African Asimevo Cloth

1. Have students research Ewe (pronounced E-Vay) Asimevo patterns and the various types of Kete cloths created by the Asante people of Ghana, in West Africa. The Kete cloth is similar to the Kente cloth created by other African people. Ewe Asimevo cloth is woven on a narrow-strip loom.
2. Asimevo patterns are created by alternating rectangles of woven fabric cut from long strips. This project uses two different patterns. The replica of Asimevo cloth will alternate patterns and their orientations (directions) as well.
3. To begin the Asimevo pattern, have students divide dark construction paper into thirds in both directions, creating nine equal rectangles. Students should mark the edges of these sections with a bright Crayola Gel Washable Marker. The colors become brighter as they dry, so the patterns emerge as they are created.
4. In the first block on the top row, have students create an interesting pattern with bright Gel colors, using primarily horizontal lines. Skip a block, then copy the very same pattern and colors in the third block on the top row. Copy this pattern into the center block, and the bottom left and bottom right blocks.
5. Have students turn the paper 90 degrees (on its side) and create a different pattern, using contrasting, bright colors. Students should fill in all remaining rectangles with this new pattern.
6. When complete, have students mount the Asimevo pattern on a contrasting color of paper with a Crayola Glue Stick.

LA: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

LA: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

LA: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

LA: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

MATH: Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations

SS: Explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns.

SS: Use appropriate resources, data sources, and geographic tools to interpret information.

SS: Describe how people create places that reflect ideas, personality, culture, and wants and needs as they design homes, playgrounds, classrooms, and the like.

VA: Know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various cultures.

VA: Understand there are various purposes for creating works of visual art.

VA: Identify connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum.

VA: Determine how history, culture, and the visual arts can influence each other in making and studying works of art.

Students can enlarge their Asimevo design by using more than two patterns. Have students brainstorm how this can be done and create a larger design for classroom display.

Individually or in small groups, students research other countries located in Africa. Topics may include the country's geography, landforms, the people and their culture. Students will share their learning with classmates in the form of a group discussion and compare/contrast the artwork that reflect each of the cultures. Students are encouraged to create a representation of each researched country's artwork and be prepared to discuss how this artwork reflects the culture of the country.

If appropriate fabric is available, students may transfer their original designs from paper to fabric. This can be done on an inexpensive T-shirt using Crayola® Fabric Markers. If all students are able to complete this activity, the T-shirts can be worn for a day of celebration, recognizing student learning about the country.