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| QUILTHUGS |
| written by Christy Clawson |
UNIT OVERVIEW
Quilts offer warmth beyond that of a mere blanket; for generations, quilts have symbolized love and care. In this lesson, your class or group can help comfort a young
child or teen
going through a difficult time by creating a quilt.
With this project, you will connect with SuperSibs!, an organization whose mission is to honor, support, and recognize the brothers and sisters of children with cancer. One of the ways the organization reaches out to these siblings is through the SuperSibs! QuiltHugs program. QuiltHugs are handmade quilts for siblings between the ages of 4 - 18 who have lost their brother or sister to childhood cancer. In this unit, you will be working with SuperSibs! to create a quilt for their QuiltHugs program.
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| You can adjust the complexity of this project depending on your class or group abilities. If you want to do a very simple, but much appreciated service, just have your students watch the Lion in the House film clip and then create quilt squares. Once you send the squares to SuperSibs!, they will be quilted by volunteer quilters, and the quilt will be distributed to a SuperSibs! child. If you wish to expand the project, your class can create and stitch a quilt, or find a seamstress in your area to sew your created quilt squares together. Simple directions can be found online at http://www.supersibs.org/volunteer_quilthugs.html . Whatever level of complexity you choose, know that the quilt that your group or class provides will bring much needed comfort to a child in need of support.
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Fine Arts |
6th -12th grade |
Language Arts |
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Social Studies |
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Note : The unit is geared towards middle school and high school students; however, younger students are certainly capable of working with the SuperSibs! organization to help make a quilt if the teacher wishes to adapt the content to the class.
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Language Arts |
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- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
- 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
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Visual Arts |
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- 2. Knows how to use structures (e.g., sensory qualities, organizational principles, expressive features) and functions of art
- 3. Knows a range of subject matter, symbols and potential ideas in the visual arts
- 4. Understands the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
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Working with Others |
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- 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
- 3. Works well with diverse individuals and in diverse situations
- 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
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- Students will learn about the impact that pediatric cancer has on siblings.
- Students will learn about bereavement issues for siblings.
- Students will research the history of quilts and quilting.
- Students will learn that through their actions and community service they can give emotional support to siblings.
- Students will design and
create a completed quilt or individual quilt squares.
- Students will write a reflective essay about their completed piece.
- Students will collaborate to provide quilt squares or a completed quilt for the QuiltHugs program.
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Students can be assessed on a variety of tasks within the framework of this lesson. Possibilities include: |
- Informal writing such as journals and essays
- Poetry
- Research reports
- Oral presentation
- Group work
- Completion of quilt block design
- Finished quilt block
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An overall unit rubric is provided for student assessment. |
LESSONS CONTAINED IN THIS UNIT:
Note to teachers: Students may be interested in learning about how the film was made before viewing the film clip. See the A Lion in the House website for information.
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Language Arts |
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- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
- 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students will view the “Impact of cancer on Siblings” film clip.
- Students will participate in a class discussion.
- Students will write a response to the film and discussion on an exit card.
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| MATERIALS |
- Computer with Internet access
- Viewing equipment (Television and DVD player)
- Handout, Discussion Questions (PDF)
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| PROCEDURE |
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Note to teachers: Please review the suggested Discussion Questions (PDF) prior to the group viewing. You may need to adjust the questions according to the unique make-up of your group. For most active viewing of the material, please engage your students in both pre-viewing and post-viewing discussions.
1. Provide an overview of the film project to help students build background knowledge. See the A Lion in the House website for more information.
2. Prepare group for active viewing by leading them in a discussion based on the pre-veiwing questions.
3.
Watch the “Impact of Cancer on Siblings” film clip.
4. After viewing, lead students in a discussion based on the post-viewing questions. |
Back to Lessons
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| LESSON 2: SIBLING
IMPACT ISSUES AND THE SUPERSIBS! ORGANIZATION |
It would be helpful for students to learn a little about the how siblings are impacted when a brother or sister is diagnosed with cancer. Also, students can learn about the process of grieving. Some children will face grief and loss in their own lives, and others will become more able to give understanding support to friends and loved ones by studying about this topic.
