Straw Jewellery, Threading Straws with Rubber Thread for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 10
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Creativity
Curriculum Theme: Creativity
Previous Lesson: Simple craft activities involving cutting and pasting.
Topic: STRAW JEWELLERY: THREADING STRAWS WITH RUBBER THREAD
Subject Matter: STRAW JEWELLERIES. Weekly focus: Straw Jewellery: Threading Straws with Rubber Thread.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the materials needed for making straw jewellery (straws, thread, scissors).
• Understand the steps involved in cutting straws safely.
• Explain the process of threading straws onto a rubber thread.

Affective Domain

• Show interest and enjoyment in creating straw jewellery.
• Appreciate their own creative work and the work of their classmates.
• Demonstrate patience while threading the straws.

Psychomotor Domain

• Safely use child-safe scissors to cut straws into smaller pieces (with teacher guidance).
• Thread cut straw pieces onto a rubber thread to create simple jewellery.
• Develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination through the activity.

Social Domain

• Share instructional materials like straws and threads with classmates.
• Take turns when using shared tools like scissors.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education curriculum resources
• Relevant early-years craft books

Instructional Materials

• Drinking straws (various colours and sizes)
• Rubber threads, yarn, or string
• Child-safe scissors
• Small trays or bowls for cut straws
• Examples of finished straw jewellery (necklace, bracelet)
• Poster colours, paint brush, plate (if decorating straws beforehand)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it significantly develops their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. Creating straw jewellery encourages creativity and allows children to express themselves through a practical, hands-on activity, fostering a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have previously engaged in simple cutting activities (e.g., cutting paper shapes) and have experience with basic craft materials. They can identify various colours and understand simple instructions.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Straw Jewellery: Threading Straws with Rubber Thread

Straw jewellery is a fun and creative way to make necklaces, bracelets, or other decorative items using drinking straws and thread. It helps us to use our hands carefully and make beautiful things.

Steps to Make Straw Jewellery:

1. Gather Materials: You need straws, rubber thread (or yarn), and child-safe scissors.
2. Cut the Straws: Use your child-safe scissors to cut the long straws into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Be careful when cutting!
3. Prepare the Thread: Take a piece of rubber thread. You can tie a knot at one end to stop the straws from falling off.
4. Thread the Straws: Carefully pick up each small straw piece and push the thread through its hole. Keep adding straws until your jewellery is long enough.
5. Finish Your Jewellery: When you have enough straws, tie the two ends of the thread together to make a necklace or a bracelet.

Making straw jewellery helps your fingers get strong and makes your eyes and hands work together!

Key Words

• Straw – A thin tube used for drinking, which we can cut and thread.
• Thread – A thin string or rubber band used to pass through the straws.
• Cut – To divide something into pieces using scissors.
• Jewellery – Decorative items like necklaces or bracelets that we wear.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display various colours of drinking straws and rubber threads.
• Show examples of pre-cut straw pieces.
• Demonstrate how to hold child-safe scissors correctly and cut a straw safely.
• Demonstrate how to hold the thread and push a straw piece onto it.
• Show finished examples of straw necklaces and bracelets.

Threading Fun Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Straws so colourful and bright,
Cut them small with all our might.
Snip, snip, snip, so carefully,
Making pieces, one, two, three.

Take your thread, hold it tight,
Push the straw with all your might.
In and out, the straws all go,
Making jewellery, watch it grow!

Actions:

• “Straws so colourful and bright” – Hold up straws.
• “Cut them small with all our might” – Make cutting motion with fingers.
• “Snip, snip, snip, so carefully” – Repeat cutting motion.
• “Making pieces, one, two, three” – Count on fingers.
• “Take your thread, hold it tight” – Pretend to hold a thread.
• “Push the straw with all your might” – Make a pushing motion with one hand through the other.
• “In and out, the straws all go” – Wiggle fingers.
• “Making jewellery, watch it grow!” – Hold hands up as if showing a necklace.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song after demonstrating the cutting and threading steps to reinforce the actions and encourage pupils as they work on their jewellery.

Watch and Practise

Let’s watch a short video to see how others make beautiful straw necklaces. Pay attention to how they cut the straws and thread them!

