Materials
Air-dry Clay: one 2" cube per student, work surfaces (canvas, plastic, masonite, or styrofoam plates or trays), wire clay cutter, chart paper, marker, everyday objects made of clay, some intact, others broken to show both the glaze surface and the inner clay (floor tiles, mugs, bowls, etc.)
Students can take this time to explore the clay on their own. They should be reminded that this day is for exploration only; the products of the worktime will not be saved. As interesting discoveries occur, the teacher can hold up the work and invite others to try the technique themselves. Students should be reminded that they can keep changing the clay as often as they like making 3-D shapes.
Students sitting at the same table can be invited to combine their clay explorations and build a single form. (This can make giving the clay back at the end a little easier).
Discuss the work produced by the exploration, focusing on the techniques rather than the products.
- What part of the artist's hand do you think made this mark?
- How do you imagine the artist made this shape?
- Do you think this piece was pulled from the main piece or do you think it was added on?
- The clay we used today is soft. The clay objects in the center of our circle are hard. What happened?
- What do you think will happen if we leave a piece of clay to dry? Let's find out!
Read From Mud to House, by Bertram Knight, 1998. This visual narrative describes how bricks are made and used in buildings and shows where clay comes from.