Kindergarten-The Quilts of Gees Bend

I teach this lesson as a variation on lines specifically thick lines. We also touch on patterns in art and how our "eyes love patterns"! I am a quilter! If I have the chance to sew I sew whenever I can. Textiles have always been my favorite medium so the first time I heard about the quilts of Gees Bend, AL I was mesmerized! The women of Gees Bend live a very isolated life on an island in Alabama. Their ancestors were slaves. They are a wonderful example of the triumph of the human spirit. In their poverty they have made time to sew artistic quilts for their families. They were "discovered" by an quilt collector and their lives haven't been the same since! I show a short clip about them to my kindies and we talk about how these women saved every scrap of fabric to create these wonderful quilts. I then relate this character quality to taking care of our art supplies. Each child makes their own quilt block and we assemble them into a paper quilt. I love this lesson and the kids do too!