My daughters project for student teaching is to come up with something different that first graders don't know about re-cycling, and they are pretty savvy about it.
I opened my big mouth and mentioned something about how people use cast off clothing (which is recycling) to make quilts....LOL!!! You guessed it.....now she has me involved in the whole thing.
I was thinking that if they could each bring in a T-Shirt, I could sew them up into little pillows, they could stuff them, then I could sew them closed. So far, that is all I have come up with. I have a couple of weeks to come up with the finished idea, so please................please......if anyone has any other ideas that we could use, for some little project that wouldn't take forever and that little 6 year olds could be included in I would love to hear from you!!!!

I think the pillow is an excellent idea. I have actually done this with my son a few times, his first pillow was in first grade. And just a couple of weeks ago he had a friend over to make one. You can even let the kids sew one of the seams, it doesn't have to be straight.

Awesome idea. You can purchase a very large box of stuffing to stuff the pillows, but you are going to need quite a few boxes if you are doing a classroom. Or, you can have them recycle pillows from home and just recover them with the T-shirt.

Or you could buy some of those cheap pillows from Wal-Mart and cut them up. I bet each pillow would make at least two pillows and maybe four first grader sized ones. I think I paid $2 for the last ones I bought, which I used to fill 28 bean bags that had "lost their fluff."

What a great idea! Maybe you could send a list home asking the parents for donations of stuffing materials... to continue along the recycling theme. I've recycled the stuffing old bed pillows we no longer use before. Just a thought!

I have used plastic grocery bags as stuffing for pillows, "Bean" bag chairs, and stuffed animals. They are free and that's another way to recycle.

That is great !!!!! Have you thought of going to walmart an talking to the Manager he may give you a good price on a bunch of them or poss donate some to the class especially if he gets some newspaper coverage. Can't hurt to try.

I agree to let the kids sew the final seam if at all possible. Maybe use larger needles and embroidery floss, or quilting thread that is heavy duty so it won't break easily. Six-year-olds should be able to handle a short seam, and you can always "help" if somone's stitches are too far apart.

I think that is a great idea. You can get the BIG box of poly fill for about $10 at walmart(i think, I'm having trouble remembering exactly how much it was)

On a completely different thought they could make musical instruments out of recycled containers and materials. EX. Put buttons in to two cups and tape together to make a shaker. Your pillow idea seems good, but could involve quite a bit of work. I think that you have to stuff them with recycled materials, though. Also make sure that they bring in a small t-shirt, even something from when they were a baby. Maybe you could have a sewing party and some extra adults could come into assist during the stuffing/sewing stage.
How about a toy exchange, or making puppets out of stuffed animals. Just some crazy thoughts. Kids will remember these activities forever and active learning is so right. Have fun!!