Huron County View

Laker Elementary School students learn quilting and more


PIGEON - Laker Elementary School students display the giant paper quilt they helped to create with more than 400 student handprints. The photo was taken by a drone owned and operated by Tyler Leipprandt, of the Huron Intermediate School District.

PIGEON – Laker Elementary School students display the giant paper quilt they helped to create with more than 400 student handprints. The photo was taken by a drone owned and operated by Tyler Leipprandt, of the Huron Intermediate School District.

PIGEON – Laker Elementary School invited Dr. Laurie Perkins, of the Michigan State Historical Museum, to talk about how quilting involves sewing, design and math skills. She brought along quilts she made and ones with special meaning to her. Dr. Perkins, along with many of the teachers, read “F is for Friendship,” a book about quilting with a picture of children making a quilt with handprints.

Inspired, the students created a large paper quilt by tracing their hands on paper, cutting out the design and pasting it on a square. A big square was made for each classroom featuring the designs. The classroom squares were joined for one large quilt, laid out on the gym floor for a group photo taken by a drone owned and operated by Tyler Leipprandt, of the Huron Intermediate School District.

The giant quilt was endorsed by The Thumb Quilt Trail, the students are voting on their favorite design, the winner will be an 8’x8’ wooden barn quilt displayed near the school’s entry drive. That project came about when Laker Elementary Principal Kathy Dickens heard The Thumb Quilt Trail had a “blank” barn quilt up for grabs, so the barn quilt organization donated it to the school. This students took a bus tour and viewed a portion of The Thumb Quilt Trail to remind students of proper bus behavior and to show them colorful, unique pieces of art around the community.

PIGEON - Laker fifth graders listen to a quilting presentation by Dr. Laurie Perkins, of the Michigan State Historical Museum, showing a teddy bear made from different materials with special meaning to her from her childhood. Courtesy photos

PIGEON – Laker fifth graders listen to a quilting presentation by Dr. Laurie Perkins, of the Michigan State Historical Museum, showing a teddy bear made from different materials with special meaning to her from her childhood. Courtesy photos

Dickens said she is excited about the school’s quilt activities.

“This has been a terrific whole school STEAM project,” she said.

Through these activities, students have learned more about community contributions, the historical importance of quilting, designing, patterns, voting, math calculations, cooperation, literature, drone technology, placemaking and more, Dickens added.

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