Circle Weaving

Thanks to the generosity of my supporters at Donors Choose my students were lucky enough to gain a beanbag and comfy pillow set for the carpet area in the art room.  Did I mention that my principal was supportive enough of my goal to establish a reading corner/meeting spot that she found the money for the carpet?  WOW!  I have had a meeting spot for a few years, with foam letters (hard to clean, and a built in distraction for the littles), but it wasn't big enough for my older students, and it wasn't very warm in the winter. Now, there is space for all of my students, even the older ones.

Anyway, the whole set up happened earlier this week, just in time for my circle weaving project with the 3rd graders.  My deal with them has always been that as long as they are working, they can sit whereever they want to weave.  This week, the deal was once you show me your first color woven correctly, you may go to the carpet to weave with your friends.  The students were very motivated by the beanbag chair and pillows.  And, to my surprise, there was not an argument- they settled things among themselves by establishing a line along the pillows.  It became the norm for everyone to move down a spot when the person in the beanbag chair got up for more yarn.  (I had an arms length rule, so the time was fair). Towards the end, the kids figured out that more than one person could fit on the beanbag, and did a great job sharing. 

Who knew a beanbag chair would bring such unity.  And, the weaving is turning out pretty well too- they were very encouraging of each other, and cheering/admiring their friends as the colors grew. 

***I am very very careful about student images on my blog.  I almost never use them.  In this instance, the students are not looking at the camera, and I tried for some group shots, rather than individual close ups.