Threads through South America: Weaving in Ecuador

This lesson for grade six takes a look at the weaving and textiles created in the Andes of Ecuador in and near the town of Otavalo. In addition to learning about Ecuadorian weaving, students may also create their own woven artifact.

A lesson plan for grade 6 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Social Studies

By Eric Eaton

Images of traditional weavers in the highlands of Ecuador can help students draw connections between social studies and the arts. (Photograph by Margery H. Freeman. More about the photograph)

Making connections

Teachers may include comparisons and contrasts with other cultures and their weaving methods, designs, and techniques. Examples are readily found on the Internet and in book resources.

Integrating social studies and the arts

I like to engage students in hands-on and kinesthetic activities as often as possible. I also like to integrate the arts into my lessons. The weaving project is optional, but it offers an opportunity to provide an alternative way of engaging students while learning about the cultures of distant and non-so-distant places. The weaving can be altered and larger boards and larger rope-like pieces of string or yarn may be used instead of knitting yarn.

Learn more

• Traditional weaving in Ecuador Photographs and text illustrate traditional weaving in Ecuador, from carding and spinning wool to selling finished products at the market.

Related pages

• Majestic peaks: Mountains of North Carolina and Ecuador: In this lesson for grade six, students analyze two photographs: one of the mountains of Ecuador and one of the mountains of Western North Carolina. Students then analyze the two photographs together to gain an understanding of the two regions' similarities and differences.
• Ecuador: A study of population: In this lesson, students will create population pyramid graphs and analyze photographs to investigate population in Ecuador. Students will draw on this analysis to make predictions about how population issues will affect Ecuador's future. The lesson plan is designed to be adapted to the study of various countries.
• Ecuador: A land of climate diversity: In this lesson, students will create climate graphs and analyze photographs to investigate the various types of climate in Ecuador and the interactions between climate and human culture. The lesson plan is designed to be adapted to the study of various countries.

Related topics

• Learn more about Andes, Ecuador, Otavalo, South America, crafts, geography, photographs, visual literacy, weaving, and world cultures.

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Weaving and textiles are an integral part of many cultures of the world. The woven arts and crafts are expressions of various life experiences and events and tell a story of the people or groups of people who create them. This lesson takes a look at the weaving and textiles created in the Andes of Ecuador in and near the town of Otavalo. In addition to learning about Ecuadorian weaving, students may also create their own woven artifact.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• explore native weaving traditions of Ecuador through photo analysis and research of textiles created in Otavalo, Ecuador
• make observations of the traditional weaving process in Otavalo, Ecuador through the analysis of various photographs
• create their own weaving/textile sample using basic weaving techniques and processes (optional activity)

Teacher planning

Materials needed

• Multimedia projector
• Internet connection
• Images of weaving in Otavalo, Ecuador from the LEARN NC multimedia collection (Printed copies of the images may be used if there is no access to computers or multimedia projector.)
• Photograph analysis worksheet
• Weaving art project [optional]:
  • Scissors
  • Thin stiff cardboard pieces cut to about 5×7 inches for each student, with an even number of slits cut into each 5 inch end OR ready-made weaving cards, which are available at craft stores and through school supply catalogs.
  • Various colors of yarn (enough for all students to have about 3 yards)

Time required for lesson

One to two 60-minute class periods (More time may be needed if the student weaving project is included.)

Pre-activities

The activities in this lesson should be part of a larger study of South America.

Teachers should read to familiarize themselves with Ecuador through sites such as the CIA World Factbook or other online sites about Ecuador. A good place to begin is by locating Ecuador on Google Earth and pinpointing Otavalo, Ecuador (location 0°13’55.09” N, 78° 15’58.81”W). Ecuador has a rich pre-and post-Columbian history as well as a diverse geography and climate. Teachers should also read about traditional weaving activities in Otavalo, Ecuador and read the captions for the photos in the LEARN NC Ecuador multimedia collection.

Before completing these activities, teachers should have students locate Ecuador on a map or Google Earth and discuss basic facts such as regions, climate, culture, and language groups. Students may also pinpoint Otavalo through a Google Earth search. Teachers will want to familiarize students with analysis of photographs through various levels of questioning.

Teachers may want to also familiarize themselves and their students with the vocabulary listed with this lesson plan. Furthermore, teachers may want to read about and present to their students the work of Ecuadorian traditional weaver Miguel Andrango from the NativeWeb website.

Teachers using the mini-weaving project (activity three) should collect needed materials before the lesson (yarn, 5 x 7 thin cardboard pieces for each student, scissors). Cut about 10 slits (or any even number of slits) evenly spaced on the 5-inch ends of the cardboard (10 on each end) before beginning.

Activities

It is not necessary to use all of the activities described below. Each activity can be used by itself or in conjunction with the others.

