This year I made a plan not to buy anything all year. Well, March came around and the third grade class I was volunteering with needed a good STEM project. I have a favorite project using Kool-Aid and wool yarn. So my non-buying was broken. Well there is always next year.
As I was left with extra yarn, I was trying to think of what would be a good project for all of the kids to do. Then one of my boys asked if he could crochet a phone case like the one I use. I thought, "Hey, why not? Boys can crochet!" Just check out this impressive young man who explains how to crochet kitchen scrubcloths. Such a great teacher and excellent handwork. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of the Waldorf schools, believed that boys needed handwork as much as girls. I cannot agree more. Handwork teaches patience, persistence, and can build attention and focus. It can also be calming once it is developed into a skill. It encourages pride in one's work. So many good things. So back to my favorite experiment with wool yarn. The experiment shows the different rates of binding. The red molecule binds faster and the blue molecule takes much longer to bind. Kids love this experiment. It is very experiential and sensory--from the smell of the KoolAid to the slowly changing colors of the yarn and water. This is just the right speed for high paced screen-based kids to slow down and smell the grapes. :) (or artificial grape as the case may be). If there are any teachers out there who want the lesson plan, just leave your info below, or contact me directly. Looking forward to sharing all the fabulous projects that are created!
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Abigail LarrisonEducator, Scientist and Art Maker. The purpose of all life is to spread joy. What brings more joy than making art? Archives
November 2023
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