WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.190 Hello and welcome back to Blooming Curious. 00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:04.559 It's back to school for the last term. 00:00:04.569 --> 00:00:07.239 Yes, term four for teachers here in Australia. 00:00:07.770 --> 00:00:10.929 Now, I know that if you're in your last term, you're taking off 00:00:10.999 --> 00:00:15.209 . Every day, marching your way to that very last day of school. 00:00:16.009 --> 00:00:19.319 But term four has always been my favourite term. 00:00:19.659 --> 00:00:24.489 Not because it's the last term, but because that's the term my students 00:00:24.549 --> 00:00:28.369 usually immerse themselves in textiles. 00:00:28.859 --> 00:00:33.664 And some of you might or might not know that I love textiles. 00:00:34.065 --> 00:00:38.175 Since I was a child my favorite memories are hand embroidering or knitting with 00:00:38.195 --> 00:00:42.954 my grandma and my favorite holidays were spent with my grandma just sitting with 00:00:42.954 --> 00:00:49.885 her doing needle craft and to this day I sew some of my own clothes and I also love 00:00:49.925 --> 00:00:54.584 a bit of visible mending which is this Japanese craft where you repair clothes. 00:00:55.360 --> 00:00:58.730 But you actually make that repair an artwork. 00:00:59.300 --> 00:01:03.050 And this is how I fixed my favorite pair of GAP jeans when 00:01:03.050 --> 00:01:06.750 they were ripped, because I just don't do the ripped jeans look. 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:07.879 It's just not me. 00:01:08.559 --> 00:01:13.119 So you might be saying, well, how do you fit that into your curriculum? 00:01:13.669 --> 00:01:18.570 Well, let me tell you how I build handicrafts and textiles into my lessons 00:01:18.860 --> 00:01:20.839 and why you should be doing this. 00:01:21.659 --> 00:01:27.049 In term four, In my year two class, I always teach chemical sciences. 00:01:27.939 --> 00:01:30.149 Now you're going to say, oh, what's chemical sciences 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.339 have to do with textiles? 00:01:32.339 --> 00:01:37.419 Well, that's where, in chemical sciences, we're teaching how materials change. 00:01:37.949 --> 00:01:41.499 We're doing lots of cooking so that children can observe how they mix 00:01:41.499 --> 00:01:47.139 ingredients together and how certain ingredients mix and don't mix, how 00:01:47.139 --> 00:01:51.434 heat changes a certain products and ingredients like butter, which causes 00:01:51.434 --> 00:01:56.654 materials to change their shape and their properties going from a solid to a liquid. 00:01:57.204 --> 00:01:59.914 But we also look at the characteristics of materials. 00:01:59.964 --> 00:02:03.874 So what I do is I bring in different materials and children experiment 00:02:03.884 --> 00:02:07.824 with which fabric is best for making a kite, for example. 00:02:08.185 --> 00:02:13.275 What characteristics should the material they choose for making this kite have? 00:02:13.665 --> 00:02:16.155 So they look for materials that are light and strong. 00:02:16.635 --> 00:02:20.909 Or we look at which materials would be the best suited for wearing 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:22.750 on a rainy or wet weather day. 00:02:23.370 --> 00:02:26.390 So then we take pieces of fabric and we experiment with their 00:02:26.390 --> 00:02:28.500 waterproofness, is that even a word? 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:33.450 And I'm teaching the science curriculum with hands on experiences to look at the 00:02:33.450 --> 00:02:35.370 characteristics of different materials. 00:02:36.095 --> 00:02:39.515 And if you've been listening to the previous two episodes, you would have 00:02:39.515 --> 00:02:44.794 heard that hands on learning is one of the best ways to engage students. 