Art is My Jam

Clay in the Classroom...

Here's a few more tips/tricks that I use when setting up clay in the art room. Clay is so much fun, but it's a lot of work for any art teacher. I'm hoping this will make it a little easier on someone, lol.

Table Set-Up Ideas:

What table set-up looks like.

1. Clay Mats, Bags, Boards, etc...

- I was fortunate enough to have these canvas bags to use for students under their clay. It makes clean-up, set-up, working so much easier. The handles are perfect for the students to carry them and put them away when we are done at the end of the day. 

NOTE: Make sure you have something under your clay so it doesn't stick and make a huge mess. 

2. Trays for Tools

Sharp Tools (separate)

- I use medium sized styrofoam trays to keep their clay tools in. One per table and they put the whole tray away at the end of the day. It keeps things organized and in a designated spot instead of everywhere.  NOTE: I keep the sharp tools separate because I don't use those much with the younger students. 

3. Slip

- I just use a plastic cup with a lid to keep slip in, but really anything with a lid will work. These get messy anyway so I don't use anything nice. 

4. Water

- I just keep a water bowl with 2 sponges in it for clean-up on the tables at all times. This makes things faster. I recycle the water/clay at the end of the day.   

5. Carts

- If you have a cart, use it to move clay around, store things you might need fast, etc... I keep a bag of clay on it so it's accessible to me in case I've made a mistake or someone needs clay. This has been a life saver. 

6. Table Trays

- I have some larger trays that I use for students to put their unfinished clay projects on. I used construction paper so I could organize them by their table color. This makes it so easy to pass out their projects. The trays have also helped students carry things, so we don't have any accidents. 

7. Storing Clay - individual student work. 

Designated Class Storage Area

Clay on trays, wrapped according to table color.

- I had a ton of plastic bags so I have students write their name (in sharpie) on masking tape and tape it to the bag. This way I can re-use them over and over. By adding a new piece of tape over the old one so the bags won't tear, I can keep these for a long time.

NOTE: In a previous post I mentioned clay set-up, check it out for more tips. 

Sneak Peek...

Our Clay Projects!

I'm so excited to finally get to share with you what we are doing with clay. I don't have photos of all the projects but here's a "sneak peek" and some of them. I can't wait till they get all the way finished with these. They are going to be so awesome!

2nd Grade "Hand Bowls"

I think these are turning out so cute! The ideas that these 2nd grader's came up with for the designs of their hand prints was amazing. 

Adding detail to their masks

3rd Grade "African Masks"

These were a challenge, but I knew that the 3rd graders could handle it. 
- They each had to sketch out their mask 2-Dimensionally in their sketchbooks.
- Then I discussed and demonstrated how to create them 3-Dimensionally. But, they had to do a lot of independent work to create their mask like their sketches. 

I have a couple of West African power points that I shared with the students. Just click on the links to see them: West African Art and Masks.

I can't wait till these have been completed. The detail they added is really going to make them amazing. Add we have some other surprises in store for these masks when they are complete.