BASIC INFORMATION

Michaela LaCroix
Designer(s)

Title Kente Cloth Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will learn about the history and importance of the Kente Cloth in
*Summary of performance task
African Culture. We will discuss a brief history and spiritual importance of the Kente cloth in
Ghana. They will then create their own Kente cloth by weaving complementary colored
paper together and creating designs inspired by Kente Cloth from Ghana. This will be the
first of a series of lessons that students will complete that will focus on complementary
colors.
Grades 2 – 5
*Grade/Level

Time Frame 1, 40-minute class period

3rd and 4th Grade: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Develop ideas
that explore different art elements (e.g., line, shape, color) using a wide variety of
materials. (3-4.V.Cr.01)
*Standards

Lesson Concept/Big Idea In this lesson, students will focus on Ghana’s Kente cloth in order to investigate how
different world cultures represent their values and beliefs through the craft of weaving.

Students will be able to…

Lesson Objectives
1. Utilize complementary colors in their Kente cloth
2. Create geometric designs on their cloth to reference patterns and shapes found on
traditional Ghana Kente cloths.
3. Weave the paper correctly to create a checkerboard pattern.
4. Complete the worksheet to explain/justify their use of color in relation to what colors
represent in Ghana culture

1. How does cloth unite the world?

2. How can colors be representational?

Essential Questions
Guiding Questions 1. What is the role of woven fabric?

2. What makes a piece of clothing religious/spiritual?

3. What is the complementary color of __(color)__?

4. What does complementary mean? What would it mean if a color complemented

another color?

5. What observations can we make about complementary colors? How do they look
next to one another?

6. Where have you seen Kente Cloths before?

7. Who might wear a Kente Cloth?

8. What might a Kente Cloth be used for?

9. What things do you own that are sacred/important to you?

Knowledge and Skills Students will…
 1. Engage in discussions during the preliminary activity
2. Answer guiding questions about complementary colors and Kente Cloths
3. Choose a complementary color pair to focus on
4. Weave paper strips together to make a paper Kente Cloth
5. Decorate their paper Kente Cloth using geometric symbols
6. Create patterns with their added decorative designs
7. Discuss and share their work and its meaning with the rest of the class
8. Self-assess their own work with an art rubric

The preliminary activity will be a presentation that will briefly introduce Ghana and the
importance of the Kente Cloth in Ghana’s culture. This presentation will also introduce
and reinforce identifying complementary colors.
Motivation https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JFX92ATTrNNCF6-XD60QxknM4m8a-
eUE84HT8eZOf-Q/edit?usp=sharing
The teacher will:

 Restate classroom routines and expectations

 Lead a presentation that will introduce students to Ghana and the importance of
Sequence of Activities the Kente Cloth in Ghana’s culture (see link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JFX92ATTrNNCF6-XD60QxknM4m8a-
eUE84HT8eZOf-Q/edit?usp=sharing )

 Ask students to answer guiding questions in the presentation that bring up

important discussions about the topics at hand

 Introduce/review complementary colors and have students identify those color

groups

 Ask students to select a complementary color group to work with

 Pass out supplies according to what complementary colors students individually

want to work with

 Play the video demonstration on how to paper weave

 Hang and discuss the geometric pattern reference sheet

 Set a timer for students to work on their projects

 Pass out paper materials that students request based on color choices

 Play paper weaving video while students work so they can reference it if they
get stuck and need help

 Reinforce that students must raise hands to discuss with instructor before
moving onto drawing their geometric patterns

 Those who are ready will have a correctly woven paper with strips glued down

 When timer goes off, begin clean-up routines

 Collect artwork to hang in the hallway

*Assessment/ Rubrics Students will self-assess using an art rubric. Teacher will give feedback on that self-
assessment.
Students will also fill out an artist statement explaining their Kente cloth (why it is
special, what colors they used, what those colors mean).
 *See appendices for both the art rubric and the artist statement prompt
Classroom Routines (with COVID-19 regulations):
Stated in Google Slides (motivational activity)
1. Stay in workspace
2. Raise hands
3. Wear masks
4. Instructor will pass out materials
Routines
ART Acronym (A-aim for your best and to do right, R- respect yourself, your friends, and
the art room, T- Trust in yourself and your ability to learn)
ELL students: a visual of the complementary colors will be created and posted at the
front of the room for students to reference. The motivational activity slideshow is also
mainly visuals; therefore, ELL students will not have much to read.
Differentiated Instruction and
Accommodations
A video demonstration will be created and posted online for students to view during
class.
Demonstration Video (via YouTube): https://youtu.be/ebT3hU_eYfc

Resources

 Red and green paper and paper strips (10)

Materials  Blue and orange paper and paper strips (10)

 Yellow and purple paper and paper strips (10)

 Glue sticks (students have their own)

 Black markers/sharpies

Complementary colors: colors that sit across from one another on the color wheel
Key Words / Vocabulary Contrast: the state of being strikingly different from something else
Culture: the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation,
people, or other social group
 Explanation Worksheet

Ghana Kente Cloth Lesson Rubric