00:02:45.724 --> 00:02:49.125 These type of learning experiences not only meet the curriculum 00:02:49.134 --> 00:02:54.314 outcomes, but they are also because of their hands on nature, highly 00:02:54.314 --> 00:02:56.154 engaging and fun for students. 00:02:56.864 --> 00:03:01.264 So getting back to the whole sewing thing, the textile projects we do 00:03:01.424 --> 00:03:05.094 link to science, where we're learning about the properties of materials. 00:03:05.554 --> 00:03:09.534 But it's also part of our design and technologies curriculum. 00:03:10.114 --> 00:03:13.814 So you can see it fits very naturally into our outcomes. 00:03:14.475 --> 00:03:17.497 The first thing you need to do is and I know that as early 00:03:17.497 --> 00:03:22.107 childhood and elementary teachers, you fill your cupboards with all 00:03:22.147 --> 00:03:24.207 sorts of stuff and materials. 00:03:24.827 --> 00:03:30.077 So if you haven't, you have to ask the community, any parents or grandparents 00:03:30.077 --> 00:03:33.827 that are getting rid of balls of wool or pieces of fabric or perhaps old t 00:03:33.827 --> 00:03:38.437 shirts and shirts that have been stained or a rip on old tablecloth and curtains. 00:03:38.957 --> 00:03:43.247 Any piece of textile is useful in a classroom, especially when 00:03:43.247 --> 00:03:44.957 it comes to textile projects. 00:03:45.657 --> 00:03:48.797 Now I usually bring out my tub of scrap materials, which is usually 00:03:48.877 --> 00:03:53.927 overflowing from donations, and I show students examples of what 00:03:53.927 --> 00:03:55.237 they can make with textiles. 00:03:55.652 --> 00:03:59.432 I have samples of things that I've made and I have photographs of things 00:03:59.432 --> 00:04:03.642 that previous students have made and I show them pictures online of 00:04:03.652 --> 00:04:05.392 things they might consider making. 00:04:05.822 --> 00:04:09.062 I also have some fabulous craft books that I use. 00:04:09.542 --> 00:04:13.242 I'll link some of them in the show notes for you so you can purchase those through 00:04:13.262 --> 00:04:15.512 my Amazon affiliate link if you so wish. 00:04:16.482 --> 00:04:20.002 When it comes to the crafting though, every student 00:04:20.212 --> 00:04:22.362 chooses what they want to do. 00:04:22.832 --> 00:04:25.212 We do not do the 25 yellow ducks. 00:04:25.437 --> 00:04:25.927 in Mrs. 00:04:25.927 --> 00:04:27.207 Cottino's classrooms. 00:04:27.867 --> 00:04:30.107 We are not all doing the same thing. 00:04:30.887 --> 00:04:36.277 Some choose to sew, and some make stuffed animals or creatures of their own design. 00:04:36.717 --> 00:04:40.067 Some of them choose to do French knitting and they create jar 00:04:40.097 --> 00:04:43.487 covers for their pencils in their bedrooms or they do beanies. 00:04:44.187 --> 00:04:49.647 Some like to make fashion items like bags others prefer to use weaving 00:04:49.647 --> 00:04:53.497 techniques to make wall hangings, which we always attach to, you know, 00:04:53.507 --> 00:04:54.867 I always love to bring nature in. 00:04:54.867 --> 00:04:58.867 So we usually attach it to some piece of some stick or other. 00:04:59.357 --> 00:05:02.627 And some create pictures by embroidering onto fabric. 00:05:02.867 --> 00:05:07.857 And some make sock puppets using old socks to create their own characters. 00:05:08.637 --> 00:05:11.177 Now, not only is this hands on project. 00:05:11.612 --> 00:05:13.802 terribly engaging and enjoyable. 00:05:14.292 --> 00:05:19.882 Students are learning other skills too, like patience, things like focus and 00:05:19.882 --> 00:05:25.662 concentration, like resilience, when it all goes wrong, and everything always 00:05:25.662 --> 00:05:29.562 does go wrong, and the wool knots, or they miss a few stitches, and they have 00:05:29.562 --> 00:05:32.192 to start again, or make some repairs. 