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Manipulation of Objects, Practical Activity, Repetition.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, sings a short welcome song, and then shows them examples of simple straw jewellery (a necklace or bracelet) they can make today. “Good morning, children! Look what I have here! Isn’t this beautiful? Today, we are going to make our very own straw jewellery!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and express excitement about the jewellery.

Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the topic and motivated for the activity.

Step 2: Discussion and Material Introduction

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks, “What is this jewellery made of?” (points to straws). “What else do we need to make it?” (shows thread and scissors). The teacher introduces the materials: straws, rubber thread, and child-safe scissors, emphasizing that scissors must be used carefully.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the straws, thread, and scissors. They listen to instructions on safe scissor use.

Learning Point: Pupils identify the materials and understand basic safety rules.

Step 3: Teacher Demonstration

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher clearly demonstrates how to hold the child-safe scissors and cut a straw into small pieces. Then, the teacher demonstrates how to hold the rubber thread and carefully push a straw piece onto it. “Watch me very carefully. First, we cut the straw like this (demonstrates). Then, we take our thread and push the straw through the hole (demonstrates).”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration attentively, paying attention to the cutting and threading techniques.

Learning Point: Pupils observe the correct procedure for cutting and threading.

Step 4: Guided Practice – Cutting Straws

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Supervision

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes straws and child-safe scissors to small groups of pupils, providing close supervision. “Now it’s your turn to try! Remember to hold your scissors carefully and cut the straws into small pieces, just like I showed you.” The teacher walks around, offering individual guidance and correction.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils practice cutting straws into smaller pieces under the teacher’s supervision.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practice safe scissor handling.

Step 5: Guided Practice – Threading Straws

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Assistance

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes rubber threads to each pupil and encourages them to start threading their cut straw pieces. The teacher reminds them of the “Threading Fun Song” and sings it with them. “Now let’s thread our straws! Push them onto the rubber thread. If it’s tricky, I can help you.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils begin threading the cut straw pieces onto their rubber threads, making necklaces or bracelets.

Learning Point: Pupils practice hand-eye coordination and threading skills.

Step 6: Creative Activity & Reinforcement

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher continues to assist pupils, encouraging them to choose different coloured straws and to make their jewellery as long as they like. The teacher praises their efforts and reminds them to be patient. The “Threading Fun Song” can be sung again.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils continue to thread straws, creating their unique jewellery pieces. They show their work to the teacher and peers.

Learning Point: Pupils express creativity and develop perseverance.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. Show me your beautiful straw jewellery!
2. What materials did we use to make this? (Point to straws, thread, scissors).
3. Can you tell me one thing you did to make your jewellery?
4. How do we use scissors safely? (Pupils demonstrate holding them correctly).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarization/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises all pupils for their hard work and creativity. “Well done, everyone! You all made wonderful straw jewellery today. Remember to always be careful when using scissors.” The teacher collects materials and leads a clean-up song.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in cleaning up and show their finished jewellery to the class.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and learn to tidy up after activities.

Lesson Keywords

• Straw – A thin tube, often plastic, used for drinking, which can be cut for crafts.
• Thread – A thin string or rubber band used to connect objects.
• Cut – To divide or open with a sharp tool like scissors.
• Jewellery – Ornaments worn for personal adornment, such as necklaces or bracelets.
• Threading – The act of passing a thread or string through a hole or object.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle with cutting, provide pre-cut straw pieces. Offer thicker straws and threads for easier manipulation. Provide hand-over-hand guidance for threading. Work in a small group with more direct teacher support.
• Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to create patterns with different coloured straws (e.g., red, blue, red, blue). Challenge them to make longer necklaces or multiple bracelets. They can also try to make a more complex design or help a peer.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have enough straws (consider different colours and sizes), rubber threads (or strong yarn/string), and child-safe scissors for each pupil or small groups. Emphasize scissor safety repeatedly; demonstrate correct grip and cutting motion. Supervise closely during the cutting activity to prevent accidents. If you choose to use poster colours to decorate the straws, this should be done in a separate session beforehand, allowing ample time for the straws to dry completely before the threading activity. The main focus of this lesson is the fine motor skill of threading. Encourage pupils to be patient and praise their efforts, regardless of the perfection of the final product. Observe pupils’ ability to hold scissors, cut straws, and thread independently as a key indicator of learning.