I met with Yara, Jimmy and Jil to plan next year's 4th grade showcase for the Arts Festival. We planned out that the fourth graders will visibly mend an article of clothing from home and share it at the Arts Festival. We discussed themes, logistics, possible pitfalls, and resources, and started to plan a timeline for the project.
Along with supporting the Makery/art/sewing team for the creative project, I plan to use fourth grade half-class time next year to focus on sustainability and clothing, exploring the questions: Where does clothing come from? What happens to clothing when we get rid of it? What is the environmental impact of clothing waste?
Questions I am still pondering: How can I best engage students in the process of this research, rather than just presenting them with information via lecture/videos? How can I make sure to make this education for sustainability, rather than educating for UNsustainability (not being a "bummer" per Jamie Cloud)? What activities will help us explore this topic?
I am excited about this project and looking forward to continuing to collaborate about it in the upcoming year!