00:05:32.602 --> 00:05:36.032 And I remember how keen my students were to get to school in the mornings, 00:05:36.052 --> 00:05:40.102 to sit with their French knitting, or their sewing, before our lessons started. 00:05:40.482 --> 00:05:43.742 It was such a beautiful, calm way to start the day. 00:05:44.292 --> 00:05:47.952 And every year I kind of thought, Oh, I have to let them do these projects 00:05:47.952 --> 00:05:51.612 throughout the year because it's such a beautiful way to start the year, but then, 00:05:51.622 --> 00:05:55.732 of course, other things take over and you're having to do your morning reading 00:05:55.782 --> 00:05:59.402 or other stuff that you have to do in the mornings, but I promise you 00:05:59.642 --> 00:06:04.502 if you can get into and see how kids love to do this, it is just 00:06:04.502 --> 00:06:06.872 such a fabulous start to every day. 00:06:07.592 --> 00:06:11.922 Now because this project is all about design and technology, they of course 00:06:11.922 --> 00:06:16.327 first have to plan what they're going to make and what they're going to need to 00:06:16.327 --> 00:06:20.757 make it, and they have to draw a picture of what their design would look like. 00:06:21.657 --> 00:06:25.797 I have a free design planning template for you to download and you can use 00:06:25.797 --> 00:06:30.287 this planning sheet for your design and technology lessons, which I'll 00:06:30.287 --> 00:06:31.877 link for you in the show notes. 00:06:32.427 --> 00:06:37.792 Now once they've completed this design, which usually takes them 00:06:37.882 --> 00:06:42.132 almost a whole term, about six or seven weeks of their design craft. 00:06:42.622 --> 00:06:45.712 Some students actually make more than one thing depending on how 00:06:45.712 --> 00:06:47.272 long it takes them to finish. 00:06:48.022 --> 00:06:51.812 And they then take a photograph of this completed project and they then 00:06:51.812 --> 00:06:56.492 glue a picture of this of their project onto their planning sheet, and then 00:06:56.492 --> 00:07:01.032 they fill out a reflection of how well their project worked, what changes they 00:07:01.032 --> 00:07:04.582 needed to make, and if the materials they chose worked well for their design. 00:07:05.002 --> 00:07:09.022 And of course, this reflection is the crux of the learning about 00:07:09.052 --> 00:07:11.852 materials and their intended function. 00:07:12.542 --> 00:07:16.532 Now, of course, being me, I have to integrate and ensure the children really 00:07:16.532 --> 00:07:22.002 understand how they can apply this one project across other curriculum areas so 00:07:22.002 --> 00:07:24.322 that it becomes a holistic experience. 00:07:24.842 --> 00:07:29.052 And of course, this is the perfect opportunity to integrate English 00:07:29.052 --> 00:07:31.592 language arts and digital technology. 00:07:32.292 --> 00:07:35.792 So once they've completed this project, They then use a digital 00:07:35.792 --> 00:07:40.222 program like Picolage to create a procedural text poster. 00:07:40.772 --> 00:07:44.582 They use their photograph and they incorporate it into a poster of their 00:07:44.642 --> 00:07:49.232 own design and they type up their procedure, which will teach others 00:07:49.242 --> 00:07:53.372 exactly how to make the project, whether it was how to make a sling 00:07:53.382 --> 00:07:55.462 bag or how to make a sock puppet. 00:07:56.112 --> 00:08:01.302 And of course, I would have previously taught them how to write a procedural 00:08:01.332 --> 00:08:05.792 text in our English writing lessons using my favorite strategy, which 00:08:05.792 --> 00:08:07.542 is Pi Corbett's talk for writing. 00:08:07.892 --> 00:08:10.982 I'll link the book that I used in the show notes for you as 00:08:10.982 --> 00:08:12.192 well if you want to get it there. 