The creative subjects often get forgotten when setting work for supply teaching, it can either be non-existent or just a generic ‘arty’ worksheet. If you’re a creative supply teacher that prefers engaging and fun activities to deliver when on supply, then here are some textiles based ideas for you that are easily accessible, require minimal planning and only uses resources that would be available in any classroom.
Flag Design
In the small market town where I live there is a ‘flag fortnight’ every summer where all shops and businesses in the town hang a bright and colourful flag reflecting their type of premises. The school I worked in got involved and the students designed large banners to display outside school during the fortnight of the festival. The banners had simple graphic symbols to represent subjects within the school and the school logo. They were simple yet, due to the use of bold colours, were very effective.
Designing a flag or even bunting can translate into so many themes within teaching and can be accessible across all key stages and subject areas. You can also take inspiration from seasonal or national events, sport, music, books or even local issues. The flags can be designed and made using just paper or card initially, however, as an extension these could be made very simply from any fabric available or even recycled fabrics, no sewing required! Simple textiles techniques like stencilling, block printing or fabric pen can be used to decorate the flags. Children could cut their own simple stencil from card or make a block to print using string glued onto cardboard. Regular classroom paint and felt tips will work well on fabric rather than expensive fabric ones, however, the end result just wouldn’t be washable.
Den Design
Designing fabric shelters is always a fun activity for children of all ages. Who doesn’t love a den! Taking inspiration from childhood memories of a bed sheet draped across my mum’s clothes drying rack, I created a den designing lesson with a year 7 class. This can easily be adapted for ks2. The only rule was their design had to use fabric as the main material. We began with discussion about fabric properties and what fabrics would need to be if the shelter was inside compared to outside, along with identifying problems they’d need to solve such as entrances, fastenings and supporting the structure. Children can then get as imaginative and creative as possible to generate ideas to solve this problem. All you need initially is paper and a pencil, however, the activity has endless possibilities in terms of creating models of the dens, discussing 3D shapes, or even social issues such as homelessness. A recent fashion graduate designed a jacket for refugees and homeless people that transforms into a shelter, bringing social issues into design is a great way to inspire children and link to British values and Citizenship teaching.
This task also lends itself to working in teams which could also include designing a team logo or why not use it as a class competition. Again, a quick design activity with endless possibilities to extend further.
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Where next? There’s a great quick read here on Top tips for technology. Check out our resources area here too.