Sweden Compulsory School Handicrafts Syllabus

Handicrafts

Producing objects and processing materials with tools are ways for individuals to think and express themselves. Working with crafts involves creating concrete solutions within handicraft and design traditions, based on needs in different situations. Crafts combine manual and intellectual work, developing creativity and strengthening self-reliance in managing daily tasks. These abilities are important for both personal and societal development.

Aim

Handicrafts education aims to develop knowledge of different crafts and the ability to work with various materials and forms of expression. Students develop skills through a process integrating thinking, sensory experiences, and practical action. They develop ideas, consider solutions, produce items, and evaluate results. This stimulates curiosity to explore and experiment with materials, and to embrace creative challenges. Students develop knowledge of color, form, function, and design, learning to combine this knowledge by making informed choices of materials and techniques. They become familiar with concepts describing work processes, tools, and the aesthetic expressions of craft productions. Students also gain knowledge of work environments, safety, and how to select and handle materials for sustainable development, and develop awareness of aesthetic traditions and expressions, understanding crafts, handicrafts, and design from diverse cultures and periods.

Core Content

Years 1-3:

• Materials, Tools, and Techniques: Metals, textiles, and wood; material properties and applications; hand tools and instruments, their names and safe, appropriate use; simple handicraft techniques (e.g., working with wire, sawing, twisting); simple sketches and work descriptions, their interpretation, execution, and linking to simple calculations.
• Working Processes: Different stages of crafting: idea development, considering important factors, communication, and oral assessment of the work process; exploring possibilities of materials, instruments, and tools.
• Aesthetic and Cultural Expressions: Narratives as inspiration and models for ideas and creativity; how color, form, and materials influence a craft object's expression.
• Crafts in Society: Function and meaning of craft objects for use and decoration; origins of some craft materials (e.g., wool, Swedish wood types).

Years 4-6:

• Materials, Tools, and Techniques: Metals, textiles, and wood; material properties, uses, and combinations (including new and reused materials); combining materials with digital technology; hand tools, instruments, machines, their names and safe use; handicraft techniques (e.g., crochet, hollowing); two- and three-dimensional sketches, models, patterns, and task descriptions (with and without digital tools), their interpretation, execution, and linking to mathematical calculations.
• Working Processes: Different stages of crafting: idea development, considering important factors, communication, and assessment; how different parts of the work process are interconnected; exploring possibilities of different materials and handicraft techniques; documenting the work process (words and pictures, with and without digital tools).
• Aesthetic and Cultural Expressions: Handicraft and craft traditions from different cultures as inspiration; how color, form, and material combinations influence aesthetic expression; use and meaning of symbols and colors in child and youth cultures.
• Crafts in Society: Importance of crafts for individuals and society (past and present); resource efficiency (e.g., repairs, material recycling).

Years 7-9:

• Materials, Tools, and Techniques: Metals, textiles, and wood, their combinations (including new and recycled materials); combining materials with digital technology; hand tools, instruments, machines, their names and safe use; advanced handicraft techniques (e.g., molding, weaving, metal cutting and turning); concepts related to different techniques; two- and three-dimensional sketches, models, patterns, and task descriptions (with and without digital tools), their interpretation, execution, and linking to mathematical calculations; work environment and ergonomics (e.g., sound levels, work positions).
• Working Processes: Different stages of crafting: idea development, reflecting on important factors, communication, and assessment; how different parts of the work process are interconnected and influence results; exploring possibilities of different materials' forms in terms of function and design; documenting the work process and results (words and pictures, with and without digital tools).
• Aesthetic and Cultural Expressions: Architecture, art, and design as inspiration; creating designs using different materials, colors, and forms; fashions and trends, their meaning and influence; crafts and handicrafts as expressions of ethnic and cultural identity.
• Crafts in Society: Design, art handicrafts, domestic crafts, and other craft forms in the public sphere; different materials and their production from a sustainability perspective.

Knowledge Requirements: The curriculum specifies knowledge requirements for grades A-E at the end of years 6 and 9. These detail the expected skills and knowledge students should achieve in areas like producing craft items, using tools and techniques, understanding design principles, and analyzing craft objects' aesthetic and cultural expressions. These requirements provide a framework for assessment and grading in Handicrafts.