WELCOME TO THE CLAY PAGE!
School Clay Leads: Lauren Jewell & Misha Seth
Any Questions? Please contact us: clay@avhsc.org
What is the clay program?
The clay program is funded by the Alta Vista Home and School Club and allows each class to make up to 2 projects per year to take home (1 project in the fall and 1 in the spring). Each clay project consists of a clay shaping session and a clay glazing session spaced 4 weeks apart. In total there is 4 clay sessions per school year. (Note: 5th graders only take one project home. The spring project is the tile project and stays at the school.)
Why do we have the clay program?
Schools incorporate clay projects foster creativity, develop fine motor skills, enhance spatial awareness, promote problem-solving abilities, and allow for tactile sensory experiences through the manipulation of a 3D medium, all while encouraging self-expression and imaginative thinking in students.
- Motor Skill Development: The act of squeezing, rolling, pinching, and shaping clay strengthens hand muscles and improves hand-eye coordination, which is crucial for writing and other fine motor skills.
- Spatial Awareness: Creating 3D objects with clay helps students visualize and understand spatial relationships, considering different angles and dimensions. Creative Expression: Clay allows students to freely express their ideas and imagination without limitations, fostering creativity and artistic development.
- Sensory Engagement: The tactile nature of clay provides a sensory experience that can be calming and engaging for students, especially those with different learning styles.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Planning and executing a clay project requires students to think critically, troubleshoot challenges, and adapt their approach as they work.
- Cognitive Development: Clay activities stimulate cognitive functions like planning, visual perception, and critical thinking.
- Social Interaction: Collaborative clay projects can encourage teamwork, communication, and sharing ideas among students.
Who runs the clay program?
We have two school wide leads that manage the program. They handle:
- general training at the beginning of the year
- ordering and restocking clay supplies as needed
- creating the master schedule
- organizing the clay room as needed
- operating the kiln (important - only leads are trained to operate the kiln!)
We also typically have one class clay lead that manages the scheduling, projects, and volunteer recruitment for their child's class. Lastly, depending on the complexity of the project, we require 2 to 5 additional volunteers to assist with the project for each class.
How can I find out more about the clay program?
There is training at the beginning of each school year. Go to the volunteer webpage to see the training schedule. If you missed the training please contact the school clay leads. Also, check out the bottom of the page for all training material. It is EXTREMELY important that the clay shaping and glazing procedures and checklists be reviewed prior to your clay session!
What are some recommended projects for each grade?
We have lots of recommended projects for each grade! It is very important to select projects from the list below (or very similar projects) because various techniques are learned in each of the projects. Projects must be approved by school clay leads to ensure project guidelines are being met.
Projects are listed below:
(Thank you to Nikki Gettleman and Dimple Shah for creating majority of the instructions and videos!)
Transitional Kindergarten
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowman, Gingerbread man, or Christmas tree |  |
(Note: Gingerbread and Christmas tree are the same steps but with a different template) |
Snowman Video |
| Pinch Pot |  |
Pinch Pot Instructions (Method 1)
|
|
Kindergarten
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinket Dish |  |
Trinket Dish Instructions | Trinket Dish Video |
| Heart Handprint |  |
||
|
Door Number/ Address Plaque |
|
Address Plaque Video |
First Grade
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand Bowl |  |
IMPORTANT! Changes have been made to this project - contact clay@avhsc.org before you start this project! |
Hand Bowl Video |
| Succulent Holder (1 piece) |  |
Succulent Holder Instructions | Succulent Holder Video |
Second Grade
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf Bowl/Plate |  |
IMPORTANT! Changes have been made to this project - contact clay@avhsc.org before you start this project! |
Leaf Bowl Video |
| Utensil Rest |  |
Utensil Rest Instructions | Utensil Rest Video |
third Grade
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candle Holder |  |
Candle Holder Instructions | Candle Holder Video |
| Paint Palette |  |
Paint Palette Instructions | Paint Palette Video |
| Garden Mushroom |  |
Fourth Grade
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cupcake Stand |  |
Cupcake Stand Instructions | Cupcake Stand Video |
| Taco Stand |  |
Taco Stand Instructions | Taco Stand Video |
| Succulent Holder (2 pieces) |  |
Succulent Holder Instructions (2 pieces) |
(YouTube) |
| Coil Pot |  |
Coil Pot Instructions |
Coil Pot Video (YouTube) Attaching coils (YouTube) |
fifth Grade
| Project | Sample Image | Link to procedure | Link to Video |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tile Project |
 |
Tile Instructions | Tile Video |
| Bird Feeder |  |
Bird Feeder Instructions | Bird Feeder Video |
| Animal Pinch Pots |  |
Follow Pinch pot instructions and then shape features such as nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and tail and use score and slip method to attach. |
(youTube) |
additional Documentation:
Classroom Clay Leads:
General Clay Training Material
Link to all Grade level projects and videos can be found here
