{"id":123,"date":"2012-02-24T10:36:07","date_gmt":"2012-02-24T15:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/?p=123"},"modified":"2021-08-14T09:35:30","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T13:35:30","slug":"baa-sheep-yarn-mobius-strips-and-dna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/baa-sheep-yarn-mobius-strips-and-dna\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheep! Yarn, Science, and Math"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are lots of educational possibilities in yarn. (Yes, yarn!) Knitting is a marvelous activity for kids, touted by 18th<\/sup>-century educator Johann Pestalozzi for teaching math skills, routinely featured in the Waldorf school curriculum, and today popping up in public- and private-school classrooms, and countless homeschool living rooms.<\/p>\n

See below for knitting how-tos, knitting stories, knitting with math and science,\u00a0 and some great books about sheep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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For starters, check out WoolWorks!<\/em><\/a> by Lorna McMasters (Harrisville Designs, 2009). This is a beautifully done 12-lesson fiber arts curriculum guide for grades 3-8, packaged in a blue loose-leaf notebook (with photo of particularly woolly sheep on the cover), and illustrated throughout with color photographs and diagrams. Tucked in a pocket in the front is an illustrated \u201cSheep and Wool Map of the World,\u201d with drawings of dozens of different breeds of sheep (among them the Hungarian Zackel, which has corkscrew horns, and the Scotch Blackface, which looks like a walking shag carpet). The lessons \u2013 which include in-depth historical and scientific background information, varied projects with complete instructions, and supplementary resource lists for teachers \u2013 variously cover the history of sheep, the science of wool, felting, spinning, natural dyeing, braiding, weaving, and knitting.For example, kids make felted pouches and juggling balls, produce different-colored yarns from a range of natural dyes, build a traditional Japanese \u201cMaru Dai\u201d or braiding stool (braids, it turns out, were used to lace plates of samurai armor together), experiment with paper weaving, potholder looms, popsicle-stick \u201cbackstrap\u201d looms, and tapestry looms, and learn to knit.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Our three boys began their (limited) knitting careers with a knitting mushroom, which somebody got for a birthday. The mushroom is a variation on the knitting spool or knitting nancy, a clever little doohickey with which kids can produce long knitted strings, suitable for making bracelets or headbands. (The strings can also be coiled and stitched; there was talk here once of making an entire dining-room rug, but we settled for a trio of coasters.) Knitting spools<\/a> (etc.) are available in a range of permutations in wood and plastic.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nSee these You Tube instructions for making your own spool knitter<\/a>, using a cardboard tube and craft sticks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nJudy Ann Sadler\u2019s Corking<\/em> (Kids Can Press, 1995) includes instructions for making your own home-style knitting spools from toilet-paper rolls and tin cans, along with knitting instructions and an assortment of simple projects for ages 5 and up.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Melanie Falick\u2019s Kids Knitting<\/em> (Artisan, 2003), targeted at ages 5-12, is a 128-page guide illustrated with bright drawings and color photographs that takes young knitters from first stitches to first sweater. Projects are arranged in order of difficulty (starting with a simple square), and Falick also provides instructions for making your own wooden knitting needles, dyeing yarn (with Kool-Aid), felting, and more.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nAlso see Sarah Bradberry\u2019s Kids Knit!<\/em> (Sterling, 2006) for ages 8 and up, which features instructions for 20 kid-friendly knitting projects, among them a washcloth, a scarf, a teddy-bear puppet, and a tote bag.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Arguably the most famous knitter in fiction is Madame Defarge, the sinister villain in Charles Dickens\u2019s Tale of Two Cities<\/em>, who sits clicking her needles at the foot of the guillotine \u2013 but there\u2019s also the busily knitting Sheep encountered by Alice in Lewis Carroll\u2019s Through the Looking-Glass<\/em>, and Agatha Christie\u2019s clever Miss Marple who adroitly solves murder mysteries while knitting.<\/p>\n

Among the pleasantly funny stories in Robert McCloskey\u2019s Homer Price<\/em> (Puffin, 2005) is a tale of a knitting competition and some truly enormous balls of yarn; and in Eleanor Estes\u2019s The Middle Moffat<\/em> (Sandpiper, 2001), set in the days of World War I, young Jane struggles to knit a scarf (or maybe a helmet) for a soldier in France. Laura and Mary knit mittens and stockings in Laura Ingalls Wilder\u2019s Little House<\/em> books; and in Mary Norton\u2019s The Borrowers<\/em>, Homily \u2013 the tiny Borrower mother \u2013 knits sweaters made of cotton thread using straight pins as knitting needles.<\/p>\n

