Austin Road Elementary School kindergartners recently rolled up their sleeves for their first-ever clay project in art class with teacher Chris Williams. The experience gave students the opportunity to create clay pinch pots.
“The clay project was tailored to help strengthen their hand muscles, which is essential for developing fine motor control,” Williams said.
Throughout the school year, the kindergartners have been exploring the concept of using their hands as tools in artmaking. Earlier lessons included tearing paper to create and arrange unique shapes, and learning to grip and control pencils, crayons, markers and paintbrushes. Painting had been the highlight of the year for many young artists; until the clay arrived.
“They’ve been incredibly engaged,” Williams said. “Not necessarily more so than with other projects, but definitely more curious about the materials and the process. I can’t wait for them to see the final results.”
Williams and his students reviewed the process several times: building the pinch pots, carving designs, letting the pieces dry for more than a week, firing them in a kiln at nearly 2,000 degrees, glazing the pots and firing once more before the finished pots can be sent home.
While they wait for their clay pots to be completed, the students will prepare portfolios to take home their artwork and create decorations for upcoming spring events in the cafeteria and auditorium.
