Creativity with Clay

Today was the day of my peer lesson. Our focus was clay. The project we decided to make was clay pinch pots. It was a fun way to let students (our peers) use their hands to manipulate the clay. Here is the procedure of the project:

1. Have students play with the clay in order to get the air bubbles out. 
2. After a few minutes of playing, have students shape the clay into a ball. 
3. Have students poke a hole in the middle of the clay ball and mold it into a bowl using their thumb and forefinger. The pot should have a 1.5in thickness. 
4. Students then take a needle point tool and carve symbols into their pots. You will need to brief students on the safety of using clay tools correctly. 
5. After the carvings are completed, have students paint the pots. 
6. Let dry overnight. 

We also made a bulletin board to display our "students" clay pinch pots. This is what what it looks like:

                                               

** Extension Activity **

This lesson would be  fun one to integrate into a history or geography lesson. There are many ancient and current cultures that use pottery. One lesson could focus on a specific culture and students could replicate how that culture used pottery. Students could carve symbols and explain the meanings of each of them. Students can also use paint to create symbols and meaning.  

Paper Plate Fishing

Fishing is a fun activity that one can enjoy with with friends, family, or oneself. Today in class went fishing, but not at a lake with fishing poles. We went with markers and paper plates! Here is the procedure:

1. Have students design a repeating pattern using geometric shapes. 
2. Implement the pattern onto a premade checkered grid on a paper plate. 
3. Have students color in their shape using colors they chose. 
4. Students need to neatly color a the border of the fish. 
5. Have students cut a triangle out for the mouth, and glue it as the fish's fin. 
6. Have students glue the tail and eyeball on.

**Extension Activity**

Since this project deals with patterns, this project could easily incorporate math and numbers. The grid could be filled with numbers or a numerical sequence. The students would have fun figuring out different math patterns and implementing them onto their fish!

Wrap Yourself in Memories

Quilts are used for a variety of reasons. Some are used strictly for decoration while others are used for warm. Regardless quilts are usually made with an abundance of love. In class today, we made our own type of quilts using patterns made with paper. Here is the procedure:

1.  Hand students a 12 x 12 square of white construction paper, one 4 x 4 square, and 3 in. circle.
2. Let students pick out 8 pieces of scrapbooking paper that resemble memories for them.
3. Have students choose 4 pieces of paper and cut out a square out of each paper using the template.
4. Students need to cut out a circle out of the remaining 4 pieces of paper. 
5. Have students glue the circle onto the middle of the square. 
6. The squares then need to be cut into fourths. There should be 16 little squares. 
7. Student will design a pattern using the 16 pieces and glue it onto the white piece of paper.
8. The final step is to design a border. 

**Extension Activity**

This project would be fun to implement with a history lesson. There are many peoples in history who utilized quilts, especially the homesteaders, Native Americans, immigrants, pioneers, etc. During a lesson on set time in history, students could design a quilt that they would take on a journey like the various travelers did. 

Patterns with Names

Today will learned about the artist Jasper Johns. He is a master at implementing repeating patterns into his masterpieces. We were able to get our Jasper Johns on during our peer lesson. We made a work of art using a repeating pattern using our names. We could use our first name, last name, nicknames, or initials. I chose to do a repeating patter of my initials repeating vertically. Here is the procedure to the project:

1. Students need a 11 x 16in sheet of construction paper, a 12 x 18in sheet of construction paper, and 6 squares of 3.6 x 4in of construction paper.
2. Have students glue the white piece of paper to the 12 x 18in piece. 
3. Students will create and glue a checkerboard pattern on the white piece of paper.
4. Using oil pastel, students will create a pattern involving their name with in the checkerboard pattern. It is up to them how the would like to implement the pattern. Students need to make sure to press moderately hard.
5. Once the pattern is complete, students will fill the white space in with water color. Student are responsible for creating their own tertiary colors with the water colors. 
6. Let project dry on a drying rack when completed. 

**Extension Activity**

Teachers could implement this project as a first week of school activity to get to know students. The student could create the pattern with their first name and use symbols and colors that are important to them. The teacher could also make a project to show the students. This will be an opportunity to get to know one another in a relaxed setting.

Springtime Printmaking

Today we celebrated spring a little bit by creating items regarding springtime with paint and various textures. We were not allowed to use a paintbrush. Instead, we had to use various textures found in/on household items. This was a very relaxing project. I made a tulip and used four different items to create four different textures on my flower. I used the following:

• Toy truck wheels for the stem
• Q-tip for the dark spots on the stem
• Sponge for the flower head
• Cardboard to outline the flower head 

Here is the procedure for the project:

1. Have students brainstorm what they think of when it comes to spring.
2. Have students draw what they brain storm on white construction paper.
3. Hand out newspapers and paint. Ask what primary colors they would like to use. It will be up to them to mix primary, tertiary colors, various shades and tints they want to use.
4. Let students get to work painting using household items. 
5. When completed, put on a drying rack. 
6. They may have to cut out the picture they made.

**Extension Activity**

This would be a fun activity for Kindergartners to practice writing their letters with various textures. You would need to make sure that students have smocks or paint shirts in order to preserve their clothing. You would also need space because this activity will be messy. Fingerpaint may be a good option to utilize in order for clean up to be easier. This would allow the students to use their hands while learning. 

Melting into Spring

Spring is a time when students and even teachers are antsy for summer to begin and to enjoy the outdoors and nicer weather. The peer lesson that was taught today made it even harder to be indoors, but it was a cute. We made our own bugs out of wax paper, melted crayons, construction paper and permanent markers. This was the procedure:

1. Have students select a folded piece of wax paper and a bag of crayons. Make sure the wrappers are off of the crayons before they are handed out. 
2. Student will be shaving their selected crayons will a file. Proper technique will need to be taught (how to effectively use the file and how to properly hold it). 
3. Students need to create a tremendous amount of shavings using the crayon colors they selected. 
4. Once there are enough shavings, students carefully carry the wax paper over to the teachers who will iron (melt) the crayon into a unique pattern. 
5. Once the wax paper is cooled off, students take a bug template and trace and cut out the pattern. 
6. The pattern then needs to be glued to a piece of construction paper and then re-cut it out, but this time with a 1 inch border. 
7. Finally, students design the bug's face and body features using their choice of permanent marker (dark colors work best to show up).

**Extension Activity**

This project could fit into numerous subjects in a teacher's curriculum. This would go nicely to supplement characters of a guided reading story being used in a particular lesson. Students could make a melted crayon design of a character from the story or book. This would let students be creative in a way where they could make the characters into what they envision them looking like or how they think they should look.

Eggcellent Project

Today's peer lesson focused on creating egg-shaped balls formed with glue, yarn, and a balloon. The lesson was implemented in a mathematical way focusing on using the yarn to create the circumference of a circle (or in this case a balloon). Here is the procedure for the project:

1. Have students pick up a bundle of yarn strings (precut) and a balloon. Let them blow the balloon up. 
2. Pass around a mixture of 40% glue, 60% water. Students can dip the yarn pieces into the glue mixture. Students need to squeeze excess glue/water off of string.
3. Students wrap the string around the balloon. Make sure to have them overlap the string to reinforce the hold. 
4. When enough string is wrapped around the balloon, have students carefully set them in plastic cups to dry. 
5. When dry, hang up the eggs up!

** Extension Activity **

This project would be a good thing to compliment a Language Arts/Reading. This is perfect for around Easter time. Lessons might focus around this holiday along with many books that are read during read aloud time or guided reading. This little craft could be done in conjunction with one of the books being read around this time. It is a messy project, so teachers need to have adequate time and patience to help students properly.