Lesson: "Greener" Jeans

Discuss clothing color preferences and watch a video about color.

• Ask students to picture a favorite outfit. List different colors and have students raise a hand when that color is part of their favorite outfit. Ask: Which color comes up the most? How do you think clothes are made colorful? Record students’ ideas.
• Show the video “What You Need to Know About Color.” Afterward, repeat this statement from the video: “Blue is one of the most difficult pigments to make.” Ask: What’s one way that blue pigment is made? How else do you think the color blue might be made and added to materials? Discuss students’ ideas.

Read an article about dyeing blue jeans with synthetic indigo and a new eco-friendly method.

• Preview the article. Read it aloud, pausing to discuss words like synthetic, soluble, and pigment in the text.
• Read and discuss the sidebar “Making Jeans Blue,” as well as the “Think” question.

Investigate how one color can be made of several dyes using water and markers.

• Gather materials for Markers Unmixed. If possible, use different brands of non-permanent black (or other dark) markers, as markers that appear near-identical in color can have dyes that separate out differently. 
• Discuss the directions as a class. Once students have set up, set a timer for 45 minutes. Allow students to check on their strips every 15 minutes. Discuss the results and conclusions questions in the skills sheet.
• Note: Allowing strips to dry makes them easier to handle, but students can make observations as soon as they remove the strips from the water. Have students compare their results, especially if they used the same brand and color of marker.   

Interpret a graph about another environmental effect of clothing and connect it with the article.

• Share the graph analysis skills sheet Fashion Trash with students. Ask: Why do you think the amount of clothing waste in the U.S. has grown so much since 1960? (The population has grown; people are buying and discarding more clothing.) Have students work in pairs to complete the skills sheet and discuss answers as a class.

Compare and contrast two methods of dyeing blue jeans described in the article.

• Assess students’ understanding of the article’s core ideas with a Quick Quiz. 
• Then have students compare and contrast the two processes in a Venn diagram or a paragraph. Ask students to write a paragraph in response to the question: Did the article, video, and activities change your perspective on blue jeans and other clothing? Explain your thinking. 

⇨ Learning Extension: Create a collage featuring the color blue. Plan a message you want to share in your collage. Then start finding materials to include! The collage can include drawings, photos, and cut-outs from magazines.