The Thread Project: One World, One Cloth 

Suggestions for Gathering Threads in a Primary School Setting

With the prevalence of school violence, many educators are saying we need to learn tolerance, acceptance, and compassion to effectively interact with others. Imagery can help us understand and make connections with others. One student tying a piece of yarn, to someone else's ribbon, which is then tied to someone else's thread, is a very simple, visual image of what it means to validate our differences and celebrate our unity. Celebrating diversity through unity is one of the cornerstones of The Thread Project: One World, One Cloth.

An approach for primary schools to become part of the project might be something as simple as putting forth a challenge called "How big is our circle?" Or "How long can we make our thread?" The learning objectives are to understand and celebrate our individual identity in a positive way, and to recognize the importance of each group member's contribution to the whole.

After each child has tied their thread to the long strand, the group can huddle into the center to see if the thread can fit around the perimeter of the group. In other words, How big is our circle? Does it include everyone? If it doesn't then more threads need to be cut and tied on until everyone in the class or group can get inside the circle of thread. The group works together to make sure everyone is included. If it's not possible to gather the group in a circle then using the challenge How long is our thread? encourages everyone to participate to make the longest thread possible. Every individual contribution is important to the whole.

At the end of either thread gathering exercise, the students can be told that their long strand of thread is going to be sent to The Thread Project: One World, One Cloth, where it will be joined to other threads gathered from people around the world. Then all of these threads are going to be woven into a huge tapestry that will hang in a public place (the cloth will be offered to the United Nations) where people can go look at it.

Supplies:

There are two options for supplies. The idea is to have some diversity in thread fibers.

1)   A note can be sent home asking parents to send in a 2 foot length of any color ribbon, yarn,     string, twine, shoe lace, or 1" wide scrap of material.

2)  Faculty provides various colored ribbons, yarn, string, thick thread, cording, etc. The Threads may be pre-cut to 2 feet (a suggested length to give enough room for thread to fit around the perimeter of the group.)

Exercise:

· Each child either brings or selects a thread

· The children start to tie their threads together, one at a time or several at a time, the idea is to end up with all of the threads tied into one long strand. (A little lesson or help in tying a knot that holds the threads together firmly might be in order. A simple secure knot involves placing the two threads beside each other and knotting the two threads as if they are only one.)

· After the threads have been tied, the children can be asked, "How big is our circle?" Is it big enough to include everyone? Then the children huddle into a circle inside the thread, with some members of the group holding on to the thread from inside the circle, to see if it will fit around the group. (Some knots may come loose at this point and need to be retied. This is good because it requires group effort and concern for keeping the strand unified and in tact.) If the thread is not long enough to enclose the group, then a final length of thread needs to be cut and tied on that will achieve the desired result

· After everyone is inside the circle, it can be stated the circle is indeed big enough to include everyone and how important this is. The feat can then be applauded or cheered.

· Explain that the thread will now be sent to The Thread Project: One World, One Cloth, where it will be tied to other threads from people around the world, and woven into a big cloth (tapestry). It could be spatially pointed out how large the cloth will be, i.e., from this desk to that wall (the completed cloth will measure, 6 X 14 feet). Then it could be said that the cloth will be hung on a wall, in a building like a museum or the United Nations where lots of people can come to see it.

· Send the long strand of thread to: The Thread Project: One World, One Cloth, Box 488, Isle of Palms, SC 29451

· If you would like to include a paragraph about the experience it would be most welcomed and added to a project notebook.

· For more information visit the web site at www.threadproject.com or contact Terry Helwig at terry@threadproject.com