Does anyone do a textiles lab involving burning fabrics? I need some ideas on how to carry one
out.
Thanks,
Ashley Stevenson
---------From: Kimberly Hermansen <kimberly.hermansen@jordan.k12.ut.us>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:11 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
I do. Here is the form I give them and then I just use a tea light and tweezers to hold the fabric over a foil
pie plate. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Kimberly Hermansen
Bingham High School
From: facs-bounces@lists.uen.org [mailto:facs-bounces@lists.uen.org] On Behalf Of Ashley Stevenson
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 7:12 PM
To: facs@lists.uen.org
Subject: [facs] Textiles Lab
---------From: Lenora Reid <lenorareid@alpine.k12.ut.us>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:33 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
I do "Great Balls of Fire" where I have students come up to the front of
the room and help me with different swatches of fabric. They help me by
lighting the swatch on fire from a candle, put it out, then carry it
around the room (still in the pair of scissors I have used for this
activity forever, because it blackens the scissors and you can't use
them for anything else) so everyone can smell the odor, then they bring
it back up to the front and tell everyone what the ash looks like/feels
like. We fill in a worksheet that I have for them as we go. It helps
them to realize different properties that natural plant fibers share,
natural animal fibers, and also synthetic fibers. Plus they love that I
play the song "Great Balls of Fire" as they enter my classroom that
day.
I do use a scented candle because the fibers really smell strongly.
I don't have a computer copy of the worksheet I use yet, but I hope to
have that soon.
Lenora Reid
FACS Educator &
FCCLA Advisor
Pleasant Grove Junior High
>>> "Ashley Stevenson" <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com> 1/6/2009 7:12 PM
I do "Great Balls of Fire" where I have students come up to the front =
of the room and help me with different swatches of fabric.&nbsp; They help =
me by lighting the swatch on fire from a candle, put it out, then carry it =
around the room (still in the pair of scissors I have used for this =
activity forever, because it blackens the scissors and you can't use them =
for anything else) so everyone can smell the odor, then they bring it back =
up to the front and tell everyone what the ash looks like/feels like.&nbsp;=
We fill in a worksheet that I have for them as we go.&nbsp; It helps them =
to realize different properties that natural plant fibers share, natural =
animal fibers, and also synthetic fibers.&nbsp; Plus they love that I play =
the song "Great Balls of Fire" as they enter my classroom that day.</DIV>
<DIV>I do use a scented candle because the fibers really smell strongly.</D=
IV>
<DIV>I don't have a computer copy of the worksheet I use yet, but I hope =
to have that soon.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Lenora Reid</DIV>
<DIV>FACS Educator &amp;</DIV>
<DIV>FCCLA Advisor</DIV>
---------From: Lindsey Shirley <lindsey.shirley@usu.edu>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:33 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
Good Morning Ashley,
Here is a site that I used as a secondary teacher... there is wonderful information and resources,
including burn test instructions http://www.fabriclink.com/university/BurnTest.cfm
Have a lovely day!
Lindsey Shirley, Ph.D.
FCS Teacher Educator
Assistant Professor
Utah State University
2920 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-2920
(435) 797-3410
lindsey.shirley@usu.edu
<ATT00001.c>
---------From: Lois Nielsen <lois.nielsen@jordan.k12.ut.us>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:43 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
I used the foods lab and divided the students into groups at tables.
At each table I had a taper candle in a candle holder, bowl of water, tongs, and the fabric swatches.
You probably have the textile burning worksheet. We all burned the same swatch at the same
Time and discussed the odor, flame, ash, etc. and filled out the worksheet as we went. It was an
Ok activity but I find I don't have enough time to do it any more and can discuss the difference between
Natural and synthetics and still come out about the same. Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Lois Nielsen
West Jordan HS
---------From: Janean Thomas <janean.thomas@nebo.edu>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:55 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
I do a lab for this. I talk to the students about the different properties of the fibers then I burn a
small piece to let them see how it looks and smells. I also show them how acetate disolves in
acetone (fingernail polish remover). The next day I give my students 5 small pieces of fabric. I
tell them what they can choose from and they have to match the fabric sample with the correct
name. I only use cotton, wool, nylon, polyester and acetate. The have to burn and test them to
see what fiber they are. I let them use their notes and work in groups. If you can get to a kitchen
lab, it works well so that the burning in next to a sink. if not, put a large piece of tin foil on the
sewing counters and use a small tea candle. Check with your janitors first to see if this will all
be ok. Mine are fine with this as long as they know what the burn smell is and where it is
coming from. I also really like doing this in a kitchen lab. I break the students up into about 8
groups to do this.
Janean Thomas
Payson Jr. High
---------From: Heather Smith <hesmith@weber.k12.ut.us>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 8:08 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
Heather Smith
FACS- Orion Jr. High
---------From: Maren Malan <mmalan@weber.k12.ut.us>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 9:23 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
I'll send you my lesson plans for textiles. I adapted it from Becky Parkinson's UEN lesson. The
students loved this activity although it is quite a lot of prep work.
---------From: Jenn Nielson <jenn.nielson@aggiemail.usu.edu>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 10:56 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
Ashley,
I actually do a burning lab at Utah State University. Here is my lesson plans and worksheets for
that lab. Hope it helps. The manufactured fiber lab works the same way-we just do it a different
day.
Jenn
_______________________________________________
facs mailing list
facs@lists.uen.org
https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/facs
-Jennifer Nielson
Graduate Student
Utah State University
Jenn.Nielson@aggiemail.usu.edu
(435)757-8300 cell number
---------From: Natalie Wilson <nawilson@weber.k12.ut.us>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 12:10 PM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
I did one this semester. I just did about 6 fabrics and had them try to identify them bases on what
happened when they tried to burn them. We went outside to do it.
Natalie Wilson
---------From: Laura Schiers <lschiers@scmiddle.org>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 3:11 PM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
Hi Ashley!
I've attached the fiber burning lab that we do. Hopefully, it is self-explanatory, but if not, let me
know and I'll describe it for you. Good luck!
~Laura~
---------From: JM Brown <jerilyn.brown@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 6:17 PM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
if you get any idea, could you forward them to me! thanks
--
Jerilyn M. Brown, CFCS
American Leadership Academy
Assistant Director, CTE
---------From: Annette Castillo <annette.castillo@nebo.edu>
Date: Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 11:14 AM
To: Ashley Stevenson <ashleynstevenson@gmail.com>
Ashley, My students love that lesson. I show the movie "Your Clothes Can Burn". I get it from
the IMC and it is very old, but very good. Then I use a 100 hour candle and a lighter, tongs, and
a metal pie pan and small squares of different fabrics. I burn them and the students write on their
worksheet the results. For the fabrics I have nylon, rayon, polyester, wool, cotton, silk, linen, and
maybe some blends. The worksheet is a basic grid with type of fabric at the top, then columns for
how it burns, the color it turns, the color of ash, the smell, the color of smoke. Basically I want
them to know that synthetic fabrics are like plastic and melt, and natural fibers are like wood or
paper. We discuss why it is important to know how fabric burns, because sometimes you may
want a natural fiber, like cotton, for a quilt, and you have fabric on hand or it is in the flat folds at
the store. The saleslady will know about burning fabrics and will be happy to burn a piece for
you. I have had them do it for me. Also do you want to stand close to a campfire with polyeste
fleece pants on. What is the best blanket to throw over someone who is on fire? Wool
Hope this helps. This lesson is smelly, you will need to open a window. Annette Castillo,
Diamond Fork Jr High