Lesson 2: Needle Felting
Duration of Days: 5
Lesson Objective
Students will understand how wool fibers "lock" together through friction and will use repeated motion to create a 2D or 3D felted shape.
1. How does fluffy wool become a solid shape? 2. Can you feel the wool getting "tougher" as we work it?
Needle Felt, Roving (Wool), Needles, Friction, Agitation.
VA:Cr2.2.HS1 (Demonstrate safe use of materials and tools); Fine Motor Coordination.
Biology/Science: Understanding the structure of animal fibers (scales on wool) and how friction causes physical changes.
Students use special barbed needles to "poke" loose wool roving into a foam base or a cookie cutter. Purpose: To develop hand-eye coordination and explore the physical property of "entanglement." DOK Level 2.
How wool sweaters "shrink" in the wash (accidental felting); the use of felt in winter clothing like boots and hats for insulation.
Thinking the wool is glued together (clarify that it’s the "hooks" on the needle doing the work); fear of the needle (addressed through safety tools).
Safety First: Use Multi-needle Punch Tools with built-in spring guards so the needles are never exposed.
Boundary Guides: Place Metal Cookie Cutters on the foam; students "fill" the shape with wool, which provides a physical wall to prevent finger-pokes.
Physical: Use Leather Finger Protectors (thimbles) for students with higher dexterity, or clamping the foam base to the table for students who need to work one-handed.
The student will produce a "Felted Patch" or 3D shape that stays together when pulled gently, showing successful fiber entanglement.