Second Grade Project Incorporates Culture, Sustainability, and Art

After reading the story, Mrs. Mejicanos explained to the class that the story is based on a recycling movement that happened in Guatemala - the country had a rampant problem with single-use plastics which were polluting the land and endangering the ecosystem. Over the past few years, towns and villages have banned the use of single-use plastics, hoping to reverse the damage done and encourage overall lifestyle changes towards a more environmentally conscious, sustainable future for their country.

The second graders were intrigued with the idea of weaving plastic and immediately asked if they could learn to weave. Mrs. Mejicanos asked her father, Joe Giorgianni - who can often be found substitute teaching at ODA - to construct a 4 foot by 5 foot wood loom for her classroom and the students brought in hundreds of plastic shopping bags which were cut into strips to be used as their weaving material. During each class, students pair up at the loom, taking turns passing the plastic weaving strips in between the vertical warp strings and compressing down the rows. They work together, making sure that each row is woven evenly with the same tension throughout to prevent warping.

“I like that Ixchel loved weaving and that the weavings she made helped to clean up her village,” said Emma Uihlein '30 after taking a turn at the loom.

The students are excited with the progress they have made so far, and are deciding as a class what they will do with the piece once it is completed. Their current plan is that the finished piece will be used as a reading rug to tie in with this year’s theme -  “Rooted in Reading.”