Making Paper Quilts with Kindergarten and First Grade Students

Last week, I showed you how to make Eric Carle style paper in the classroom. This week I'll talk about how to use the paper to teach about quilts.

I start by reading Under the Quilt of Night, which is a great book about how the log cabin quilt block design was used as a code during the Underground Railroad. I give the students the option of making a traditional "Friendship Star" or "Log Cabin" quilt block.

I make several card stock versions of these blocks and cut out all the pieces for the kids to use as templates. Then, they go to the scrap box and pick out a scrap they like and trace around the card stock template with a pencil.
They cut out the shape and glue it down.

You can see this quilt includes wallpaper, Eric Carle style paper and crayon rubbings.

lesson+plans art kids collage quilts Eric+Carle underground+railroad