Fleece Navidad

Some children in need will be a little bit warmer this holiday season thanks to some special second-grade students in Kristin Moffitt's and Julie Delka's classes at Westwood. After reading Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson, these students set out to do something extraordinary, too, with the inquiry, "What could we do to help?"


The decided on making fleece blankets to donate to two local charities, but that wouldn't happen without a lot of planning and curricular integration. First, the students set a goal; they'd each buy the fleece they'd need for one blanket to help someone in need. They then had to plan ways to get the money for the materials.  After deciding that they'd do chores for the cash, the worker bees wrote persuasive letters to their parents asking for their help in accomplishing their goal.

Once their parents agreed to help, students had to figure out how many chores they'd have to do to purchase the type and amount of fleece they'd need to make one standard-sized throw. That took a little research; did you know that fleece is sold by the yard? Then, they wrote a contract to do those around-the-yard jobs for a quarter each.

This project involved all sorts of math, including measuring and calculating how many yards of fabric they'd need as well as figuring out how much they'd save if they used a 40% off coupon! Once they earned the amount needed to complete their contracts and purchase their supplies, they took their parents shopping for the fabric that they wanted to use for their blanket. Fleece donations in all sorts of different colors and patterns came rolling in. Students met the week before winter break in the cafeteria, where they could spread out to work on cutting and tying the edges. The blankets, ready to cover their new owners with love, are a practical way to show that we care and to wish them all a heartfelt Fleece Navidad!
 

4 comments

  1. Just love this idea. This is a time of the year when kids get caught up in wanting/receiving and I think it is wonderful that they are giving their time and effort to make a difference.

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  2. Neat-O! Neat-O! Neat-O!

    I love everything about this post!
    You are positively angelic. It never OCCURRED to me to have the children provide the fleece for the blankets. How much more "invested" they are because of this component of the project--it magnifies the giving from the heart!

    One of the best parts of this activity is that you can make these blankets without sewing! After sewing a sleeve in the neck hole of a costume, I decided that sewing was not for me.

    Finally, I was going to recommend Ordinary Mary to you. I should have known better! : )
    Thanks for all of the many ways you make my heart happy...

    Fleece Navidad! heeheehee

    Kim
    Finding JOY in 6th Grade

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  3. Ok, This is what a ban is, :P
    They disable your account, It logs you out first, Then you log back in. You get this striped screen. Then it says, "Banned for 1 day/14/For life O_O.
    So you know. It tells you the time your ban will be lifted, You actually have to reactivate you're account. But, Before you reactive at you're account I use an alt. :P Sadly, If you click on my profile it says "The Idea You Requested Does Not Exist" That's pretty much it. I hate bans. -_-
    But I love comments! Thank you!

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  4. I love this! I would love for you to come follow my blog and read about Conscious Discipline! It is what I use in my classroom to build Our School Family. Read about the Wish Well Circle, the Kindness Recorder and the Helpful Hearts to just name a few. I think you will love it too!

    I am your newest follower!

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