Circle on Circle, Coil on Coil:
Lessons on Cultural Traditions in the Time of Slavery
Teacher: Judith Gilmartin and Donna Sullivan-Macdonald, Orchard Elementary School, South
Burlington, Vermont
Grade Level of Lessons: Elementary School
Time Required: Two Class Periods
Topic: Sweetgrass Basket Cultural Traditions in the Time of Slavery in the Sea Islands of the
Carolina Coast
Context & Differentiation: These lessons are designed for elementary students studying family
traditions that may have a cultural significance. Prior to starting these lessons, the class should have
a discussion about their personal family traditions and cultural roots. To address the needs of
diverse abilities, the project may be adapted as necessary.
Content Standards:
VT H&SS 6.13b - Students understand the concept of culture, including the cultures enslaved
people on the Carolina coast. This is evident when students describe how the cultural tradition of
sweetgrass basketry is passed down in families and communities, and how traditions change over
time.
VT Arts, Language & Literature 5.13a - Students respond to literary texts and public documents
using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes. This is evident when students make
inferences about the relationship to basketmaking on the Carolina coast through the story in Circle
Unbroken.
Common Core Standards:
Speaking and Listening Standards K–5 – Comprehension & Collaboration – Students participate
in collaborative conversations about sweetgrass basket cultural traditions with peers and adults in
small and larger groups.
Focus Question: How does the sweetgrass basketmaking tradition in South Carolina help to tell
the story of the people and places during the era of U.S. slavery?
Culminating Assessment:
Students create a coiled “mug rug” in the style of a sweetgrass basket bottom. At the conclusion of
the second lesson, students write a short paragraph, guided by a scoring guide, on what they’ve
learned about cultural traditions to display with their final product.
Formative Assessment:
Students listen attentively to story and participate in class discussion. Students repeat project
directions. As students work independently on craft project, teacher is available to provide
support. At the conclusion of lesson one, students complete exit ticket that includes retelling one
fact learned about “culture” and how culture is passed down in families. Teacher assesses and
provides feedback. Reflective writing is displayed for classroom peers, parents, and other classes to
share.
Teaching and Learning Activities:
These lessons are designed to be taught as part of a larger curricular unit exploring how cultural
traditions are passed down in families and communities, and how traditions change over time.
Before beginning this lesson, students need a working definition for “culture” – shared beliefs and
traditions passed down in families, at schools, in churches, and other places of shared beliefs.
Lesson One
1. Following a classroom review of family and cultural traditions, students gather in a comfortable
place to examine sweetgrass baskets.
 If you have access to actual baskets, be sure to discuss the ground rules about handling (or
not). If baskets are not available, project or print images of sweetgrass baskets.
(http://www.visitsoutherncomfort.com/sweetgrasbas.html )
 Using the KWL chart (Appendix A), record students’ questions and observations.
2. Read the book, Circle Unbroken by Margot Theis Raven. Students first think about, then
discuss conclusions they have made (using their prior knowledge and new knowledge from the
book) about families and culture, even during times of enslavement. Add to the KWL chart as
you discuss. [There may be comments pertaining to slavery and loss of personal freedom. These
will be noted and addressed in Lesson 2.]
3. Distribute Appendix B, information about sweetgrass baskets - using facts in the back of the
book as well as photographs and secondary resources. Continue the discussion and make
connections to this new information and images. Ask and answer clarifying questions.
4. Distribute Appendix C, directions for creating individual coiled “mug rugs” . Demonstrate the
process, taking your time to model each step. (Practice this in advance.) Students verbally repeat
steps in the directions before selecting materials and moving to project area to start weaving.
5. Give students time to begin their “mug rugs.” Since this is a two session project, gather
creations for safekeeping when time has expired.
6. Exit ticket – On a blank slip of paper, students write a conclusion they’ve inferred from the
activity. Collet exit tickets before students are dismissed. Assess exit tickets before next class –
provide brief, written feedback.
Lesson Two
1. Return exit tickets to students and give them a minute to review your comments. Students then
share their findings. Add “learned” information to the “L” column in the KWL chart started last
lesson.
1. Review the two pages in Circle Unbroken which illustrate slavery. Engage students in a short
conversation about freedom and basic human rights.
2. Show “Slave Trade from Africa to the Americas” map. (Appendix D) Discuss what students
notice about the map. Talk about why these particular African people were sought after and
kidnapped specifically for the production of rice along the coast of the United States. To help
elementary students understand the distances on this map, ask students to think about the longest
trip they ever took, then do some basic multiplying to help them understand the weeks the
kidnapped people spend lying down in the dark, dank bottom of the ship. Review the cultural
traditions these people brought with them in their heads. Allow time for sharing of students’
thoughts on slavery and the loss of personal freedom during this time.
3. Show video clip on “African Rice & Baskets” from the DVD “Grass Roots: The Enduring Art
of the Lowcountry Basket” or YouTube video on sweetgrass baskets included in the Resources
section for these lessons. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrrBMyBlVfI )
4. Students finish crafting coiled “mug rugs.”
5. Students write a short reflective paragraph on culture and sweetgrass traditions to display with
project for parents and classmates to share. Discuss scoring guide (Appendix E) before students
begin.
6. Students individually complete scoring guide and turn in with completed project and reflection.
7. Gather students to discuss the essential question, How does the sweetgrass basketmaking
tradition in South Carolina help to tell the story of the people and places during the era of U.S.
slavery? Record responses in the Conclusion section of KWL chart. Be sure to identify
misconceptions and clarify responses.
8. If time permits, read In the Time of the Drums by Kim L. Siegelson to give more background
information about Africans who became slaves along the coast of the United States.