All the troubles in Dr. Seuss\u2019s environmental parable The Lorax<\/em> (Random House, 1971) stem from knitting, when the greedy Once-ler discovers that the Lorax\u2019s beloved Truffula trees can be turned into knitted thneeds. And who can forget the gaudy hand-knitted Weasley sweaters in Harry Potter?<\/p>\n

Also see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Mac Barnett\u2019s Extra Yarn<\/em> (Balzer + Bray, 2012) for ages 4-8 \u2013 with wonderful illustrations by Jon Klassen \u2013 is the story of Annabelle who \u201con a cold afternoon, in a cold little town, where everywhere you looked was either the white of snow or the black soot from chimneys,\u201d found a marvelous colorful box of yarn. Soon, knitting sweater after sweater (for people, dogs, and even pickup trucks), she turns the town into a warm and brightly colored place \u2013 until a selfish archduke steals the mysterious and seemingly bottomless yarn box. But he gets his comeuppance. A thoroughly delightful read.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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In Tomie dePaola\u2019s Charlie Needs a Cloak<\/em> (Aladdin, 1982), Charlie the shepherd needs a cloak \u2013 and the story shows how he goes about getting one, from shearing the sheep through washing the wool, spinning, weaving, dyeing, and sewing the new garment. The sheep help out (or not) every step of the way, and much of the charm of the story is in the clever and whimsical illustrations. For ages 4 and up.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nIn Annemarie van Haeringen\u2019s How to Knit a Monster<\/em> (Clarion, 2018), Greta the goat is such a talented knitter that her creations can come to life \u2013 but if she doesn\u2019t pay attention, suddenly monsters spring from her needles and she needs to knit her way out of danger. For ages 4-7.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Joanna Johnson\u2019s Phoebe\u2019s Sweater<\/em>(Slate Falls Press, 2010) is the story of a young mouse whose mother is expecting a baby. While waiting for Phoebe\u2019s new brother or sister to be born, the mother knits Phoebe a very special sweater. Included in the book are knitting patterns for Phoebe\u2019s sweater and a Phoebe mouse toy. For ages 4-8, plus an adult knitter.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Sweaters, of course, aren\u2019t always a success. In The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater That Grandma Knit\u00a0<\/em>(HarperCollins, 2009) by Debbie Macomber and Mary Lou Carney, Cameron gets a handmade sweater from his grandmother for his birthday – and he hates it. He does his level best to get rid of it \u2013 dousing it with mustard, putting it on the dog \u2013 all to no avail. Then Grandma comes to visit and explains why she chose each of the sweater\u2019s special colors, and Cameron comes to understand that when it comes to gifts, it\u2019s the thought that counts. For ages 3-7. Included are knitting instructions and the pattern for the truly terrible horrible sweater.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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George Ella Lyon\u2019s Weaving the Rainbow<\/em> (Atheneum\/Richard Jackson Books, 2004) for ages 3-8, illustrated with lovely soft watercolors, is the start-to-finish story of a weaver and her flock of sheep, showing how wool is transformed into a rainbow-colored woven tapestry.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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In Barbara Brooks Wallace\u2019s Argyle<\/em> (Boyds Mills Press, 2004), Argyle \u2013 an ordinary plain-white sheep \u2013 discovers a secret field of magical flowers and, after eating them, develops a coat of brilliant multi-colored stripes. The shepherd\u2019s wife knits Argyle\u2019s wool into spectacular plaid socks, which make her and her husband rich, and Argyle famous. Fame, unfortunately, isn\u2019t much fun \u2013 and Argyle is relieved when the magic wears off and he\u2019s able to return to his flock. For ages 5-9.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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In Knitting Nell<\/em> by Julie Jersild Roth (Houghton Mifflin, 2006), Nell \u2013 who was once told by mean Danny Tucker that she has a voice like a cricket with a pillow over its head \u2013 is shy and quiet and hardly ever talks. What she does, however, is knit \u2013 making blankets for new babies, and hats and socks and mittens for people in need. None of her friends think much of her hobby \u2013 until she knits a sweater that wins first prize at the county fair and receives a medal for her many good works for others. Clever artwork and design add greatly to the story. For ages 5-9.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nDonate a knitting project! The Snuggles Project<\/a>\u00a0recruits volunteers to knit security blankets for homeless animals.\u00a0The Linus Project<\/a> is an organization of volunteer \u201cblanketeers\u201d who knit blankets for sick or needy children.<\/p>\n

