Knit Your Bit

I love this story!

I was looking for a way to use it with a class and found a willing participant in our Academic Decathlon teacher. He wanted something for the students to do after competition that would build teamwork and I wanted a way for our kids to give back to the community. We settled on this story and a project.

Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story by Deborah Hopkinson (illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia) is historical fiction about a real "knit-in" event in Central Park in 1918. The story is cute, but also shows how we can do even small things to make a difference in the lives of others.

After reading the book, the students were given a crochet hook (because I don't know how to knit), a skein of yarn and an iPad. They were instructed to find videos on YouTube that show how to crochet and try to teach themselves. I was on hand to help out as well...most were chain stitching by the end of the period and had the assignment to bring back a very well-crocheted chain by the next class. We will then move on to single and double crochet so they can create something to give away. We will be donating what we make to the nearby hospitals.

Here's a good basic video on how to crochet:

Here is a collage of the students and the teacher working with their yarn. Note: The teacher tried to "cheat" the photo by using a crocheted piece I'm working on so you'd think he already knew how!

On a side note, I decided to start a crochet club in the library last semester because I couldn't wait to do this lesson. I had a small group of girls that were obsessed with making hats after I showed them how. We turned it into a competition to help the DECA group in our school. They had asked for hats to donate for cancer patients. My girls crocheted over 150 hats during the Winter Break! I was so proud of them!