Ancient Pottery

I love the way our science and history and art all tie together. This week at Learning Club we studied ancient Native American farming techniques including companion planting and natural fertilizers.  We used M&Ms as the different nutrients in the soil and the children as different plants.  It is amazing how much more goes in their brains when chocolate is involved. 

 

In art, the children got to make their own clay pots similar to the way Native Americans did hundreds of years ago. 

 

They started with a simple lump of clay, working it into a ball and then pushing their fingers in.  

 

Then gradually they widen and smoothed the bowl making the opening bigger turning the pot round in their hands.  It was neat watching the kids examine the texture of the clay and note how it changed as they worked with it.  They had to add tiny amounts of water to their creation as they worked to make it smooth.  The control involved in putting on the right amount of water took a great deal of concentration from Froggy.