00:08:13.102 --> 00:08:17.522 Now what they do is they transfer that knowledge of how to write that procedural 00:08:17.582 --> 00:08:21.452 text which they've practiced before and they transfer it to this project. 00:08:22.442 --> 00:08:27.212 I also had explicitly taught them how to use Picolage, which is a digital 00:08:27.212 --> 00:08:29.912 program to create their digital poster. 00:08:30.372 --> 00:08:35.012 So once again they use that training and that knowledge to apply it to create. 00:08:35.342 --> 00:08:36.462 a digital poster. 00:08:37.202 --> 00:08:41.622 So we're integrating our digital technologies into just this one 00:08:41.642 --> 00:08:43.762 thing of making a textile project. 00:08:44.542 --> 00:08:49.992 We're creating lessons that meet multiple curriculum outcomes, now creating lessons 00:08:49.992 --> 00:08:53.812 that meet multiple curriculum outcomes, not only makes learning more meaningful 00:08:53.812 --> 00:08:57.692 for our students and allows them to make those cross curricular connections, 00:08:58.232 --> 00:09:01.002 but it also helps us tick off multiple 00:09:01.627 --> 00:09:07.377 outcomes so that we don't need to scramble around to assess other stuff in a single 00:09:07.377 --> 00:09:11.327 lesson that has no connection for our students to anything they're learning. 00:09:11.867 --> 00:09:15.787 If you listen to my previous two episodes, you will see that the data is out on 00:09:15.787 --> 00:09:20.837 the types of strategies that engage students best, and overwhelmingly, 00:09:21.067 --> 00:09:24.867 hands on learning is one of the best strategies to engage students. 00:09:25.587 --> 00:09:30.037 A textile project like this one I've been describing is a fantastic example 00:09:30.347 --> 00:09:34.727 of how intentional hands on learning experiences engage students students 00:09:35.137 --> 00:09:39.027 and help them make connections to real life experiences because their 00:09:39.037 --> 00:09:43.617 project has a real world application, they're more likely to use it in their 00:09:43.617 --> 00:09:46.887 lives and also it's relevant to them. 00:09:47.607 --> 00:09:50.337 It wasn't some project that they would never use again, or that 00:09:50.337 --> 00:09:53.267 their mothers were just going to chuck in the bin afterwards, because 00:09:53.267 --> 00:09:54.847 it's yet another piece of paper. 00:09:55.527 --> 00:10:00.427 I cannot tell you how many students, after spending the year with me, creating 00:10:00.427 --> 00:10:04.397 projects like this, continued on to create projects of their own at home. 00:10:05.277 --> 00:10:10.227 In fact, last year, at our year 6 graduation night, We always have 00:10:10.227 --> 00:10:13.727 a slot where some of the year six students report back and reflect 00:10:13.747 --> 00:10:16.147 back on their time in primary school. 00:10:16.697 --> 00:10:20.487 And when it came to reflecting back on their time in year two with me, 00:10:20.837 --> 00:10:24.547 this is the project they remembered with such fondness it actually caused 00:10:24.577 --> 00:10:30.057 me to burst into tears and I was a total embarrassing mess after that. 00:10:30.637 --> 00:10:35.117 These experiences really make a positive difference to children 00:10:35.577 --> 00:10:36.867 and they're learning stuff. 00:10:37.582 --> 00:10:41.642 They're learning how to complete projects, how to plan, how to have 00:10:41.642 --> 00:10:47.302 persistence, how to have tenacity to finish something, not to mention when 00:10:47.302 --> 00:10:51.552 you're integrating it with English or digital technologies or mathematics 00:10:52.092 --> 00:10:54.942 or anything else, it makes it so much 00:10:54.992 --> 00:10:56.392 more real for them. 00:10:57.382 --> 00:11:01.122 And if you follow me on Instagram, and I have to say I'm not very good 00:11:01.122 --> 00:11:05.052 at social media, but I am trying to be more active so that more people find 00:11:05.052 --> 00:11:09.392 Blooming Curious and listen to the podcast, you would have seen that I put 00:11:09.392 --> 00:11:13.842 on a reel where I said the Term 4 is the perfect time to try new strategies. 