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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that an important part of a young girl's education was the making of samplers and that this helped to prepare them for a lifetime of sewing. They will look at samplers in the American Centuries digital collection and make note of what was typically included on a sampler of that time period. They will create their own sampler that includes some of the same elements.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Model "Learning to Look" and the "Look Closer" feature using images of samplers in the American Centuries digital collection. Divide the class into groups and assign each group a sampler. Have each group look at the details of their sampler using the "Look Closer" feature.
Step 2.
Ask the groups to share their observations of the samplers. Record these observations and list the common elements and differences of the samplers. Explain that young girls once made samplers as part of their education.
Step 3.
Elicit children's thoughts about what skills the girls learned as they stitched a sampler. Explain that in the past sewing was one of many important skills that children had to spend a lot of time practicing. Brainstorm skills that may be as important to practice today and the ways in which we practice these skills.
Step 4.
Model how to sew with a needle and thread. Model and diagram how to make simple stitches. Give the children time to try their hand at sewing some simple stitches. Hardanger cloth, coarse-woven hopsacking, or plastic mesh, and blunt needles may be easier for young children to use. Once they have the hang of it, encourage them to try stitching a letter of the alphabet or a simple design. Elicit the children's thoughts about how difficult they think it must have been to complete a sampler.
Step 5.
Explain that they will be creating their own samplers with graph paper and colored pencils. Refer back to the list of elements they noted were on the samplers in the American Centuries digital collection.
Step 6.
Have the students create a sampler that includes their name, the date, a decorative border and other elements of their choice.
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