Clay tiles – session plan

Using sketches of houses and homes children make their very own house in clay.

Learning Outcomes

Children make a clay tile, showing features of houses seen in Burwell.

Children sketch a selection of features from the front of houses.

Children learn a variety of techniques related to using clay.

www.burwellhouse.com

Age range and Group Size

Yr 2-6 (16 inside or )

Time required

1 – 1.5 hrs (Part 1) 1hr – 1.5hr (Part 2)

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Safety Guidance

Chn to use clay and tools appropriately.

Equipment

Leader needs:

Clay (cut with wire or knife into cricket ball sized chunks)

Children need

Paper and pencil for walk

Clay, tools, hessian mat or old placemat, aprons, water (one container between 4), rolling pin (1 between 2) and batten

Accessibility

Mobility None, though ensure children able to gain access to room safely.

Vision May need assistance on walk, and need to feel some building textures rather than sketch them.

Hearing No issues

Village walk (or if lack of time, tour of Burwell House)

Introduction

·  Brief children on safety walking around village, specifically crossing roads. Give one clipboard (with sheet) & pencil per pupil.

·  Sheet should be split into four boxes as per the diagram overleaf.

·  On the walk itself children need to sketch some interesting examples of building designs – perhaps at least 3 in each box as a minimum amount.

Roofs and chimneys / Windows and doors
Walls / Other things

·  Do a short walk around the village, ensuring to look at a variety of interesting buildings.

·  Various routes are possible, but a suggested route would be to turn left outside the red gates, left at the junction, left again at the next junction, cross the road at the telephone box and continue back round past the Anchor pub, cross the road again and to go through the white gates back into Burwell House. Maps area available.

The modelling

Practice

Before starting to make tile children should practice using the clay. Taking a good handful size of clay show children how to:

·  make a variety of simple shapes, (sphere, pyramid, cone, cube)

·  roll clay to an even thickness (about 1.5cm thick)

·  Practise mark-making using different tools and end of batten

·  Practise attaching one piece of clay to another (score marks where overlap will occur, add some water and press two pieces together. As clay dries the two pieces will stick)

Allow children time to practise each skill before introducing the next.

Making the Tile

·  Show examples of completed tiles.

·  Give out drawings. Children should decide on how they would like their “Burwell House” to look.

·  Children then use techniques they have practiced to make their own tile. Ensure these are named.

·  Leave to dry.

National Curriculum Linked Objectives:

Children should learn:

·  to select and record from first-hand observation of the environment

·  to investigate and combine visual and tactile qualities of materials and processes and to match these qualities to the purpose of their work

·  about materials and processes and how these can be matched to ideas and intentions

·  to develop their control of tools and techniques

·  to reflect on their work in progress and adapt it according to their own ideas

·  (Linking to Art Unit 3C: Can we change places & 6C: A Sense of Place )

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