Children will explore how cloth obtains its color through a hands-on activity of dyeing cloth with food coloring. They will make observations and ask questions as they mix primary colors and see how new colors are created. Over multiple days, the children will observe how the dyed cloth changes as it dries and eventually tie the pieces together to create a classroom quilt.

1. Title:
How dopeople make clothes?
Overview:
Childrenwillfurtherexplore clothingbyexaminingthe materialsandprocessesinvolvedin
creatinggarments.Thusfar inthe studythe childrenhave examinedclothingingeneral,suchaswhat
featuresmake ourclothing;the differenttypesof clothingpeople wearfordifferentpurposes;andhow
we take care of clothes.If youwere touse thisas a standalone lessonitwouldbe beneficial toprovide
some backgroundknowledgeand/orcreate KWLcharts or webslistingthe featuresof clothing like
buttons,zippers,snaps,beltloops,andpockets. The childrenare experimentingwithdyingclothingand
mixingcolors.
Objectives:
Childrenwillunderstandhowclothesobtaintheircolor,how thatcoloris appliedto cloth, and
whatcolors can be mixed tomake newcolors.Childrenwill observe the patternsandmixingof colors
made whendroppingindividual primarycolorsona solidwhite cottoncloth. Childrenwill make
observationsaboutcolorandabsorptionwhilethe teacherrecordscommentsandobservationstobe
usedina latercomparisoncontrastingthe new andold methodsof dyingclothing.
Standards:
Pre-K: Creative Curriculum(CC) objectives29demonstratesknowledgeaboutself,30 shows
basicunderstandingof peopleandhowtheylive,7a usesfingersandhands,11 a&b attends,engages,
and persists,12 a&b recognizes,recalls,andmakesconnections,9d tellsaboutanothertime orplace,
10 a engagesinconversations.
Kindergarten: SpeakingandListening, ComprehensionandCollaboration1a&b,2-6; Science, SI-
E-A1, SI-E-A2-3,SI-E-A5-6,SI-E-B4,PS-E-A1;History,Standard2 – Historical ThinkingSkillsK.2.1,K.2.4,
Economics,Standard5 – Basic EconomicConceptsK.5.1,K.5.4, K.5.6
Time Required:
Small groupsworkingin10-15 incrementstodye clothandexamine relatedmaterials.The cloth
will take approximatelytwodaystodry duringwhichtime the childrenwillhave anopportunityto
investigatethe changesandperformsubsequentinquiries. Uponcessationof the activitythe individual
squaresof dyedclothwill be tiedtogethertomake a classroomquilt.
RecommendedAge Range:
Pre-KtoKindergarten
Subject/Topic:
Clothing:howisclothmade?The investigationwill followinquiryaboutthe featuresof clothing
and include the reasonswhypeople have made theirownclothinginthe pastbutpurchase clothing
commerciallynow.Childrenwillhave listenedtoasoundrecordingof a formergarmentdistrictworker
whotalksabout herexperience inmakingclothingforherfamilypriortomassproduction.Childrenwill

2. discussandexplore howclothinggetsfrommaterialstoarticle instoresandthe processby whichbasic
materialsare transformedintoclothing.
MaterialsUsed:
Recycledplainwhite cottonsheetscutinto4x4 squares,ice trays,eye droppers,water,food
coloring,clothesline,andclothespins.
Resources:
Title: Kawasaki
 Creator(s): Katsushika, Hokusai, 1760-1849, artist
 Date Created/Published: 1804.
 Medium: 1 print : woodcut, color ; 11.5 x 16.4 cm.
 Summary: Print shows a man and a woman dyeing cloth.
 Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-jpd-00360 (digital file from original print)
 Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
 Access Advisory: Restricted access; material extremely fragile; please use online digital image.
 Call Number: FP 2 - JPD, no. 357 (A size) [P&P]
 Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
 Notes:
o Title and other descriptive information compiled by Nichibunken-sponsored Edo print specialists in 2005-2006.
o From the series: Tōkaidō Road.
o Format: horizontal Yatsugiri-ban Nishikie.
o Later impression of Tōkaidō series with Kyoka poetry.
o Forms part of: Japanese prints and drawings (Library of Congress).
 Subjects:
o Dyeing--Japan--1800-1810.
o Domestic life--Japan--1800-1810.
o Tōkaidō (Japan)
 Format:
o Ukiyo-e--Japanese--1800-1810.
o Woodcuts--Japanese--Color--1800-1810.
 Collections:
o Fine Prints: Japanese, pre-1915
 Bookmark This Record:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2009615350/
View the MARC Record for this item.
Rights assessment is your responsibility.
Title:"I made all my children'sdresses."
 Contributor Names
 Vecchierella,Rose (Narrator)
 Taylor,DavidAlan,1951- (Interviewer)
 Created/ Published
 1994-08-09
 SubjectHeadings
- ItalianAmericans
- Oral history

