Teaching the author's fifth-grade students a lesson on clothing design was a great way to show them how art and design are part of their everyday lives. It also allowed the students to express their personalities. Clotheslines served as an effective basis for their work. She and her class began by discussing how clothes can tell them about a…

As one of the authors was warning the fifth-grade class about protecting clothes from spills in the lab, one student commented that his pants wouldn't stain because they were covered with some "nano stuff." The class tossed water on the pants and watched it bead up and roll off "like magic." The class's interest was piqued, and the questions…

Describes felting as the process of making felt using sheep's wool from fibers without weaving or knitting. Explains that teachers can incorporate felting into a lesson exploring the background behind this process, as an extension of collage or textile arts, as a means to studying abstract art, or in a fashion design unit. (CMK)

Presents an activity with fifth-grade students called "crazy hat portraits" that is the end product of a sequence of lessons. Describes the beginning lessons and lists what the students learn and the time and materials needed for the assignment. (CMK)