Tuesday, October 3rd

An Introduction to Clay

We are making clay! - Benji

As our Brown Room friends settle into their classroom community, we continue to offer them new experiences to enrich their ability to express themselves, gain mastery in the school environment and connect with their peers. Last week, we introduced clay for the first time. 

We wanted to make our friends' first experience with clay an opportunity to both explore and connect. We've found that the children's family pictures and photo albums have been an excellent conduit for connection. As the children chat about their families, they discover common ground, and marvel over what makes each family unique. With this in mind, we made sure to include family photos in our first clay experience. 
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An example of the provocation that the Brown Room found when they entered the Studio to work with clay in small groups.

While preparing for this experience, we decided on a list of questions that would serve as a framework for our observation and documentation. As the children worked, we made notes of the strategies, connections, and expressions they each used. 

Some of the questions we used as a framework for our documentation around clay.

​Nadia creates a coil.
Nadia: I'm rolling.

She pinches off a small piece of clay, then brings it around, in a circular gesture, to land on the side of the clay.

Nadia: Mommy's going in the house. That's the door. 

 
Noah stacks the clay.
Noah: Papa not falling!
Sam: I’m hearing that you made Papa. Who else is in your family?
Noah: Mama and Noah.
Sam: I'm wondering if you made Mama, would she be bigger or smaller than Papa?
Noah: Mama so short.
Noah: And not Dove. 
He begins to transform the clay into Dove (family dog).
Noah: Dove looks like mud. Dove has a tail. 

​Van tears off small pieces, and adds it to the larger piece of clay. 
​ Van: I'm making a ferry. It's a boat. 
He tears off more pieces, then sticks them together on the board, flat.
  Van: I'm making people going to bed. 
  

​ Harry: I make a dog.
Tate: Harry, do you have a dog at home? 
  Harry: I have Lily at home.
Eloise: I have a dog, Lainey!
Isa: Percy!
Dahlia:  I don't have a dog, but I do have Baby Leif.
Eloise: My baby sister's name, Charlotte.
Harry: My baby sister in Mommy's tummy. Baby sister be so cute!

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Please find some of the finished pieces below.