Also see Knitting for Charity<\/a>, which has a list of volunteer organizations and knitting patterns.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Knitting: Math and Science<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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\"\"<\/td>\nMaking Mathematics with Needlework: Ten Papers and Ten Projects<\/em>, edited by Sarah-Marie Belcastro and Carolyn Yackel (A.K. Peters\/CRC Press, 2007) is worth a look even if you’re a little squeegy about higher math. For each of the projects, there\u2019s an overview of the mathematical concept, teaching ideas, and instructions, all with great color illustrations. For mathematically inclined teenagers and curious others.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Home of Mathematical Knitting<\/a>\u00a0has some interesting links to galleries of mathematical fiber arts and instructions for making knitted Mobius strips and Klein bottles.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nWhat Is the Science Behind Knitting?<\/a> Turns out there\u2019s a lot.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nKnitting for Nerds<\/a>\u00a0has dozens of knitted mathematical and scientific projects. Make a periodic table sweater, a 3D knitted DNA model (suitable as a squishy toy for babies), crocheted snowflakes, an assortment of extremely personable knitted microbes, and a spectacular knitted squid.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nScience-Inspired Knitting Patterns<\/a>. Make a Mars Rover hat, moon phase mittens, or a DNA headband. (And more.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nLearn anatomy (!) with dissected knit creatures<\/a> by Emily Stoneking.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Knitting: Hobbits, Robots, and Siamese Cats<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There are dozens of available knitting and crochet books – interested knitters can make not only scarves (good for beginners) and sweaters, but teddybears, dolls, dinosaurs, and huggable monsters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Toni Carr\u2019s Knits for Nerds<\/em> (Andrews McMeel, 2012) has instructions for 30 projects with science fiction and fantasy themes, among them a baby Elf Beanie, Hobbit Slippers (with furry toes), and a robot.<\/p>\n

Also by Carr, see Geek Knits<\/em> (2015), another 30 projects, among them robot gloves, time traveler socks, and a dragon.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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From Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, Knit Your Own Cat<\/em> (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2012) has knitted patterns for sixteen different felines, among them Persian, Orange, and Siamese. Also see Knit Your Own Dog<\/em> (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2011), with which dog-lovers can knit everything from a corgi to a Siberian husky.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

And who doesn\u2019t like sheep?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/td>\nFor serious sheep-lovers, Your Sheep<\/em> by Paula Simmons and Darrell L. Salsbury (Storey Publishing, 1992) is \u201cA Kid\u2019s Guide to Raising and Showing\u201d \u2013 that is, a 120-page guide to sheep-owning for ages 10 and up.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nRobin Nelson\u2019s From Sheep to Sweater<\/em> (Lerner Classroom, 2013), one of the Start to Finish series, begins with shearing a sheep, then traces the process through sorting, washing, carding, spinning, and knitting to finished sweater. For ages 5-9.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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For ages 2-5, Where Is the Green Sheep?<\/em> by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek (Harcourt Children\u2019s Books, 2004) is a clever repetitive read for just-beginners. There are red sheep and blue sheep, thin sheep and wide sheep, bath sheep and bed sheep \u2013 but where is the green sheep?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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For ages 3-7. Rob Scotton\u2019s Russell the Sheep<\/em> (HarperCollins, 2011) stars a wonderful googly-eyed sheep in a blue-and-white-striped nightcap who simply cannot \u2013 no matter what he counts \u2013 go to sleep. Funny and delightful.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nIn Morag Hood\u2019s Brenda is a Sheep<\/em> (Random House, 2020), Brenda \u2013 who has gray fur, sharp teeth, and a long bushy tail, and wears an orange sweater \u2013 claims to be a sheep, and the sheep all love her. A clever twist on the story of a wolf in sheep\u2019s clothing. For ages 3-7.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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A similarly insomniac sheep is the main character of Satoshi Kitamura\u2019s When Sheep Cannot Sleep<\/em> (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1988), a counting book in which the wakeful Woolly goes for a walk on which he sees one butterfly, two ladybugs, three owls, four bats \u2013 and finally 20 stars, and 21 relatives (all sheep). As he counts these last, he falls asleep.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Charlotte, of Anu Stohner and Henrike Wilson\u2019s Brave Charlotte<\/em> (Bloomsbury USA, 2005) is \u2013 to the dismay of the rest of the flock – a most unsheep-like and daring sheep.\u00a0 When the shepherd breaks a leg, however, it\u2019s Charlotte who manages to get help and save the day. For ages 4-8.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Rocky and Blossom, of Chris Monroe’s Sneaky Sheep<\/em> (Carolrhoda Books, 2010), have been known to make some bad decisions – skateboarding without helmets, sunbathing on the railroad tracks, running with scissors. Luckily Murphy the sheepdog is around when the devious duo sneak off to the forbidden high meadow and encounter a hungry wolf. For ages 4-8.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nIn Olivier Tallec\u2019s Louis I, King of the Sheep<\/em> (Enchanted Lion Books, 2015), a gust of wind blows a blue crown toward Louis \u2013 who puts it on his head and declares himself King of the Sheep. As Louis rises to power, he becomes increasingly entitled and arrogant, eventually even deciding to drive out all the sheep who don\u2019t look like him. And then a gust of wind blows the crown away. A good discussion book about the uses and abuses of power for ages 5-9.<\/p>\n

