2nd Grade Clay – Lesson Plan

WHITE BEAR ANIMAL PLAQUES

Materials:

• Clay (1 – 1 ½ pound chunk OR 22 oz)
• Freezer paper
• rolling pins
• toothpicks and knives
• templates (bear, otter, eagle)
• slip
• forks
• ¼ inch leveling sticks for rolling the clay to keep it even

Making Clay Project: (Day one)

1. Have the student first flatten the clay into an oval or soft rectangular shape before using the rolling pin.  Working on a piece of freezer paper with the clay between two leveling sticks, use the rolling pin to evenly flatten the clay to an approximately ¼ inch slab.  The leveling sticks will assist by not letting the corning of the clay get to thin.
2. When the slab is big enough and the right thickness, have the students use a toothpick or a knife to cut out a smooth oval or soft rectangle. 
3. Have them smooth the edges.
4. Use the unused portion of the slab and roll it between the leveling boards to ¼ inch thick, the approximate size of an animal shape.
5. Use one of the small animal shaped templates and trace around it with a toothpick.
6. Remove the template.
7. Use the toothpick or the knife to cut out the animal.  Set the animal aside.
8. Go back to the oval or square slab and decorate it using the toothpick.  Kids can decorate with trees, lake, sun, clouds, ice chunks, rocks, river, plants, tree branches- something that fits the animal they choose.  They can place the animal in a spot to see where the might want to put their decorations.  Tell them to not push too hard with the toothpick.
9. The next step is scoring and using the slip. 
   1. Have the students turn over their animal and score (rough up) the underside of the animal with a fork or toothpick.
   2. Have them set the animal where it will go on the plaque, and lightly etch around the animal with a toothpick.  This will show them where to score the plaque.
   3. Remove the animal, and score where the animal will go on the plaque.
   4. Using a finger, take some of the wet slip, and place it on the back of the animal where it was scored.
   5. Turn the animal over and press it onto the scored area of the plaque.  Gently press down all around the animal.  Smooth any slip off that may have come out from under the animal.  The animal will stay.
10. Finish any decorating that needs to be done.
11. Have an adult help each student put 2 holes in the top of the plaque using the eraser side of a pencil for hanging.
12.  Put their name, year, and teachers first initial of their last name on the back of the plaque.

Glazing Project: (Day two)

The Grade Level Coordinator and the Clay Coordinator will fire all the clay projects and have them ready for the glazing class at the end of the month.

1. Grade Level Coordinators will schedule all classes to glaze on the same date. Each class will come in for 30 minutes with a 15 minute turnover time between classes.  Have each teacher request extra volunteers on this day.
2. Cover tables with plastic. 
3. Put a small amount of glaze in a plastic bowl.   Have colors available on each table for the students to choose from.  Have 2 or 3 brushes at each color.  The brushes should stay with only one color.  Switch to the next color’s brush if adding another color.  Apply 2 layers of glaze.  
4. Glaze over the name and date.
5. If a clay piece is cracked, use extra glaze in that location to strengthen it.
6. Please return any extra glaze to its container.
7. After the students complete their glazing, the adults will coat the projects with a clear glaze.