00:11:14.262 --> 00:11:18.692 It's also the perfect time to include hands on experiences where children can 00:11:18.702 --> 00:11:21.162 make Christmas gifts for family members. 00:11:21.857 --> 00:11:27.407 And in my class, we always sew, using fabric and a needle and thread, a bell 00:11:27.427 --> 00:11:29.697 decoration for their Christmas tree. 00:11:30.067 --> 00:11:34.737 And this of course is in addition to their own textile project, and it's 00:11:34.747 --> 00:11:39.307 not clay so it won't get broken and I know it's something that parents will 00:11:39.307 --> 00:11:44.587 treasure forever because I still have my children's Christmas decorations they made 00:11:44.587 --> 00:11:50.187 at school that I put up on our tree every single year and it's such a beautiful 00:11:50.187 --> 00:11:52.627 reminder of their life experiences. 00:11:53.407 --> 00:11:56.747 But here's the thing, you don't just make the decoration and then you 00:11:56.747 --> 00:12:00.887 scramble to complete assessments to meet the outcomes in other learning areas. 00:12:01.387 --> 00:12:05.087 You use this as your hands on experience to meet outcomes in 00:12:05.097 --> 00:12:10.467 English, in design and technologies, in digital technologies, and in art. 00:12:11.037 --> 00:12:14.757 So make sure that you get the link in the show notes to download that 00:12:14.787 --> 00:12:19.397 planning sheet, which you can use for any hands on project because 00:12:19.397 --> 00:12:25.077 it's the whole skill of the planning process of creating or thinking 00:12:25.077 --> 00:12:27.297 about something and then making it. 00:12:28.147 --> 00:12:34.012 So this time of year, heading towards Christmas and the holidays is hectic. 00:12:34.472 --> 00:12:38.342 You'll probably be finishing off your assessments and you're writing reports. 00:12:38.742 --> 00:12:43.042 So a hands on project like I've just described is the perfect, low 00:12:43.042 --> 00:12:45.822 stress, fun way to end the year. 00:12:46.252 --> 00:12:49.392 And by the way, I know that some of you are probably saying, how am 00:12:49.392 --> 00:12:51.382 I going to teach kids to do this? 00:12:51.772 --> 00:12:54.962 They don't know how to use a needle and thread or how to do French knitting. 00:12:55.012 --> 00:12:56.432 In fact, I don't know either. 00:12:56.882 --> 00:12:57.902 Well here's my top tip. 00:12:58.682 --> 00:13:01.022 You get all the students together in a small group that want to 00:13:01.022 --> 00:13:02.682 do the same or similar project. 00:13:02.732 --> 00:13:04.522 Let's take French knitting for example. 00:13:04.932 --> 00:13:08.542 I use toilet rolls and pop sticks to create French knitting spools. 00:13:09.442 --> 00:13:10.812 I then started them off. 00:13:11.442 --> 00:13:15.872 You just go to YouTube and I drew an arrow on the roll so they know which 00:13:15.872 --> 00:13:20.972 direction to go in and once you've explicitly taught them off they go and 00:13:20.972 --> 00:13:24.552 you will then find that some kids are really good at it and they get it really 00:13:24.552 --> 00:13:29.162 quickly, others struggle and that's why this is such a good project because it 00:13:29.162 --> 00:13:32.912 teaches them persistence and at the end they have something to show for their 00:13:32.932 --> 00:13:35.972 persistence which makes them really proud. 00:13:36.732 --> 00:13:39.482 Now you get those that really get and I'm just nailing it. 00:13:39.757 --> 00:13:41.997 And you get them to help those that need more help. 00:13:42.697 --> 00:13:46.527 Or you find a YouTube video that shows them step by step process 00:13:47.067 --> 00:13:48.497 that those kids can follow. 