowopportunitiesforgallerywalks.Havestudentslookatthepatternstheirpeersofmade.Thisallowsthemtobuildontheideasofothers.


Assessment• Iusedthediscussionatthebeginningofthelesson–describeyourshapeasasortof

pre-assessmentactivity.Itgavemeasenseofwhatstudentsknewaboutshapes.Couldtheynamenametheshapes?Whatlanguagedidtheusetodescribetheirshapes(corners,vertices,sides,faces,orcorners?).

• Duringtheactivity,Iaskedstudentstodescribetheirpatternsfortheirblanketsusingpatternblocks.Ididthesamethingwhenstudentsmadetheirblanketsusingfoamshapes.Throughobservationandconversation,Igotasenseofwhatstudentsknewabout3-dshapes.

• Discussionenabledconversationsaboutpreservationofshape(asquarebecomesadiamond–scale)andpatterns(A,B,A,B)–studentsmadeobservationsaboutpatternscreatedbycolour,byshape).

• Attheweavingstation,wetalkedaboutthethicknessofwoolused.WhatdifferencedoesitmakeifIusethickwool/thinwool?Wetalkedaboutpatterns(over,under,over,under).Wetalkedaboutpatternsofcolour.

FinalThoughts:

• ThiswasamodellessonIdidwithtwoclassroomsofgrade2students.IdidnotknowthestudentsnordidIknowwhattheyknewaboutCoastSalishartorthelearningstandardslistedinthislesson.

• ‘Iwouldrecommenddoingthesestationsoveracoupleoflessonssostudentshavemoreopportunitiestoexploreandplaywithshapes.

• Theclassweavingcanbeusedbytheteacherforadditionallessons–itservesasampleofCoastSalishweaving.

ExtensionActivity• Trythisapp-http://starblanket.cpfx.ca/

WeavingVideos

• https://youtu.be/-ByYj5G4-Hc

• https://youtu.be/LbtKnvc_9No


Samplesofstudentwork:

Criteriaforpatternblocksactivity:

• Usethepieceofpaperasyourblankettemplate.Itwasoneofthelargersizedpostitnotes.Thisgivesstudentsaframeworktoworkwith.Ibelievethesizewas10cmX15cm.

• Incorporatepatterninyourblanket.

• Bepreparedtotalkaboutyourblanketdesign.


Criteriaforpatternblocksactivity:

• Studentsusedthepieceofpaperasyourblankettemplate.Studentsplaceandtryouttheshapesfirstandthenpealthepaperofthebacktomaketheirblanket.Thiswasdonesostudentscouldtaketheir‘blanket’homeandtalkabouttheshapesintheirblanketandhowitrelatestopatternsinFNart.

• Itwasoneofthelargersizedpostitnotes.Thisgivesstudentsaframeworktoworkwith.Ibelievethesizewas10cmX15cm.

• Ilovethispiece.Studentsweregiventriangles,squares,andrectangles.IttookmeafewminutestofigureoutthestudentmadeanXgiventhefoamshapesshewasgiven!


Criteriaforclassweaving:

• Usea‘non-standardsunitofmeasure’todeterminethelengthofyourpieceofwool.(tipoffingertoshoulder).

• Learningtakespatienceandtime.Thisisaprojectthatwilllastoverseveraldays.Itisacooperativeproject.CoastSalishweaverswereverytalented.Itisaskillthatwasmastered.Blanketstooagreatdealoftimetomakeandreflectthingsthatwereimportanttothem(placebaseditems–nature,animals).Sometimeswhenyouarelearningsomethingnew,yougetfrustrated.Whenyoustarttofeelfrustrated,stopandgiveyourselfabreak.Askafriendtohelpifyouneedit.(Thismodelslearningalongsideanexpert).

• Thisprojectgivesstudentstoseehowacommunitycandosomethingtogether.Whenwepullourindividualstrengthstogether,wecancreatesomethingbeautiful!.

exploring patterns through coast salish weaving · 2017. 11. 2. · diamond – scale) and patterns...

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