Activity one: The weaving process through pictures

1. Divide students into small groups and give each group a copy of the photos showing the weaving process from carding wool to selling the finished product in markets. (This will require teachers to cut and paste the photos into a Word document and make copies, to present the pictures, or to set up a file with the photos on student-accessible computers.)
2. Direct students to place the photos in the order they believe shows the weaving process from start to finish (processing wool to finished product to be sold).
3. Each group’s set of photos should be in random order with no labels. Give student groups time to discuss the set of photos and place them in the order that they believe shows the textile-producing process.
4. After students complete the task, allow groups to share their ideas with the class and explain why they ordered the photos in a particular order.
5. Reveal to students the order and the captions for the pictures and discuss the weaving process. (The basic order is carding of fibers, spinning into thread, weaving using a back-strap or pedal loom, finishing the product, and selling in the marketplace. Several pictures may show the same step. One suggested order is presented in the slideshow “Traditional Weaving in Ecuador.”) As you discuss the weaving process, incorporate some of the vocabulary related to weaving such as carding, loom, warp, weft, etc. (See “Critical Vocabulary” below.)
6. Further question students about how weaving is a cultural expression for the people of Otavalo and in many other cultures. Possible questions may include:
   • Why do people still use traditional weaving methods today?
   • Why do people not use modern machines and technology to produce their craft?
   • How does the climate, location, and overall environment of Ecuador and, more specifically Otavalo, impact the weaving process, materials used, and finished product?

Activity two: Photo analysis

1. Choose a photo from the selection related to weaving in Otavalo, such as a photo showing the open air market in Otavalo or someone weaving a traditional textile. Have students complete the photo analysis sheet or create your own photo analysis questions that engage students in higher levels of thinking such as those found in Bloom’s Taxonomy. (LEARN NC provides many professional articles on photo analysis and Bloom’s Taxonomy. See “Supplemental Information” below if you would like to read further on these topics.)
2. After completing the analysis, have students share and discuss their answers and thoughts about the photo. Guide students in the discussion about the cultural aspects revealed such as modern versus traditional methods (Is modern necessarily better?), appreciation of diverse cultures and traditional methods, and the preservation of traditional crafts and techniques.

Activity three: Mini-weaving project

1. Instruct students to take a length of yarn and wrap it around the card, making sure that the yarn is secured between the slits. These will be the warp threads. Have students tie off the loose ends to another thread.
2. Have the students take a second piece of thread to be used as the weft. Students should tie off one end to the first warp thread toward the bottom of the card. Instruct students to begin weaving over and under the warp threads making sure they pull the weft thread through firmly.
3. As students work their way up or down weaving, remind them to make sure the weft threads are slid down against each other tightly.
4. Finishing: Once the weaving is completed, have students turn to the back of the card where only the warping shows. Students should carefully cut the strings across the middle of the card. Starting at one side, instruct students to grasp two (warp) strings together in a loop knot close to the weaving to create a tassel so the weaving will not fall apart.
5. Have the students repeat tying the tassels to have 5 tassels on each end if using 10 warp strings, and finish by trimming the tassels to the desired length.

Extension

Have students investigate other traditional crafts or techniques in Ecuador or other areas of South America such as pottery. Search for examples of traditional crafts in other countries or regions of study. Discuss similarities and differences in materials, style, uses, etc. You may also want students to make connections with local North Carolina crafts by highlighting local traditions such as quilting, dancing, woodwork, etc.

Assessment

• Assess student responses and adjust questioning and activities as needed.
• Students can be graded on completeness of work.
• You may also gauge students’ level of thinking and understanding of photographs through the photo analysis activities and the ability of students to completely and thoughtfully answer questions on various levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. It is encouraged to have students use photo analysis activities several times throughout the year to help students create a “habit of learning” on what to look for when analyzing photographs and documents.

You, the teacher, are the best judge of your students’ learning levels and abilities.
Learning rubrics can be developed through Rubistar.

Modifications and alternative assessments

For students with certain learning disabilities, teachers may opt to accept verbal responses rather than written responses for the analysis of photographs. Teachers may also want to give students the captions for the photos in activity one to help students judge how to order the photographs.

Critical vocabulary

Textiles

Cloth

Tradition

An activity done for many years and passed down from generation to generation

Carding

Cleaning and straightening fibers such as wool or cotton before they are spun into threads for weaving, usually with a comb or brush-like device

Spinning

Twisting fibers into longer threads in preparation for weaving; can be done by hand, by simple drop distaffs (spindles), “walking” spinning wheels, or by modern machines

Loom

A device, human- or electrical-powered, used to weave threads into cloth or textiles; examples range from the simple backstrap loom to more complex treadle or pedal looms introduced into South America from Spain in colonial times

Warp

The up-and-down threads through which the weft is woven

Weft

Threads that are woven over and under the warp threads

Supplemental information

Information about Ecuador

• Ecuador page from the CIA World Factbook
• Traditional Ecuadorian weaver Miguel Andrango, from NativeWeb
• Google Earth (Basic edition available for free download.)
• Embassy of Ecuador in Washington, D.C.
• LEARN NC multimedia library collection of images from Ecuador

Photograph analysis and rubrics

• Rubric maker from Rubistar
• National Archives “Teaching With Documents” — including photo and artifact analysis sheets
• “Resources for Teaching with Photographs”, from LEARN NC

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• “Kinetic Connections: Bloom’s Taxonomy in Action“, from LEARN NC
• “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words,” from LEARN NC

Funding for this lesson plan was provided by the UNC Center for Global Initiatives through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s International Education Programs Service.