The staff at Healy School planned grade appropiate units on China focusing on history, culture, and geography. In the Kindergarten classes, the China Unit was integrated with clay. Each classroom displayed a project representing one of their lessons. The students displayed their projects at the school China Fair.
The kindergarten students participating in the China Unit through clay are Chinese bilingual students. Since the culture is familiar, less explanations were needed. Directions and vocabulary were translated and helped develop the students’ English proficiency.
 
 

SUBJECT: Language Arts
State Goal 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.
CAS A Listen and respond appropriately to oral messages.
CFS 1 Follow one-step, two-step, and three-step oral directions.
CFS 3 Demonstrate attentive listening in a variety of situations.

SUBJECT: Mathematics
State Goal 9: Use geometric methods to analyze, categorize, and draw conclusions about points.
CAS A: Identify and describe various plane and solid shapes and figures (circle, square, triangle, rectangle) by their attributes (number of sides).
CFS 1: Identify the shape (circle, square, triangle, rectangle) of objects (tiles, doorway, windows, book, ball) common to the students’ environment.
CFS 2: Identify, sort, classify, and compare familiar one-dimensional shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
CAS B: Describe and give examples of geometric concepts that show relationships between and among figures including symmetry, congruence, size and location.
CFS 1: Give and respond to directions about location. 

Week One
Discuss the origin of clay and its uses. Model the way to shape and mold clay.

Week Two
Make geometric shapes with clay: cubes, spheres, and cylinders.

Week Three
Make coils, shape into a cylinder and smoothed until blended together to make a pitcher.

Week Four
Make the basic geometric shapes and allow students times to explore with the clay.

Week Five
Discuss the origin of the word “china” for fine dishes. Make cups and saucers with matching repeated d esigns. 

Week Six
Make an assortment of fruits and vegetables on a platters in cooperation with other students at the table.

Week Seven
Make a dragon having learned to distinguish the characteristics of a Chinese dragon.

Week Eight
Make houses similiar to the Chinese village homes. Homes will be put together to make a village.

Week Nine
Make Chinese chops with the students’ intials.

Week Ten
Students made figures similiar to the tomb figures of Emperor Qin Shihuang in Xian, China. 
 

Room Management Procedures 
Early organization prior to clay lessons:
Send home letters to parents asking for volunteers to help students’ work with the clay.
Ask for donations of old tee shirts or men’s shirts.

Immediately prior to clay lesson:
Put newspapers on tables.
Corrugated lids (used to hold canned drinks) to store and dry students’ clay projects.
Label lids with table identification number/color for clay projects.
Ziplock sandwich bags labeled with each students’ name, grouped according to table seats, to take clay home. 
Dress students in old tee shirts or mens’ shirts buttoned backwards.
 

Conclusion of lesson:
Each table will fold the newspaper into smaller peices. 
Take students to the bathroom to wash hands.
 
 

Language Arts Objectives:
• Students will follow directions in cutting and shaping clay. 
• Students will use appropiate vocabulary to describe activities.
Mathematics Objective:
• Students will identify and cut clay into a square and rectangle.

Vocabulary
Clay, thumb, forefinger, pinch, pinch-pot, cup, saucer, sphere, square, rectangle

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculture tool, Book: A Ball of Clay 

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Read A Ball of Clay to students to capture their interest.
Identify the thumb and forefinger on the hand.
Identify the shapes of square, rectangle, and circle.
What items in the room represent those shapes?
Show students a piece of clay and let them feel it.
Where does clay come from?
What is it made of?
 

Body
Mr. Eller demonstrates each step using his clay and gives direction at the same time.
Each student is given a square piece of clay.
Students will half the clay and lay one piece above their work area.
Students will form a sphere with the clay by rolling between their hands.
Using their thumb and forefinger, the students will form a pinch pot and thin out the sides to form a cup. 
The students will then pinch a small piece from the square clay, form a handle by rolling the clay and attach it to the cup.
The students then compressed the cup and formed a sphere.
Another pinch pot was formed to make a larger container.
The clay from the saucer was then compressed into a log shape and separated into six pieces of clay.
The pieces were rolled into “french fries” and put into the clay container.

Conclusion
The activities were described and named the items made.
The tools were collected and returned to Bill Eller. 
The clay was sent home with students in ziplock bags. 
Extension Activities
• Students took clay home for further practice.
• Individual students described different activities during the lesson. 
 