3. - Interviews
- Soundrecordings
- Retirees
- Clothingindustry
- Dressmaking
- Ethnography
- UnitedStates -- NewJersey -- WestPaterson
 Genre
 Ethnography
 Interviews
 Notes
- The followingisacatalogof an interviewwithretiredgarmentworkerRose Vecchierella
at her home inWestPaterson,New Jersey.
- Summaryof audiosegment:SewingRose didathome."Idida lot of sewing.How do
youthinkwe lived?Imade all my children'sdresses.Imade themtheirsunsuits.Imade
thempanties,slips.Ididall theirsewing,all mychildren.Infact,thisone that justleft
[Anita],Imade all herdressesgoingforworkand everything.Butnow theybuytheir
clothes... . I don't sewnothingforthemunlessIfeel likemakingthemanightgownor
something,if Ihave some material Iboughtforthem.Butoutside of that I don't."Rose
usedpatternswhenshe made clothesforherchildren.She hasabout100 patternsnow;
she mendsandaltersclothingforhergrandchildren.Otherretiredgarmentworkers
make clothestoo.
 Medium
 AnalogAudioCassette
 Call Number
 AFC1995/028: WIP-DT-A009
 Source Collection
 WorkinginPatersonProjectCollection(AFC1995/028)
 Repository
 AmericanFolklife Center
 Digital Id
 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/afcwip.dta00901
 http://www.loc.gov/item/afcwip000029/
Procedure:
FirstDay
Opening
1. Duringwhole groupinstructionhave the childrenlistentothe soundrecordingof Rose
Vecchierellatalkaboutmakingclothingforherentire familyandhow thishaschangedsince
theyhave movedoutof her house andare livingontheirown.
2. Usingthe modifiedinquirychartwrite asthe childrendictate theirobservationsabouther
descriptionof the typesof clothingmade forherfamily.

4. 3. Duringthe reflectionprocessaskwhythe childrenthinkshe nolongermakesthe clothing
for herfamily,promptthemtocite evidence inherwords.
4. Invite the childrentowonderandaskquestionsabouthow clothingismade now with
particularattentiontohowclothis produced;include how clothobtainsitscolorif not
amongstudentquestions.
Small GroupIntroduction
1. Invite asmall groupof childrentoengage inan activityaboutdyingcloth
2. Provide eachchildinthe groupa color copy of the print“Kawasaki” and record as children
dictate theirobservations.
3. Askthe childrenaboutwhytheythinkthisprintwasmade and whattheythinkit is
depicting.Recordtheiranswersinthe reflectportionof the modifiedinquirymodel.
4. Tell the childrenthe peopledepictedinthe drawingare dyingcloth.Before therewere
machinespeople hadtouse the waterfromriversandstreams,fruitsandvegetables,and
heatfrom fire tomake coloredwaterthat wouldchange the colorof the cloth.Askthe
childrentowonderaboutthisprocessandencourage themto askquestions.Model,if
necessaryquestionsandrecordtheminthe questionssectionof the modifiedinquiry
model.
5. Introduce the childrentothe ice trays andask if theyknow theirpurpose.Explainthe usual
purpose,if necessary,andthe reasonyouwill be usingthemasreceptaclesforour“dye”
today.
6. Showthe childrenthe foodcoloringandaskwhat itis typicallyusedfor.Explain intended
purpose andprovide explanationforitspurpose intoday’slesson:tochange the colorof the
waterto make dye for our cloth.Use onlythe primarycolors andinvite the childrentomake
hypothesisaboutwhatcolorswill mix tocreate new colors.
7. Model for the childrenhowtouse the eye dropperstomove colorfrom the tray to the cloth
and tell the childrentowatchhow the watermovesinthe cloth once it hitsthe material.
8. Recordthe children’sobservationsabouthow the watermovesanddescriptionsof which
colorsblendtomake newcolors.
Closure
1. Once the fabric has absorbedasmuch liquidaspossible,orwhenthe childstateshe/sheis
finished,take the fabrictohang dryon a clothesline inthe classroom.
2. Explaintothe childrenthe colorsmaychange as the clothdriesandwe will have tocome
back to make observations aboutthe clothoverthe nextcouple of days.
SecondDay
Opening
1. Duringsmall groupsask the childrentomake observationsaboutthe changesintheirdyed
clothand record theirobservations
Closure

5. 1. Invite the childrentoreturntomorrow tocheckon the progressof dryingandassistchildren
infindinganswerstoanyquestionsthatmayhave arisen.
2. Explaintothe childrenwe will be tyingthe clothtogetherwithribbonstomake a classroom
quiltonce all piecesare dry.
ThirdDay
1. Invite eachchildtotake theirpiece of clothdownand make final observations.
2. Askthemto describe the processbywhichtheychangedthe colorof the clothand what
theythinkof the outcome;do theylike the colors?Whatcolorsdidtheyultimatelycreate?
3. Assisteachchildin tyingknotsinribbonconnectingeachpiece tothe other.
4. Hang the quiltinthe classroom
ExtensionIdeas
Childrenwhoquestionwhataquiltisand how itis made can be directedtothe Everyday
mysteriessectionof Libraryof Congresstostudyabout quiltmaking.Additionally,youmayinvite a
familymembertocome intoclassand show childrenaboutasewingorclothmakingtechnique suchas
embroidery,crochet,orquilting.Childrenwhostruggle withthe conceptof dyingclothorchanging
colorscan be providedwithadditionalactivitiestoexpandknowledgeof conceptssuchasreadingthe
book“Little Blue,Little Yellow”byLeoLionni andinvitingthe childrentomix fingerpaintsonpaper.
Evaluation
The childrenwill be providedcolorpaddlesandaskedtoidentify/matcheachof the colorson
theirdyedcloth.Childrenwithcolorcombinationswillhave toidentifythe twoormore colorsusedto
make the combination.The childrenwill alsobe askedtoidentify,thentest,the choice of twocolorsto
make a particularcolor combination;i.e.yellow andblue make green. Children’sobservationswill be
recordedonthe modifiedinquirymodelandunderstandingof conceptswillbe assessedthroughreview
of observationsaswell asfinal questionsaboutthe outcome of theirindividual projects.Anecdotal
noteswill be takentodescribe the processbywhichchildrencame totheirconclusions.
Credits
KellyPerry