Pair this one with Dr. Seuss\u2019s Yertle the Turtle<\/em> (Random House, 1958), in which Yertle the Turtle is king of the pond.<\/p>\n

From Brainpickings, see an excellent overview and discussion of Louis I, King of the Sheep<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\"\"<\/td>\nIn Dick-King-Smith\u2019s Babe the Gallant Pig<\/em> (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2005), young Babe is adopted by Farmer Hogget\u2019s sheepdog Fly \u2013 and against all odds goes on to become a prize-winning sheep-herding pig. For ages 8-12.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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For ages 10 and up, David Macaulay\u2019s BAAA<\/em> (Sandpiper, 1985) is a fable on the order of James Thurber\u2019s The Last Flower<\/em>, with touches of \u201cSoylent Green.\u201d The last person on earth has disappeared \u2013 and a flock of sheep wanders into town and gradually takes up where humanity left off. Soon the sheep encounter all the problems of their predecessors: overpopulation, food shortages, zealotry, military police. To cope with famine, a new food called BAAA appears \u2013 and simultaneously, suspiciously, the sheep population goes into a sharp decline. Finally there are just two sheep left \u2013 and then, none. It\u2019s not an upbeat story, but it’s a great discussion book.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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For ages 8-12, James Riordan\u2019s Jason and the Golden Fleece\u00a0<\/em>(Frances Lincoln Children\u2019s Books, 2005) \u2013 with a Russell-Crowe-ish Jason in leopard skin on the cover \u2013 is a 64-page retelling of the tale of Jason\u2019s Argonauts and the quest for the fabulous Golden Fleece.Jason\u2019s story can also be found in D\u2019Aulaire\u2019s Greek Myths\u00a0<\/em>by Ingri and Edgar Parin d\u2019Aulaire (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 1992).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nAlso see Mythology<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nSheep 101<\/a>, authored by a sheep and goat specialist from the University of Maryland, has a wealth of historical, scientific \u2013 and quirky \u2013 information about sheep. Readers find out that sheep are brilliant at recognizing faces, that not all sheep produce wool, and that, during World War I, Woodrow Wilson kept sheep on the White House lawn \u2013 among them a tobacco-chewing ram named Old Ike.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nMake your own sheep! See 30 Lamb and Sheep Crafts<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nMake a paper-plate sheep mask<\/a>!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\nPaper sheep puppets<\/a>! (Put on a play?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are lots of educational possibilities in yarn. (Yes, yarn!) Knitting is a marvelous activity for kids, touted by 18th-century educator Johann Pestalozzi for teaching…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[774],"tags":[618,619,612,613,614,617,615,611,609,610,616],"class_list":["post-123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animals","tag-knitting-and-math","tag-knitting-and-science","tag-knitting-books","tag-knitting-for-children","tag-knitting-lesson-plans","tag-knitting-projects","tag-knitting-teaching-resources","tag-sheep-books","tag-sheep-lesson-plans","tag-sheep-teaching-resources","tag-yarn"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123"}],"version-history":[{"count":124,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20647,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions\/20647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebeccaruppresources.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}