Overview
“Explore how clay behaves; invite students to use knowledge they have gained to shape the clay into forms; begin to use clay to articulate ideas, experiences and observations. Three-year-olds work with clay much the same way they work with painting. They are always exploring, figuring it out, seeing what they can do with it, and what it can do for them!”
–Naomi Pile
Materials
- Clay
- Clay wire cutter
- Tray for each student
- Deli containers
Activities
Step 1: Invitation to Explore
- Place the bag of clay in front of you, emphasizing the weight of it!
- What do you think this is?
- Fold down the sides of the bag. Do you think this is hard or soft? Wet or dry? Warm or cool? I wonder if I can cut it?
- Show students the wire cutter. What do you think this tool is?
- Let’s see what it can do. Slice through the clay block! “This is a large block, but it was so easy to cut through.”
- What do you think this is? This is clay!
- Where do you think it comes from? Explain that it comes from the ground.
- Break off two chunks and pass them around.
- Think about how the clay feels: cold, soft, sticky, wet, silky…
Step 2: Work-time
- You will not be saving any work.
- Have 2-3 students come to the art center.
- Have the students work directly on the table.
- Do not give them any instructions.
- As they work, ask them what they are doing, and help give words to their actions — roll, poke, pinch, pull, press, etc.
- Take photos as students explore for documentation. Record their observations as they work.
- After students have had ample time to explore, ask them to press or roll their clay into a chunk and place the clay into deli cups with lids.
Step 3: Reflection
- What did you do with the clay? Rolled, squeezed, poked, twisted, flattened, broke it, pinched, etc.
Vocabulary
Clay, soft, hard, cool, wet, silky, roll, squeeze, poke, twist, flatten, break, pinch