Project Linus 2013

This year we modified our knitting unit a couple of ways. first, we had the students handcraft their knitting needles out of wooden dowels as opposed to having them purchase needles. This was a little risky, I'll admit, but a way for us to keep cost down for the students and also teach them some resourcefulness. I would say that in the end, 80% completed their knitting project using their hand made needles while the other 20 ended up purchasing their own needles. I think making needles is worth it and there are ways to improve the overall quality of the needle that would decrease the percentage of needle buyers next year.
In addition to making needles which took one class period, we also spent only two weeks on knitting as opposed to 4 weeks. One week out of the two-week period was a minimum day week, too so we spent at least 50% less time on task in class producing blankets than we did last year. However, during the two week period our focus was directly on problem solving and knitting mastery. We taught and retaught how to solve increases and decreases, made students rip out knitting that had holes, and would only measure, thus give credit for knitting that demonstrated mastery.Once students finished their knitting projects they wove their strip into a blanket.
So with handcrafting needles, using limited time and requiring students know how to problem solve for high quality knitting we knitted less blankets but the students are much more knowledgeable knitters and more likely to knit successfully on their own in the future.

Senior Project

PFAA Senior "Shuggy Barry" shook things up in Room I-5 this week during her senior project. Our 8th grade students learned about the 1950's era and the Broadway performance of Grease to help prepare them for their own Grease performance. In addition to learning about Grease, Shuggy led the students through multiple exercises including vocal warm-ups, singing warm-ups, stage annotation and theater games. Mr. Austin even stopped by for a visit while the kids were singing numbers. It was a fantastic workshop, one of the best that we have ever hosted and a great experience for our students.