Classroom Insights

STEAM News: Natural Dyeing Experiment

It was a huge end of term one, full of creative experimentation in STEAM. The grade 3-6 classes were exploring properties of materials, and reversible/irreversible changes to substances as part of their Chemistry units. We managed to put the ‘A’ (art) in STEAM, as we took the time to step outside, explore and connect to country. 

We took inspiration from Melbourne based artist Katie West as we explored dyeing fabric using leaves collected from Indigenous plants across our school. We noticed lots of plants about to flower, different bugs on the forest floor. We discussed the end of luk (eel) season and the beginning of waring (wombat) season on the Wurundjeri calendar. 

We also took the time to marvel at the patterns made by the eucalyptus leaves on the concrete after the rain. 

After collecting our samples of leaves, bark and gumnuts, we arranged these on our fabric and rolled them up in a tight bundle. These were then steamed for an hour or so and left in their bundles for a couple of days so that further colour could bleed out into the fabric. 

The results look both surprising and spectacular. A mixture of soft and vivid colours from rust to sunset, delicate pinks, and shades from grey to black. Now we have begun term 3, the job will be to arrange these patches of material and sew them together for display in the STEAM room.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. 

Brett Allen (STEAM)