Clay

During the first two weeks of school, we have been exploring the many wonderful properties of clay. Instead of cookie cutters, we set out adult clay tools, alongside our clay for the children to cut, scrape, tear, and manipulate the clay to their own liking. We were curious to see how the children would respond to the clay and where their own curiosity would lead them. Therefore, we gave no initial instruction and decided to just observe as they touched the clay.

The Morahs asked the children,“How does the clay feel?”

Nechama – “Hard.”

Ben – “Ben Dirty”

Shimmy – “Sticky”

Tamar – “Messy”

Nosson – “Wet”

Vella – “Slimy”

Shira – “Cold”

Hailey – “Squishy”

 As the children explored the clay, they experimented with new tools;

-         Cutting the clay with fishing wire

-         Slicing the clay with different shaped knifes and scrapers

-         Wetting the clay with a sponge

-         Making imprints and designs in the clay with natural materials, such as leaves, sticks, stones, and gems.

Together as a school, we are discussing with the children the concept of community. Who makes up our community here at school?

During our clay exploration time, we overheard many conversations about cooking cakes and lollipops for Ben and Shimmy’s Upsherinish. Many of them had attended over the weekend and it was still a very exciting and meaningful experience to the members of our classroom community. Many of the children rolled out cakes and fed each other delicious treats, which they had remembered eating at the Upshernish. Leaves and gems acted as decorations and sticks represented candles.

While working on our cakes, we asked the children, “Who makes up our classroom community?”

Nosson – “My mommy, my tatty, my Merele, and my Bayla.”

Nechama – “Minna”

Hailey – “My friends and morahs.”

Vella – “Imie”

Shira – “My Talia and my Eliya”

Tamar – “My baby and my sister”

Ben – “Shimmy”

Shimmy – “Ben”

As the weeks go on, we intend to further the conversation and dig deeper into this concept, as we express our thoughts and ideas through clay.