Notes on kindergartners' first experience with clay

         Today I began a clay unit with my kindergarteners. For most of these students this was their first exposure to this material. The first day I simply give them clay, water and a wooden tablet to work on and no tools. I really just wan them to use their hands and tools would distract from that. For this first class I also simply observed what they made, what they could and could not do and how emotionally flexible they were when things did not work out as expected. 

Below is a student who told me he made a snowman, a candy cane and a pancake. This I a great starting point for kindergarten, he can make a snake, a ball and a pancake, he also knows that more complex shapes might require the bringing together of two or more forms. 


This next student made a park and was able to point out various parts of this park. He was very proud of his work and begged me to please take a picture. Again, this is a very good beginning, he was all to think of his work as a 3d work, being experienced from different directions. 

Students that have had limited experiences with clay or play dough or even model magic will often create works that look more like drawings. The image below is a rendition of a flower and the one beside it is of a boat and below that, a face. Notice how they're made up of flat or rolled pieces making it look fairly two dimensional, very much like a drawing. Practice creating several simple 3d animals, for example, will help this child begin to create more 3d type work that can be enjoyed from different directions. 

The work below is a face. In looking at this sculpture I know I will be working on some fine motor skills to help children make cleaner solid shapes, such as spheres and cylinders. 

These young students below were both incredibly proud of their work, one made a small s-shaped clay creation on his tablet (on the left) and the other made a snail. In working with any student population this exploration period is an essential and a golden opportunity for teachers to observe and see what kids know, what they are interested in and most importantly, what THEY consider rigorous, challenging and/or exciting. After having worked with young students for many years now I forget that making a simple snake is NEW to most upcoming kindergartener and the time allotted for exploration will help remind you of this very important fact and make you a better educator. 

DAY 2:

On day 2 students were allowed to use some simple tools to help them do some additional simple tasks such as score, or make eyes, etc. 
  

                At the beginning of class I demonstrated a very simple way to make a four-legged animal. In watching a lot of kids making their own I noticed I will need to work on the following skills:
1. Score and attach
2. wetting clay when dried
3. creating smoother solids
4. practice making balls and snakes

Some students (like the child above) chose to use the tools IN their sculptures, using the solid form of the clay to stab pencils and other tools into them. 

This student (below) not only connected various separate pieces to make his turtle, but also used the tools offered o him at his table to make marks on his turtle.          

This child made a seal with a ball on his mouth. If you look closer you will also see he made a pool enclosure with pieces of clay stuck together. Again, he might not know how to connect the pieces yet, nevertheless, he is able to connect separate shapes to make a more complex figure. I will need to work on getting students to better form their 3d shapes and how to use water to smooth their surfaces better. Last, I will help students use their tools in various ways, from making texture to slicing.