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Language Arts |
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- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
- 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students will learn about
the emotional impact of pediatric cancer on siblings, as well as about grieving and bereavement.
- Students will journal about the topic of
sibling impact, grief and bereavement.
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| MATERIALS |
- Computer with internet access
- Information gathered from various resources
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| PROCEDURE |
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- To help your students understand some of the complex issues facing the siblings of children with cancer, view the SuperSibs! website and additional resources.
Feel free to contact SuperSibs! toll free at 866-444-SIBS (7427) for additional information to help with your lesson and discussion.
- Facilitate a discussion with your students about how siblings might be impacted – positive and negative. Also, lead a discussion on sibling bereavement issues. One very important point for students and others to understand is that, thankfully, many children survive childhood cancer.Tragically, some children do not survive, however. Point out that when a child is diagnosed with cancer, everyone in the family needs emotional support and healing. And when a family loses a child to cancer, the whole family is grieving, not just parents. Siblings are grieving, too. The loss of a child to cancer affects the lives of everyone connected to the child. At this time, the QuiltHugs program is to bring comfort for siblings who are grieving.
- Ask students to journal about the topic of how cancer impacts siblings or on bereavement and grief.
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| ASSESSMENTS |
- Participation in class discussion
- Journal
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| ADDITIONAL RESOURCES |
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| For young children: |
- Hi! My Name is Jack by Christina Beall-Sullivan
- Oliver’s Story by Michael Dodd / Candlelighters
- The Empty Place by Roberta Temes, New Horizon Press
- When Someone Very Special Dies by Marge Heegaard, Woodland Press
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| For teens and adults: |
- Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. Published by Scholastic Books.
- When Your Brother or Sister Has Cancer: A Guide for Teens National Cancer Institute.
- Facing Change: Falling Apart and Coming Together Again in the Teen Years by Donna O’Toole, Compassion Press.
- A Child Remembers by Enid Samuel-Traisman, Centering Coorporation.
- The Empty Room: Surviving the Loss of a Brother or Sister at Any Age by Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn
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| EXTENSIONS |
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- Invite a guest speaker into the class room to talk to students about this topic.
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Back to Lessons
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| LESSON 3: RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF QUILTING |
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Language Arts |
- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
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| MATERIALS |
- Computer with Internet access
- Writing tools and paper
- Print resources – check with your local librarian to obtain a text set of resources related to quilting
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students will work in groups to research a topic relating to quilts and history.
- Students will keep written notes and a working bibliography of their sources.
- Students will prepare a short oral presentation for the class.
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PROCEDURE |
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- Have students work in groups to research an aspect of the history of quilts and quilting. Students can research quilts in the context of a particular time in history, or the history of a particular quilt pattern and compare how it was used over a period of time.
- Have students keep notes and prepare a brief oral presentation to the class to teach the class what they learned about their topic.
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| ADDITIONAL RESOURCES |
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For more ideas for using quilts in the classroom, visit the following sites: |
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- Have students choose a favorite quilt block design from their research and display colorful copies of quilt patterns around the room.
- Explore with students one of the many ways to integrate math into quilt studies.
- Let students choose an aspect of quilts relating to a multicultural theme.
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Back to Lessons |
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| LESSON 4: DESIGN A QUILT BLOCK |
Before working with fabric, have your students create their design on paper. Provide students with a variety of resources, both print and web-based to help them decide what type of quilt block they would like to design.
Note to Teacher: Remind your students that their designs need to have a happy, upbeat theme ( no references to “we’re sorry” or “things will get better”, etc.). Help students brainstorm cheerful ideas that could be incorporated into their design.
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Visual Arts |
- 2. Knows how to use structures (e.g., sensory qualities, organizational principles, expressive features) and functions of art
- 3. Knows a range of subject matter, symbols and potential ideas in the visual arts
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| MATERIALS |
- Writing tools, paper, art supplies
- Drawing templates (circles, squares, etc.)
- Computer with Internet access
- Print resources – check with your local librarian to obtain a text set of resources related to quilting
- Fabric samples for ideas
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students will design a quilt block on paper.
