Clay, Clay Everywhere!! (Well, in 1st and 2nd Grade :)
This is a double post because we have just finished up some amazing clay projects in both 1st and 2nd grade! Both groups of kids LOVED working with clay and we created some really fantastic, unique sculptures. Enjoy!
1st Grade Owls
1st Grade created owls (by far my favorite bird! :) We began by talking about how to create a pinch pot (but sticking a ball of clay on our thumb and then pinching it through that indentation to create a small pot.) We also talked about how to join two pieces of clay using Score, Slip and Smooth.
After the kiddos created their owl bodies and wings, we talked about texture, and brainstormed different ways that we could create texture on our owls by pushing different materials into the soft clay. The clay would take on the texture of whatever we used (such as thread bobbins for eyes.)
After the owls were dried and bisque fired, we used a special type of glaze to paint them. We used Colorblast glaze, which I described to the students as almost a surprise glaze. As it is fired, different colors start to appear within the glaze. A blue glaze could end up with small speckles of yellows and purples. Really beautiful! This was the first time that I have used the Colorblast glaze, so it was kind of an experiment with the owls. But I think they turned out great!
I just love all of the different personalities of the owls that the students put into them! Enjoy!
2nd Grade Muppets
In 2nd grade, we learned about one of my all-time favorite artists and creators, Jim Henson. You MAY recognize him...
Jim Henson is responsible for some of the greatest characters ever- The Muppets!! We learned about how Jim became interested in making muppets (by going to the library and researching how to create them!) Through learning about Jim, we explored how he created characters such as Kermit: He always started with an IDEA! Jim would get an idea for a character and then would begin to create sketches. Through his sketches, he would work out who the character was, how he or she looked and acted, and ultimately how to make the character into a lively Muppet. We talked about how this could be a process that we can use whenever we start out doing something, whether it is creating a clay muppet, writing a story, or designing a tree fort.
To see the presentation that we used to learn about Jim Henson and the Muppets, please click here and scroll down to 2nd Grade Muppets! :)
We used Jim and his Muppets as our inspiration for these clay figures. We set out to design our own unique Muppet, first by sketching our ideas and writing a little bit about who the character was. The next step was to create a pinch pot for either the head or the body of the Muppet, and to use Score, Slip, Smooth to attach all of the details.
After the clay had dried and was bisque fired, we talked about the different phases that clay goes through. (To see some of what we talked about, click here to go to MEDIA and scroll to 2nd Grade Glaze.) Then the Muppets were glazed and fired one last time. They did a FANTASTIC job!!
After the Muppets came out of the kiln a final time, we talked about the changes that we had made from our initial sketches to the final clay piece. Most students agreed that their designs had changed, either because of the nature of the clay or because their ideas had evolved as they were creating. As an extension, we made observational drawings of our final clay Muppets, and wrote a few interesting facts about who the characters were. So cute!!
