CRAZY QUILTS
Unit Overview
Big Idea: Environment and Community
Content Statement: Students will learn about the importance of reusing and recycling in both life and art. Student will also learn how to work collaboratively in their artmaking practice.
Objectives/Expected Learner Outcomes
Students will study the Gee’s Bend community of quilt makers and discuss their use of recycled materials. They will then learn how to repurpose materials in their own artmaking through the creation of abstract collaged quilt blocks using paper scraps.
Standards of Education
K.4 The student will create works of art that commemorate personal or community events.
K.7 The student will identify and use the following in works of art:
Color—red, blue, yellow, green, orange, violet, brown, black, white
Line—straight/curved, thick/thin, long/short, up/down/across
Shape—circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval
Student Group Targeted
Kindergarten
Time Required
2, 30 minute sessions
Lesson 1
Materials and Resources- colored construction paper, scraps of colored construction paper, glue sticks, scissors, resources: Gee’s Bend community quilts, Ulla von Brandenburg
Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key Terms
1. quilt/quilt block
2. community
3. color/line/shape
4. abstract
5. composition
Discussion/Questioning Strategies
What is a quilt? Who are the women of the Gee’s Bend community? How do the quilts of the Gee’s Bend community look different from traditional quilts? What does abstract mean? How did the women of Gee’s Bend recycle? How do we recycle in our lives? In our art?
Demonstration
Demonstrate how students can think critically and creatively to repurpose scraps of paper into thoughtful and interesting abstract compositions. Also demonstrate how to securely glue down the scraps of paper.
Student Independent Practice
Students will create abstract quilt blocks inspired by the Gee’s Bend community using scraps of paper.
Closure
Clean up. If extra time occurs, students will answer critical thinking questions (on tables).
Time Flow
10 minutes- Discussion/Questioning Strategies
15 minutes- Student Independent Practice
5 minutes- Closure
Evaluation Strategies
- Before moving from discussion to independent practice, student will be asked - - questions reviews concepts, vocabulary and assignment.
- Students will review critical thinking strategies on tables after clean up.
- Students should demonstrate in their work:
- An understanding of recycling and how using scraps paper is a method of recycling.
- Interesting abstract compositions using various colors, shapes and overlapping.
Lesson 2
Materials and Resources- square black construction paper, scraps of colored construction paper, glue sticks, scissors, resources: Gee’s Bend community quilts
Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key Terms
1. centered
2. quilt/quilt block
3. community
4. collaboration
Discussion/Questioning Strategies
What does centered mean? What does community mean? How were the women of Gee’s Bend part of a community? What does collaboration mean? How is quilt making a community/collaborative activity?
Demonstration
Demonstrate how to center one piece of paper on another. Also demonstrate how to securely glue down paper.
Student Independent Practice
Students will glue their quilt blocks centered on a piece of black construction paper. They will then collaborate to combine all of their quilt blocks into a community quilt. Students will be encouraged to share what they enjoyed about both the process and product of this activity.
Closure
Clean up. If extra time occurs, students will answer critical thinking questions (on tables).
Time Flow
10 minutes- Discussion/Questioning Strategies
15 minutes- Student Independent Practice
5 minutes- Closure
Evaluation Strategies
- Before moving from discussion to independent practice, student will be asked questions reviews concepts, vocabulary and assignment.
- Students will review critical thinking strategies on tables after clean up.
- Students should demonstrate in their work:
- The ability to center their quilt blocks on a black piece of paper.
- An understanding of collaboration and working as a community.