00:13:48.927 --> 00:13:52.737 But I have found the best way to do it is just to do it hands on. 00:13:53.417 --> 00:13:55.877 And as an early childhood educator 00:13:56.607 --> 00:14:01.417 learning these new types of skills together with your children also shows 00:14:01.417 --> 00:14:02.877 your children that you're learning. 00:14:02.887 --> 00:14:06.357 It shows how you're curious and you're open to new experiences. 00:14:06.827 --> 00:14:10.187 So if you can't do this or you don't know how to do this, find 00:14:10.267 --> 00:14:14.157 a person on your staff that does know how, get them to teach you, 00:14:14.527 --> 00:14:16.317 or just spend a night on YouTube. 00:14:16.357 --> 00:14:18.827 You're not making something that's going to go on a catwalk. 00:14:19.187 --> 00:14:23.812 You're simply making something that you can do with young children that 00:14:23.812 --> 00:14:27.922 know nothing and in fact get a grandparent in to come and help you. 00:14:27.922 --> 00:14:31.842 Now when you've got a group working on their own this French knitting 00:14:31.842 --> 00:14:33.282 group and they're helping each other. 00:14:33.752 --> 00:14:38.852 That frees you up to help another group, perhaps the students that are creating 00:14:38.852 --> 00:14:41.332 a stuffed animal or stuffed creature. 00:14:41.852 --> 00:14:45.912 Now you show them how to draw out their pattern using newspaper or some 00:14:45.912 --> 00:14:51.082 brown paper or some butcher paper and you teach them how to do that and how 00:14:51.122 --> 00:14:53.792 to cut their pattern out and so on. 00:14:54.402 --> 00:14:58.052 I really hope that you will take these last weeks as we head to the Christmas 00:14:58.052 --> 00:15:01.952 holidays to try these hands on strategies. 00:15:02.202 --> 00:15:07.092 It's the perfect time to experiment for next year and a wonderful way 00:15:07.322 --> 00:15:11.252 for you to enjoy these last few weeks with your students and make 00:15:11.252 --> 00:15:12.832 some beautiful memories together. 00:15:13.582 --> 00:15:17.882 I hope this episode has inspired you to have a go at planning hands on 00:15:17.882 --> 00:15:21.012 experiences, that meet multiple outcomes. 00:15:21.542 --> 00:15:26.002 And if you found anything I've said today interesting or useful, could 00:15:26.002 --> 00:15:28.152 you please do me a massive favor? 00:15:28.622 --> 00:15:33.372 Click that share button and get the link and send it to someone that you 00:15:33.372 --> 00:15:35.542 think needs a bit of inspiration today. 00:15:36.702 --> 00:15:41.332 Sharing this episode and the show with others is the only way this podcast can 00:15:41.332 --> 00:15:44.792 grow and get more people listening to it. 00:15:44.842 --> 00:15:46.582 So please share it. 00:15:47.272 --> 00:15:50.262 Now, don't forget to click the link to download your planning sheet 00:15:50.292 --> 00:15:51.902 that you can use with your students. 00:15:52.262 --> 00:15:55.962 And also make sure you subscribe to my newsletter so that you get 00:15:55.962 --> 00:16:00.332 the weekly Tips and strategies on how to keep kids curious and loving 00:16:00.332 --> 00:16:02.342 learning straight into your inbox. 00:16:02.832 --> 00:16:06.502 That's going to be really important because I've decided to take a summer 00:16:06.512 --> 00:16:10.932 break from podcasting so make sure that you sign up for the newsletter 00:16:11.332 --> 00:16:14.632 so that you're kept in the loop of all the offerings and developments 00:16:14.632 --> 00:16:19.462 at Blooming Curious while I'll be on my break over the December holidays. 00:16:20.392 --> 00:16:24.702 So until next week, take care of yourselves, have a go at 00:16:24.702 --> 00:16:29.112 something, make fabulous memories, and stay blooming curious.