A new language: Clay

We are so excited !

Yesterday and today we explored clay in the classroom for the very first time. We brought a bag of red clay to morning meeting and the children guessed what's in the bag. A few of their guesses were ​"Looks like something interesting " (Hugh), "Dirt" (Finlay), "A big chocolate block" (Daniel), "Play" (Cate), "Play dough" (Hugh), "I think it's paint" (Hugh) and  "It's brown" (Jade). In the studio we explored two bags of red clay on the table, which was covered by a canvas cloth. In the first initial approach, without hesitation, everyone was eager to get closer and to touch it. 

Qualities of clay observed by the children:

Hugh: They're like magnets. Because they stick together (while adding smaller pieces to a bigger piece of clay)
Jade: It's hard. 
Daniel: It looks like slime.
Hugh: It looks like food to me but not actually because it's hard. But I've had tootsie rolls before. That's chewy.
Daniel: It's too heavy to carry it.
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Ways to manipulate clay:

Hugh: We just roll it.
​Jade: And then we play with it. 
Finlay: I'm making it into a cake. Take it apart. (Using his fingers to rip small pieces off)
Lily: (to Finlay) How did you make it so flat? (Finlay used his elbow to flatten a piece of clay on the table)
Daniel: I'm making a train and a police car.
Jade: And I'm making a car.
​Lily: Hey guys. Let's make a collection of play doughs.

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Adding tools....

Today we added tools to the mix. Before using them with clay we discussed the different tools we have in the studio that can be used to further manipulate clay. 

We introduced the following tools (top to bottom): 

 - textured rolling pins
- sgraffito tool
- fettling knife 
- rib tools/ scrapers / kidney tools
- loop tools
- wooden modeling tools
- wire cutter

As the children inspected each tool during morning meeting they expressed thoughts about possible usages.

Daniel: Tools. All kinds of tools.
Hugh: A ruler. (about fettling knife)
Daniel: A screwdriver. For fixing toys. Maybe take some pieces off. (about sgraffito tool with small round tip)
Finlay: It can make a fence. (about wire cutter, stretching it to its full length)
Hugh: We can cut the clay in half. (about the wire cutter)
Daniel: This one is squishy. (bending red rubber rib tool)
Lily: Oh this one's half and this one's full. (comparing differently shaped ends of two wooden modeling tools)
Hugh: What is it called when they connect? (after connecting a loop top and a fettling knife)

The tools were used e.g. for "making holes" (Cate), cutting or "Digging for treasures" (Hugh). The children were mostly interested in pinching, poking, stabbing, slicing and cutting off small and big pieces. Some "lines" and "cracks", which were results of cutting the clay with either rib tools, fettling knives, or modeling tools, were smoothed out by applying pressure with fingers or softer rib tools. "It's closing up the skin and cracks" (Hugh)

Cutting Clay - A Collaborative Effort

Hugh and Cate were interested in using the wire cutter but noticed that the wire was too long for them to use on their own. Hugh offered his help to Cate and each of them took one end of the wire cutter. After Hugh placed the wire on the opposite site of the block both pulled on their end to cut off bigger pieces. Cate noticed that the clay surface was "smooth" after a layer got lifted off. 

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​Thank you to today's Mystery Readers, Barret and Elle​

We were honored to welcome TWO Mystery Readers this morning - Hugh's mom, Barret and his sister, Elle.

They read some of Hugh's favorite books together: "Pout Pout Fish" by Deborah Diesen and "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andreae.

THANK YOU!

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​We also enjoyed the beautiful sunshine outside and a game of "catch" with the tree swing.