By: Bebe Johnson

“Vogueing” like pros, they strutted the makeshift catwalk at LFCSA by twos and threes, pausing—with a bit of attitude—at the front of the stage to show off the t-shirts they had individually created the week before.

An invasion of supermodels? No, it was the culmination of Ms. Hamberger’s first grade class unit on clothes, and a great illustration of LFCSA’s project based curriculum in action.

“The whole thing began when we were studying about clothes,” Ms. Hamberger recalls. “Since the overall theme for the school this year is caring, we explored the different ways that clothing can show that we care.” Quizzing the children on the ways that clothing can show concern for others sparked an expanding notion of the roles clothing plays in the world.

As part of the goal of making each child an “expert,” “they all had to do research at home on questions they generated themselves,” Ms. H—as she is affectionately known—explains. “We are always trying to work with their critical thinking skills. We use a technique we call KWL—what do you know, what do you want to learn, and what did you learn.” As part of that process, each child did a survey of family members’ clothing choices and preferences; they also worked in teams to show how different fabrics might drape based on construction and fiber content and evaluated appropriateness of various garments for different activities. They even grasped the concept of supply and demand by setting up a mock clothing store where they made and sold paper “clothing,” using a pre-established spending budget for their wardrobes.

To learn about fabric textures and construction, the children wove paper textiles from construction paper. For garment making, they read books on pattern making and practiced sewing with string, all of which helped invest them in the learning process. Ms. H observes, “They’re so much more connected to the learning this way. Also, by having to work together, they’re experiencing real life situations, where you have to solve problems in a group.”

For many of the children, getting to apply their expertise on their own t-shirts was the highlight. With guidance from Ms. H and a handful of helpful parent volunteers, the children executed their creations to their own exacting specifications. “For some of the kids who seemed a bit stuck, I explained that they could filter their designs through their own interests.” Philip and Nikolai tapped into their love of Star Wars, creating starbursts from silver sequins and star fighters from shimmering textile paints. Colette, a budding marine biologist, created ocean layers with rolling waves, fish and mermaids. “They really had to think the design through,” says Ms. H, “and learn how to compromise what they wanted with what they could actually achieve.”

The fashion show seemed like a natural way to tie up the project. Naming the show “The Boys’ and Girls’ Spring Collection,” they practiced their fashion forward moves—choreographed by Ms. H—to hip techno music. A rapt audience of kindergartners, first graders and staff, and videography and popping flashbulbs from visiting parental paparazzi heightened the excitement of LFCSA’s first fashion event.

“When the show started, they really pulled it off,” their proud teacher beams. The students were proud, too. As Zahara pronounced after the dust had settled, “Ms. H, you’re just like Tyra Banks in America’s Next Top Model!”