Unit 1 - How is linen made?
What is flax?
Display a variety of items made from linen to the class, for example summer clothes and/or table cloths or napkins. Ask if anyone in the class owns or has any pieces of linen at home. Explain that linen is a natural fabric made from the flax plant. Use an internet search engine to find photographs of the flax plant and share these with the class.
Challenge the pupils to come up with their own explanation of how material from a plant can be used to make fabric. Encourage pupils to use magnifying glasses to look closely at linen and observe the network of threads that make up the fabric. Record the thoughts of the pupils and discuss as a whole class.
Now watch the video clip which shows that flax contains long soft flexible fibres. Explain to pupils that these fibres are spun into linen threads which are then woven into fabric.
BBC Primary Focus: The Textile Industry : Flax
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Reflect on the pupils’ previous suggestions. How did these compare with the information in the video clip?
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