Second Grade Painted Paper Woven Fish

I try to do a paper weaving project with second grade every year. this year I am using an idea from Deep Space Sparkle. First I showed a brief Power Point about weaving terms, types of looms, and weaving around the world. We then  used liquid tempera in 2 analogous colors and texture combs to create the weft paper. The next week I did a step by step instruction on how to fold and cut the loom. Take a 9x12  piece of matching construction paper a fold it into a hot dog fold.  Use a 1 inch wide ruler to mark a line across the open end of the hotdog bun, lining the ruler with the open end. This is a hard concept for some. so I walk around to make sure no lines were drawn on the fold.

Then draw "piano keys" down from the previous pencil line to the fold. Line the ruler up with the previously drawn line each time until reaching the end. The result looks like a little piano, which the kids play as I double check all. Then I show how to cut from the fold up to the initial long line at the open edge. The space from that line to the edge is the "No Cutting Line", so kids don't cut all the way up. ( This is also how you make  paper lanterns.) Use the ruler to draw lines along the long side the painted paper and cut strips.

This  cutting takes one entire class period. The next class I demonstrate weaving. If you have taught weaving with kids, you know this is a cognitive skill. Some will pick it up quickly and others will struggle. I put up this poster and we repeat this mantra several times. Start the weaving on top of the  warp of the loom, going over under  one  strip to the end.  The strips will hang out. The next weft strip has to begin under the warp loom strip.  And so on starting opposite the last woven strip. Keep pushing strips down snug as you weave. If time permits, or the next class, paint glue on the back of the weaving and adhere a manilla drawing paper to the entire back.

When fish are dry, demonstrate drawing a large fish with open mouth on back of weaving. Cut out. This takes work from their little hand muscles as the paper is now 3 thick. Save the scraps.

These are then embellished with tails, dorsal fins, pectoral fins and layers of shapes from scraps.

 I give them white pieces for teeth and eye balls. They loved their sharks, and piranas,  swordfish, and cutie fish with bows!