Grete Bodøgaard

“Let the Weaving Begin”

Provided by the South Dakota Art Museum

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota Artists Curriculum Unit

Unit of Study: Grete Bodøgaard, weaver

Title of Lesson Plan: Let the Weaving Begin

Grade Level: 3 – 5

South Dakota Content StandardsFine Arts:

Visual Arts Standard Two 3-4:

Students will understand selected techniques which give

artwork detail.

Visual Arts Standard Two 5-8:

Students will describe the various techniques which give

artwork definition and detail.

South Dakota Content Standards

Science:

3.L.1.1 Students are able to identify the basic structures,

functions, and needs of a plants in relation to their

environment.

4.L.2.1 Students are able to identify behavioral and structural

adaptations that allow a plant or animal to survive in a

particular environment.

5.L.2.2 Students are able to describe structures and processes

involved in plant reproduction.

5.L.3.1 Students are able to describe how natural events and/or

human influences may help or harm ecosystems.

South Dakota Content StandardsWriting:

3.W.1.2 Students can identify a topic sentence, supporting

details, and a conclusion in a paragraph.

4.W.1.3 Students can compose a paragraph with a topic

sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion.

Assessment Strategies

Class discussion

Observation using VTS

Create a paper weaving project

Identification of leaves

Use a technique of leaf printing

Learning Objectives

Students will learn about South Dakota artist Grete

Bodøgaard.

Students will discuss observations made using VTS

techniques.

Students will create a paper weaving project.

Students will identify different types of leaves.

Students will create a leaf print using leaves and paint.

Time Required Two class periods of 30 minutes each (or could do one class

period of 60 minutes).

Materials/Technology Needed Image of Grete Bodøgaard’s weaving: “Ginko Spring”

Construction paper (variety of colors)

Scissors

Glue

Leaves

Poster paint (or something thick, but not watercolor)

Background Information

According to the South Dakota Art Council’s website, Grete

Bodøgaard’s specialty, “. . .cover all stages in the spinning,

dyeing with natural dyes, design and weaving of a wide range

of natural fibers.”

She also participates in Artists in Schools & Communities

program through the South Dakota Arts Council.

Lesson Description Show students the weaving of Grete Bodogaard titles, “Ginko

Spring”.

Ask students to use VTS observations to comment on this

weaving. Sample questions might include:

What do you see?

Describe the leaves in the piece.

What do you smell?

What is the significance of the colors used in this weaving?

What type of emotions are associated with this piece?

Discuss the observations as a class (make a list on the board of

the comments).

Lesson Description continued Explain that this is a weaving based on the Ginko leaf.

If you are studying about classification of plant leaves, this would be a

good example to use to have students classify the type of leaf this

would be.

Some students may know what this leaf is, have them explain what

they know about the Ginko.

Discuss with students about the process involved in creating a

weaving project like this. They will be creating their own weaving

project using paper strips.

For those that are not familiar with paper weaving, there are many

websites that have step-by-step directions for you to follow.

Lesson Description continued Have students create a paper weaving using one large sheet of

construction paper and several strips of different colors of

construction paper (strips could be cut ahead of time with a paper

cutter to save time).

Have students select a few leaves that you have provided or that

you had students bring from home. With poster paints, have

students paint their leaves and randomly place their leaves paint

side down on their weaving to make a leaf print then carefully

remove each leaf.

Students could use a variety of leaves for their project, or each

student could use just one type of leaf. You could display these paper

weavings together as a class collage of weavings with leaves (like a

large quilt) in the classroom or in the hallway.

Enrichment

Students could research the Ginko tree. Many would be

fascinated with the fact that this is the oldest living tree - dating

back to the dinosaurs. Students could also research the uses

of Ginko as an herbal remedy.

Contact the South Dakota Arts Council about having Ms.

Bodogaard come to your community to teach weaving

sessions. This possibly could be done in conjunction with your

town’s art council or local library.

Bibliography/Resources

South Dakota Art Museum Collection

Grete Bodøgaard

“Grete Bodøgaard.” South Dakota Arts Council. 2008

<http://www.artscouncil.sd.gov/aisc/visual2.aspx>.

“Grete Bodøgaard: Ginko Spring.” South Dakota Arts Council.

2008

<http://artscouncil.sd.gov/directories/images/bodogaard2.jpg>.

Grete Bodøgaard Presentation to

Students

Grete Bodøgaard

http://www.artscouncil.sd.gov/aisc/visual2.aspx

Grete Bodøgaard

Professional artist, tapestry weaver, and educator since 1968

Born in Bodø, Norway

Immigrated to the United States in 1969

Lives in Volin, SD

Tapestries created using Norwegian Tapestry Techniques that

date back to 1200 AD

Uses contemporary subjects in tapestries

Bibliography

“Grete Bodøgaard.Tapestry Works.” Grete Bodøgaard

Tapestry Works. n.d. <http://grete.us/about_us>.

*For more information or to show students other pieces of

artwork by Grete Bodøgaard, go to her website http://grete.us/

or contact the South Dakota Art Museum.

Ginko Spring

http://artscouncil.sd.gov/directories/images/bodogaard2.jpg

Other Examples

of

Grete Bodøgaard’s Artwork

Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum

Missouri River Morel

When I Am on Top of the World I Can Not Fall Down

http://grete.us

The Future is in My Hands

http://www.sdartists.net/members/gbodogaard/gallery_one.php