Helping Hands: Our Collaborative Quilt for a World Without Poverty

1. No Poverty
Art
Grades 5-8
30-60 Minutes

Materials Needed

  • • Fabric scraps
  • • Yarn
  • • Fabric glue
  • • Scissors
  • • Paper
  • • Pencils/Markers

Goal 1: No Poverty

You can find an introduction to Goal 1, as well as the Targets & Indicators, Objectives, and Action Planning Resources on the Goal overview page.

See Goal 1 Overview
Goal 1 icon

Welcome students to an art exploration about an important idea: Global Goal 1: No Poverty. Explain that this goal is all about making sure everyone, everywhere, has what they need to live a good life. It means making sure families have enough food, safe homes, and that kids can go to school. This is a huge goal, and it takes everyone working together!

Introduce the idea of the project today: creating a collaborative quilt. This quilt is made of many different pieces of fabric, stitched or glued together, to make one big, warm, and beautiful blanket. Emphasize that just like each piece of fabric is important to the quilt, every person and every community has a special part to play in helping others and making the world better.

Explain that fabric will be used because it reminds us of how different people and communities are connected, like threads woven into strong fabric. When threads come together, they make something strong and beautiful, just like when people work together to help each other overcome challenges.

Start a gentle discussion about what "having what you need" means. Guide them towards food, water, a safe place to live, clothes, healthcare, going to school/education, feeling safe.

Show a few age-appropriate images that illustrate the diverse daily lives or simple acts of kindness.

Introduce the concept that sometimes, people don't have all these basic needs, and that's what "poverty" means. Emphasize that it's a big challenge, but people all over the world are working together to fix it. Connect this to the fabric: There are different types of fabric, some soft, some bumpy, some colorful.
  • What are some things that everyone needs to live well?
  • What do you notice in these pictures?
  • How do you think these people are helping each other?
  • What do you think it feels like to help someone else?
  • What does it mean for everyone to have a fair chance?
  • How might these different fabrics remind you of different feelings or situations people face?
  • How can we all come together to help?
1

Divide into Groups

Divide students into small groups of 3-4. Give each group a large square of plain fabric (their "quilt square") as a base, along with a selection of smaller fabric scraps, yarn, fabric glue, and needles (if applicable).
2

Explain the Artwork

Explain that each group will create a mini-artwork on their fabric square. Their artwork should show ideas about Global Goal 1: No Poverty. They can show: What a world without poverty looks like, How people help each other to end poverty, Feelings of hope, kindness, fairness, or togetherness.
3

Plan and Create

Before students begin with the fabric, have each group quickly sketch their ideas on paper. Guide students to arrange and layer their fabric scraps onto their quilt square base. They can glue them down, or use simple stitches with yarn and blunt needles to attach pieces. Emphasize that it is okay if it's not perfect, the creativity and message are most important.
Once the groups have finished their quilt squares, have each group briefly present their artwork to the class. After presentations, collect all the finished quilt squares. Explain that these individual squares will eventually be joined together to create one beautiful "Helping Hands Quilt" that symbolizes the class's commitment to Global Goal 1.
1
What ideas about "No Poverty" did your group want to show?
2
Why did you choose these colors or shapes?
3
How did working together as a team make your quilt square special?
Bring the class together for a final reflection.
1
What was one new thing you learned about Global Goal 1: No Poverty today?
2
How did using fabric and working together help you think about this big goal?
3
What does our class's quilt show about how people can help each other?
4
What's one small thing you can do in your own life to show kindness or help someone who might need something?

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