- Students will incorporate into their design elements that would be supportive to a sibling
who has lost their brother or sister to cancer.
It is especially important that the theme and motif be positive and upbeat.
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| PROCEDURE |
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- Show students examples of quilts from print and internet sources.
- Provide students with resources of paper, art supplies, and give them adequate time to design their own quilt block to be later used to create a fabric quilt block.
- Ask students to explain why their design is supportive of a sibling who is grieving.
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- You might want to have a guest speaker with quilting experience (maybe from a quilting guild or group) to show the students some examples of quilts and explain some basic concepts about quilt design and quilting. This is a good opportunity to bring community resources into the classroom. Quilting is a long-standing traditional art form, and there are quilting groups in most communities.
- Some of your students may have quilts at home that they would like to bring in to show the class.
- Begin the lesson with a read-aloud of a book with a theme related to quilting or a special quilt. Check with your local librarian for suggestions of current books with a quilt theme that would appeal to your students’ grade level. Remember that even middle school and high school students will find a picture book appealing if the underlying theme is deep enough.
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Back to Lessons
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| LESSON 5: COMMUNITY SERVICE > CREATE A QUILT FOR QUILTHUGS |
Note to teachers and group leaders: There are many approaches to quilting. You can tailor the complexity of this task to the abilities of your group or class. Older students may want to sew their designs using scraps of fabric. Younger students can create quilt designs using fabric decoration such as fabric crayons or iron-on transfers. The teacher will need to follow product directions for the supplies students use. You can probably find resources within your own community, such as a quilting group, to help students learn about quilting and maybe help with the construction of the quilt.
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Language Arts |
- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
- 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
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| Visual Arts |
- 2. Knows how to use structures (e.g., sensory qualities, organizational principles, expressive features) and functions of art.
- 3. Knows a range of subject matter, symbols and potential ideas in the visual arts
- 4. Understands the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
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| Working with Others |
- 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
- 3. Works well with diverse individuals and in diverse situations
- 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students will create a quilt block using fabric and other desired materials, based on their own design.
- Students will write a short reflection essay (one or two paragraphs) describing their quilt block, the significance it has to them and to the project of supporting a cancer sibling.
- Students will work collaboratively to create a quilt for QuiltHugs.
- Students will learn that through their actions and community service they can give emotional support to siblings who are grieving the loss of a brother or sister to pediatric cancer.
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MATERIALS |
Note to Teachers: If you will be completing the quilting project over several class periods, you will want to figure out how to store supplies and works in progress for each student. One suggestion is to give each student a large (gallon size) plastic bag with a place to write their name and class on the outside.
- Fabric
- Depending on how you will be creating the squares, craft supplies as needed, such as fabric crayons, needles, thread, scissors, interfacing, tracing paper, etc.
- Guidelines from SuperSibs!
QuiltHugs Guidelines (pdf)
QuiltHugs Pattern (pdf)
QuiltHugs Label (pdf)
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PROCEDURE |
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- Ask students to keep in mind that the reason they are making this quilt is to provide a gift of caring and support for
sibling who is bereaved. Ask them to remember there is a
special person who will be receiving this gift and to try to imagine what that person is thinking and feeling. Remind them that they are using empathy when they do this. Ask them to keep this person in mind as they work on their quilt block.
- Each student will create their own quilt block, based on their design.
- Ask students to write a brief essay, explaining any symbols or special meanings they put into their finished quilt block designs.
- Ask students to reflect on their ideas and feelings about the QuiltHugs project. Ask students to consider how the act of working together to create the quilt is helping to give support to a grieving sibling.
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- If you wish to have your class or group create quilt blocks, you could seek experienced quilters in your community to sew the blocks into a quilt. Another option is to get in touch with an art institute.
- Foreign Language classes could translate the QuiltHugs Label into another language to provide support.
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Back to Lessons
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| Please take photographs of your completed quilt blocks or quilt to share on the mylion Scrapbook. Also, any writing tasks that your students have completed for the project would be nice to share
with mylion and with SuperSibs! We would love to communicate news of your project to help inspire others to support the QuiltHugs program.
Email your pictures and news to quilthugs@supersibs.org. |
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