Vienna Elementary School second graders took a deep dive into the science of textiles this year and were rewarded with winter hats that they got to design themselves.
In her effort to create a unique and engaging project for every grade level this year, Vienna STEM and Technology Specialist Megan Thompson decided to focus on the science and economics of clothing for second grade. Everyone needs clothes, and the garments we wear go through an extensive process of cultivation, assembly, and design before we put them on. Understanding how clothes are made means being a better-informed member of society.
“Our clothes don’t just show up on the racks,” Thompson said. “Just like we need to know where our food comes from, we also need to know where our clothes come from.”
Second grade STEM classes at Vienna this year have featured the fundamentals of textile designs, fabric manufacturing, and practical skills like sewing, weaving, stitching, and dyeing. However, the most exciting part of the curriculum was designing winter hats. All the way back in august, students got to come up with patterns that they would like to wear on a toboggan, and in the months since, their designs have been brought to life by a team of volunteer crocheters.
Thompson secured commitments from 15 talented volunteers all across the east coast, reaching as far away as New York, to turn student designs into real hats. Those volunteers put in over 400 hours of work over the past three and a half months, and they used over 32,500 yards of yarn between them to make over 100 hats. It all paid off on Wednesday afternoon, when an ecstatic crowd of second graders got to put on their personalized toboggans for the first time, and given the recent cold snap in Forsyth County, the timing couldn’t have been much better.
“It’s amazing that she was able to go out and find all of these people to make this happen,” Vienna PE Teacher Shannon Ivester said of Thompson. “We’re really lucky to have her here at Vienna. She makes things come to life.”
There weren’t two identical hats in the crowd when students put on their designs for the first time, and that singularity made the end of the project a powerful experience. They got to flex their creativity and the wisdom they gained from their textile unit to contribute to a physical product that they’ll be able to keep and use for years to come. Combined with the knowledge that there were people in their community who were willing to lend their skills to help them realize their visions, the fuzzy feelings at Vienna were as warm as the hats.
“It’s just neat to see something they worked hard on come to life,” said Instructional Facilitator Cynthia Resendes. “And the way that this has brought the community together, I think that’s what makes it feel the best.”
There’s a lot to be said for the value of the practical skills that come from learning about textiles. If these second graders choose to pursue clothing and fashion in their future careers, they’ll have a valuable head start on some of the key skills they’ll need.
There’s also just as much to gain from educational strategies that encourage creativity and individuality. Vienna Principal Lee Koch suspects that years from now, making a unique winter hat will be one of the memories that make his students glad that they got to go to school where they did.
“They probably won’t remember the time they learned about place value in math class when they were in second grade,” Koch said. “But they’re going to remember this.”