"I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD TEACHER."
-TEMPLE GRANDIN
6th Grade sewing Unit - constructed Pillow case
In the sixth grade, students in Family and Consumer Science class are introduced to a variety of content areas, one of which is sewing. While most individuals will not sew any of their own clothing from patterns, sewing can be a potentially lucrative hobby. Even if my students leave FACS and never sew again, there are many lessons taught formally and informally throughout a sewing unit, from measuring skills to patience.
Since many of my students are new to sewing, I begin at the very beginning, a very good place to start. Throughout all the sixth grade lessons, I start with the idea that this is new to everyone. Since some of my students have sewn before, they are quick to provide insight into their own experiences for the benefit of the class. Often times these students will volunteer to help out their classmates who do not have the same background, knowledge level or skill with the content.
Since many of my students are new to sewing, I begin at the very beginning, a very good place to start. Throughout all the sixth grade lessons, I start with the idea that this is new to everyone. Since some of my students have sewn before, they are quick to provide insight into their own experiences for the benefit of the class. Often times these students will volunteer to help out their classmates who do not have the same background, knowledge level or skill with the content.
"TELL ME AND I FORGET. TEACH ME AND I REMEMBER. INVOLVE ME AND I LEARN."
- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Lesson one - Sewing Machine Parts
The sewing machine is the center of most of the sewing activities in the middle school curriculum. Because of the importance of the information and the expense of the machines, it is important for student to understand the functions of the various parts and how to properly handle the machine.
Lesson two - Sewing skills terminolgy
Along with learning the sewing machine in detail for the first time, many of the student are being exposed to a completely new set of vocabulary. For the creation of their pillow case, students will be expected to refer to a guide sheet. A knowledge of sewing terms is necessary to complete the project according to the directions
Lesson Three - Sewing Equipment
Like Industrial Technologies, art, and food production classes, sewing requires the use of specialized equipment. This lesson is designed to introduce students to the different kinds of sewing equipment and their functions while encouraging peer collaboration.
Lesson four - running the machine
There can be a sense of anxiety regarding the creation of a sewing project. Nerves definitely come into play when the time arrives to create the project, students are worried about making mistakes and ruining their pillow case. To help ease the students into sewing, we do some practice runs on paper to help students get a better feel of how to control the sewing machine.
Lesson five - Filling the bobbin and threading the machine
Practice makes perfect, practice make permanent. Most of my students begin their sewing experiences in the 6th grade classroom, and then build on those experiences into 7th and 8th. In an effort to prevent extensive reteaching as the years progress, a comprehensive practice of threading and bobbin filling is necessary in the 6th grade.
Lesson Six - Constructed Pillow Case
For the next ten class periods, students are following a guide sheet to create a pillow case for a 16" by 16" pillowcase. The students are drawing from all their previous lessons and applying that knowledge into each of the various steps.
Enrichment Activities
Sewing is a new concept for the majority of my students, though not all. It is important to provide enrichment opportunities for the students to review or enhance their mastery of sewing content.
Reflection
Assignments in the class are tiered to accommodate a variety of different ability levels, from high achieving students to those who participate from the Achieve classroom. Those students on Individual Education Plans have mandatory accommodations including, but not limited to, extra time on assignments, shortened assignments, scribes, time to work on assignments in the resource room, and alternative testing locations. Achieve students participate in FACS class with the assistance of an aide, but each student works on their own project.
Through out the various lessons, there are many opportunities for the students to move about the classroom, (Lessons 3-6), and be physically active in their own discovery and learning process. The overall design of the sewing unit is a very social one in which students collaborate with each other on the different aspects of the lessons. Directions are presented visually, orally and in writing for each step of the process to accommodate different learning styles. Once the sewing project begins, students will progress both as a group and individually. As a class, there are steps we will accomplish together in a large group, measuring and pinning, and those that each student is independently responsible for, stitching and cutting. The student progress chart allows me to identify and target those students that would benefit from enrichment activities, and those who are struggling with the various steps of the project.
Through out the unit, especially the hands on technical portions, I teach and re-teach the various steps to assist struggling students. I make accommodations with various tools for physical needs such as right and left handed shears, large print measuring tools, guide magnets on the throat plate of the machine, as well as cognitive needs, presenting directions in a variety of ways, one-on-one demonstrations, or student partners. Some of my students have difficulty utilizing a seam gauge and interpreting the fractions. As a class, we explore how to use a seam gauge properly, but as an accommodation students can utilize the paper folding chart for measuring their hems.
I thoroughly enjoy working with my sixth graders during this unit. The lessons provide a challenge for all ability levels, and everyone has the potential to be successful in their own way. Each student leaves FACS class with a functional pillow case made with their own hands. Regardless of a child’s ability, each student ends the sewing unit with a sense of accomplishment.
Through out the various lessons, there are many opportunities for the students to move about the classroom, (Lessons 3-6), and be physically active in their own discovery and learning process. The overall design of the sewing unit is a very social one in which students collaborate with each other on the different aspects of the lessons. Directions are presented visually, orally and in writing for each step of the process to accommodate different learning styles. Once the sewing project begins, students will progress both as a group and individually. As a class, there are steps we will accomplish together in a large group, measuring and pinning, and those that each student is independently responsible for, stitching and cutting. The student progress chart allows me to identify and target those students that would benefit from enrichment activities, and those who are struggling with the various steps of the project.
Through out the unit, especially the hands on technical portions, I teach and re-teach the various steps to assist struggling students. I make accommodations with various tools for physical needs such as right and left handed shears, large print measuring tools, guide magnets on the throat plate of the machine, as well as cognitive needs, presenting directions in a variety of ways, one-on-one demonstrations, or student partners. Some of my students have difficulty utilizing a seam gauge and interpreting the fractions. As a class, we explore how to use a seam gauge properly, but as an accommodation students can utilize the paper folding chart for measuring their hems.
I thoroughly enjoy working with my sixth graders during this unit. The lessons provide a challenge for all ability levels, and everyone has the potential to be successful in their own way. Each student leaves FACS class with a functional pillow case made with their own hands. Regardless of a child’s ability, each student ends the sewing unit with a sense of accomplishment.