Kente paper weaving

grade 2, fiber arts, curriculum connection: social studies - by Instructional Services Dept, Fairfax County Public Schools

Key Elements

Category: Weaving
Concept: Visual Awareness
Components: Color, Pattern
Objectives:
  • Recognize Kente cloth as an African ceremonial cloth, hand woven in strips on a loom
  • Define pattern as lines, colors, and shapes that repeat or alternate
  • Make a paper weaving using a Kente cloth design

Materials/Resources

  • rulers or 2" cardboard strips
  • scissors
  • glue sticks
  • 12" x 18" construction paper (variety of colors)
  • 2" strips of colored construction or fadeless paper
  • 1/2" strips of colored construction or fadeless paper
  • strip of Kente cloth (optional)
  • Kente reproductions and/or posters
  • Video: Kente Cloth Weaving Demonstration
  • Ofori-Ansa, Kwaku (1993) Poster: Kente Is More Than A Cloth
  • Meyer, Louise (1998). How Children Learn to Weave

Evaluation Criteria

  • identify Kente as African ceremonial cloth//describe where and when Kente is worn and by whom
  • describe how.Kente cloth is made
  • create a paper weaving with a Kente cloth design which includes:
    • symbolic colors
    • pattern created by repeating and altemating lines and colors
    • a cut paper stylized symbol of personal or class identification

Terminology

  • Kente
  • pattern
  • warp
  • weft
  • loom
  • strip
  • weaving
  • symbol
  • stylized