1st grade - weaving a 'basket'

The first grade students have started their first project! They will be creating an Easter basket multi media picture.

The first step is to weave the 'basket'. This is really an exercise in fine motor skills. The picture above is an example of what they have been doing in class. I would encourage allowing your son/daughter to do more of this at home whenever he/she wants. Manipulating the strips in and out of the weave is a great way to develop the fine motor skills needed to tie shoes and perfect handwriting.

To create the warp (the up and down 'strings'), just take a piece of paper, fold it in half, then cut lines that don't quite go all the way to the edges. Then open the paper back up. The weft (side to side 'strings') are simply strips of paper. The students are doing a checker board weave, because that is the easiest to master.