Learning intentions

• Practice fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills to achieve a goal in groups.
• Identify strategies to understand the perspectives of others.
• Perform a scenario in pairs to practice conflict resolution skills.

Episode: 'Yarn Storming' - Lottie’s new ‘thing’ is yarn storming – covering objects in the playground with brightly coloured patches of knitted wool – and she’s enlisted everyone else to help. But will Eddie and the kids be able to stop her before she yarn storms EVERYTHING?!

Find 'Yarn Storming' on NITV, Netflix or SBS On Demand. 

Gather three different colours of wool, masking tape and scissors ahead of the lesson. Complete the following steps before introducing the ‘Giant Plait’ task to the class.

1. Using one colour of wool, cut 10-20 lengths measuring 60-100cm. This forms one ‘cluster’ of wool.
2. Repeat the step above to make three clusters in total, each in a different colour.
3. Knot the three clusters together then use masking tape to attach the loose strands (above the knot) to the edge of the table.
4. If students have not yet mastered left and right, write these terms on sticky notes and attach them to the table. This will be helpful scaffolding for later instructions.

To begin the lesson, assign students to groups of four or five, explaining that each group will work together to create thick plaits using the lengths of wool. Ask each group to self-nominate three ‘makers’ who will produce the giant plait. The remaining students in each group will be ‘leaders’ who guide the process.

Refrain from advising students how to navigate over or around each other: this is part of the open-ended problem-solving and one of the leader's roles. This activity is an opportunity for students to practice negotiation and collaboration.

1. Ask each of the makers to gather a single cluster, taking the time to tidy the wool by combing it with their hands.
2. Support students by modelling how a plait is made, then explicitly guide the making with directions such as ‘left over centre, right over centre, left over centre’. Repeat until the plaits reach the end. Call upon the student leaders to give further advice and provide encouragement.
3. Support students by modelling or helping to tie the ends of the plaits into a knot, or tie using a rubber band.

To create space for a class discussion, students gather with the display of completed wool plaits in the centre of a sitting circle. Invite students to reflect on the process:

• What did you notice about working with your peers in the plait-making activity?
• Now that the plait is made, who does it belong to? What might you do with it now? How will your group decide?
• What does the word ‘conflict’ mean to you? How might we work through conflict with a friend?

View the Eddie’s Lil’ Homies episode titled ‘Yarn Storming’, asking students to focus on how the characters collaborate and work through conflict that arises.

We all see the world through our own eyes. Sometimes we experience the same situation very differently, and this can lead to conflict. Conflict is when we don’t get along well with others. Explain to students that conflict is normal; something we all experience from time to time.

We can resolve conflict by communicating with each other and trying to understand each other's perspectives. This means we need to give time and space for others to speak, look, listen and understand. Communication is an important skill we all need to learn and practice to resolve conflicts we have with each other.

In ‘Yarn Storming’, Lottie had big dreams to yarn storm the whole playground...including the flats! Everyone was having fun at first, yarn storming the bin, basketball hoop and friendship bench. Then, once the group felt tired and under pressure to keep knitting, yarn storming stopped being fun.

When Eddie invited Lottie to talk things through, the group had an opportunity to tell Lottie how they felt. Lottie could also share her perspective on the same situation.

Lottie’s friends learnt that they could voice their opinions to her, remain open to hearing her perspective, and share how she needs to take care of herself too.

As a class, document the reasons ‘for’ and ‘against’ yarn storming the flats. Lottie’s perspective informs the arguments ‘or yarn storming, while the perspectives of Tal, Decks, Junior, Eddie and Lachie inform the arguments against it.

Next, assign students into groups and have them role-play this situation, pretending it is being discussed in a friendship group. In this improvised play activity, students can explore how to negotiate differing perspectives: Lottie who has grand plans to yarn storm the flats, and the group who are tired of knitting and are worried about Lottie’s wellbeing. Encourage students to consider how they can take turns to talk, listen to the opposing character's perspective, and persuade each other why talking things through is important. In the final minute ask students to arrive at a compromise where they both agree on what they will do next.

To foster communication strategies for collaboration and enable students to demonstrate their understanding, ask students to form small groups to join the giant plaits together. Then ask students to work together to yarn storm something in the classroom. Remind students they will need to negotiate how to successfully join the giant plaits, take turns, listen to each other, and communicate clearly.

Teams may benefit from discussing how they will work together before they begin yarn storming. For example, would they like to draw a plan first? Will the members of the team have dedicated roles? How will the students deal with frustrations or conflicts in the group if they arise?