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Weave a Wreath

Students will explore the Christmas tradition of hanging a wreath on the door and create a woven decorative wreath for Christmas or another holiday they celebrate.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

Steps

  • Step 1

    Hanging or wearing a decorative wreath is a tradition that dates back thousands of years to ancient civilizations. The word "wreath" is from the Middle English word "writha" meaning "circle." Have students explore the origin of this custom. What could a wreath worn on the head represent in ancient Greece? Why were wreaths hung on doors during the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia? In more modern times wreaths are associated with Christmas. The tradition of the Advent wreath originated in 16th century Germany. The wreath was adorned with four candles symbolizing the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The candles represent hope, peace, joy, and love. Whatever the interpretation, people often hang wreaths on their door as a welcoming symbol during holidays or throughout the year.

  • Step 2

    Have students create a woven wreath using construction paper and construction paper crayons. They might choose colors associated with Christmas and decorate it with symbolic images, or they could choose another holiday or occasion. They could, for example, use shades of yellow, brown, orange, and red to make a fall wreath. They can begin by drawing cut lines every inch or so on a piece of construction paper, leaving about an inch on each end to keep the pieces whole. This will be the base. They can then cut weaving strips from another piece of differently colored construction paper that are the same width, but these lines will go to the paper's edge so the result is many one-inch strips.

  • Step 3

    Next have students weave the loose strips into the base paper, using the over and under weaving pattern. Alternate the weaving so that the first strip goes over the base then under it. The next strip will go under the base and then over it, and so on. After all the strips are woven, students can illustrate small images in some areas. When that's done have them cut a notched circle out of another full-size piece of construction paper and illustrate this outer sheet that they will lay over the woven base. They might also embellish this with symbols associated with the theme of their wreath.

  • Step 4

    Hang the wreaths around the classroom or have students take them home to hang on the family's door to convey a welcoming atmosphere.

Standards

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

SS: Individual Development and Identity: Describe factors important to the development of personal identity and the context of identity within families, peer or affinity groups, schools, communities, and nationalities. 

Adaptations

Have students create cards and decorations for an upcoming holiday, perhaps Thanksgiving, Grandparents Day, Independence Day, etc., that could be brought to a local nursing home or sent to a relative or friend.

Have students explore decorative traditions associated with other holidays. For example, a rangoli is a colorful handmade design created using colorful materials such as dyed rice, flour, sand, or flowers. It is a welcoming symbol placed at the entrance of a home during the Hindu festival of Diwali.