Resources:
Primary:
Photographs taken during Turning Points in American History National Field Study to South
Carolina during July 2012.
Secondary:
Adams, Dennis. Sea Island Culture. Beaufort County Library. 20 July 2012
<http://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/htdocs-sirsi/gullah2.htm>.
Adams, Dennis. Sweetgrass Baskets in the Low Country. Beaufort County Library. 20 July
2012 <http://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/htdocs-sirsi/sweetgra.htm>.
Clary, Margie Willis. A Sweet, Sweet Basket. Orangeburg, South Carolina: Sandlapper Publishing
Co., Inc., 2011.
Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art. Museum for African Art. 20 July 2012
<http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/grassroots/intro.html>.
Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art: Teachers' Guide. Museum for African Art. 20
July 2012 <http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/grassroots/gr.pdf>.
Grass Roots: The Enduring Art of the Lowcountry Basket. DVD. Center for the Documentary at
the College of Charleston, 2008.
Middleton, Marguerite. Simply Baskets; Information and History About the Sweetgrass Basket.
20 July 2012 <http://www.simplybaskets.com/SweetgrassBasketryInformation.html>.
Raven, Margot Theis. Circle Unbroken. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004.
Rosengarten, Dale. Row Upon Row: Sea Grass Baskets of the South Carolina
Lowcountry. Columbia, South Carolina: McKissick Museum, University of South
Carolina, 1994.
Shumaker, Amy. Gullah Net. knowitall.org. 23 July 2012
<http://www.knowitall.org/gullahnet/>.
Siegelson, Kim L.. In the Time of the Drums. New York: Hyperion, 1999.
Slave Trade from Africa to the Americas. 20 July 2012 < http://www.unc.edu/wrc/maps/08Map.png>.
Stoney, Shannon. How to Make a Sweet Grass Basket. eHow. 23 July 2012
<http://www.ehow.com/how_8795028_make-sweet-grass-basket.html>.
Sweetgrass Baskets by Lillie. 20 July 2012
<http://www.edistosweetgrassbaskets.net/aboutsweetgrassbaskets>.
Sweetgrass Baskets of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Town of Mount Pleasant. 20 July
2012 <http://www.townofmountpleasant.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/752>.
Sweetgrass Basket Weaving. CMSD Communications. 23 July 2012
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrrBMyBlVfI>.
Materials:
Appendix A – KWL sample chart and conclusion chart.
Appendix B - Printed photographs taken during Turning Points in American History National
Field Study to South Carolina during July 2012. Locations in photographs include sweetgrass
basket display at Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston, South Carolina and
presentation by Jery Bennett-Taylor at Penn Center on St. Helena Island in South Carolina.
Appendix C – Photograph of sample coiled “mug rugs” and directions.
Appendix D – “Slave Trade from Africa to the Americas” map
Appendix E – Lesson Scoring Guide
Sweetgrass baskets or images of sweetgrass baskets
Art supplies including scissors, pencils, paper
Heavy jute
Multiple colors of yarn
Wide-eyed plastic craft needles
Appendix A:
Conclusions
How does the sweetgrass basketmaking tradition in South Carolina help to tell the story of the people and places during
the era of U.S. slavery?
Appendix C:
How to Make a Coiled Mug Rug
(adapted from http://www.ehow.com/how_12067639_make-coil-basket-yarn.html)
1. Unwind approximately 5 feet of yarn and cut off the yarn from the skein. (For easy
measurement, children may pull yarn out to their arm span.) Thread the yarn needle and
pull the yarn through to make a double length of yarn on the needle.
2. Trim one end of the jute to make the end pointed.
3. Place the end of the double length of yarn against the tapered end of the jute
approximately ½ inch from the end. Allow about one inch of yarn to stay snug against the
jute and begin wrapping the yarn tightly around the jute over the one inch of yarn to secure
it.
4. Fold the end of the jute so the ½ inch of uncovered jute folds over on top of the wrapped
area. Hold the folded jute and loop the yarn over the uncovered end and the uncovered
area of jute not wrapped yet to make a figure-8 wrap. Pull the yarn tight after looping it and then position the uncovered end of the jute against the
wrapped area. Continue wrapping the yarn around the uncovered end to secure the beginning of the coil and cover it completely.
5. Wind the yarn tightly around the jute to cover about four inches. As you wind, carefully shape the covered jute into a tight coil. Continue winding
and coiling until you’ve coiled three times around with the jute.
6. Thread the needle around the coil immediately before the point you stopped wrapping the yarn and wrap the yarn around the jute at the point
where you stopped wrapping the yarn. Pull the yarn tight to finish the figure-8 wrap, which secures the coils together.
7. Change color of yarn, as desired. Repeat the same process of winding the yarn around the jute and coiling the jute, using the above illustration as a
guide. Secure the coils together with figure-8 wraps.
8. When you get to the desired size, cut off the jute about ½ inch beyond the point where you stopped wrapping the yarn. Trim the end into a point
in the same fashion you trimmed the beginning end. Make another figure-8 wrap at the point where you stopped wrapping to secure the end of the
coil to the previous row. Wrap the yarn around the trimmed end of the jute. Make a final figure-8 wrap and insert the needle through the wrapped
yarn at least one inch to secure the yarn. Cut off the excess yarn to finish.
Appendix D:
http://www.unc.edu/wrc/maps/08-Map.png
Appendix E:
Lesson Scoring Guide
Name:
Date:
Sweetgrass Basket Cultural
Traditions in the Time of
Slavery
What is “culture?” How was
it passed down in the families
we studied?
What conclusion do you have
about how “culture” is
learned, even in times of
enslavement?
What story about culture does
your art tell?
0
Needs Improvement
1
Room to Grow
2
Got It!