 

Language Arts Objectives:
• Students will follow directions in cutting and shaping clay. 
• Students will use appropiate vocabulary to describe activities.
Mathematics Objective:
• Students will identify and cut clay into a square and rectangle.

Vocabulary
Cube, cylinders, coils, 

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculture tool

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Review the procedures for cutting clay into rectangles and putting one aside.
Body
Students took one clay rectangle to form coils.
The coils were then looped upward side by side to form a container.
The coils were smoothed together to form a cylinder.
Two circles were cut from the remaining clay rectangle.
One circle was placed on one end of cylinder to form a bottom and edges smoothed together.
The second circle form the lid and a small handle was attached to the top of the lid. 
Conclusion
What shapes did we make?
What was the first step? 
What was the next step?
Extension Activities
Students will take home clay in ziplock bags to practice working with clay.

Language Arts Objectives:
• Students will follow directions in cutting and shaping clay. 
• Students will use appropiate vocabulary to describe activities.
Mathematics Objective:
• Students will identify and cut clay into a square and rectangle.

Vocabulary
Liquids, containers, smooth, blend

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculture tool, Elmer’s Glue mixed with half water.

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Bill Eller showed slides of Chinese clay containers for liquids, teapots, and other containers with lids.
Body
Review previous lesson and activities.
Divide clay as in previous lessons.
Make coils with half of the clay.
Sides were smoothed together to form a container.
Base and lids were made from second clay square.
Some students form a spout for their containers and a handle on the side.
The completed project was marked with student’s initials and placed into a corrugated lid marked by table color.

Conclusion
Students discussed different purposes of containers. We compared our containers to ones used in the past ? the type of beverages we have today and the materials used to make these containers.

Extension Activities
The clay projects need to be painted with glue and water mixture after drying for one week. The next day after the glue and water mixture is painted on, the students can paint their projects with paints.
 

Language Arts Objectives:
• Students will follow directions in cutting and shaping clay. 
• Students will use appropiate vocabulary to describe activities.
Mathematics Objective:
• Students will identify and cut clay into a square and rectangle.

Vocabulary
Snowman, trees, animals, houses 

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculture tool

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
We discussed the things in our environment that represent spheres, cylinders and cubes. 
Students named items made of spheres: ice cream, balls, sun, moon, face.
Students named items made of cylinders: can and containers.
Students named items shaped like a cube: house, dice, boxes.
Body
The students prepare the clay in the usual manner.
Mr. Eller shaped half of the clay square into a sphere.
The sphere was then gently tapped twice on one side to form a flat surface.
The opposite side was then tapped twice to form the second flat surface.
The two flat surfaces were held and four sides were then formed.
We counted the number of sides on the cube.
The students were then encouraged to make something of their own choice. 
Conclusion
The students shared and described their creation to the class. The clay was taken home in ziplock bags.

Extension Activities
Students walked around the neighborhood identifying shapes found on buildings, street signs, and yards.

Language Arts Objectives:
• Students will follow directions in cutting and shaping clay. 
• Students will use appropiate vocabulary to describe activities.
Mathematics Objective:
• Students will identify and cut clay into a square and rectangle.
 

Vocabulary
Pattern, set, intials, edge

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculpture tools, toothpicks, glue

Lesson Procedure Outline
This lesson is similiar to the first lesson. After the cup and saucer are made, students were shown how to form identical patterns on the edges of the cup and saucer. 
Students had earlier been taught the letters of their initials and wrote their intials on their project.

Extension Activities
The students painted their projects with glue and water mixture after project dried for a week.
The students then chose a color to paint their cup and saucer.
 

Language Arts Objectives:
• Students will follow directions in cutting and shaping clay. 
• Students will use appropiate vocabulary to describe activities.
Mathematics Objective:
• Students will identify and cut clay into a square and rectangle.

Vocabulary
Cooperation, vegetables, fruits, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, melons
Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculpture tool, toothpicks, glue

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Review the difference between fruits and vegetables from the “Keeping Fit” unit.
Name favorite fuits and vegetables.
Body
Each table receives an extra piece of clay in shape of a platter and placed into a corrugated lid labelled with the table color.
Students follow the usual routine of separating the clay square.
Next, the clay rectangles are cut into four small squares.
One square is placed on top of the clay rectangle.
The second square is used to make a small sphere to form an apple or orange.
The students are encouraged to make different fruits and/or vegetables to add to the “table platter” with the third and fourth clay square.
Conclusion
Each table identified the food on their platters.

Extension Activities
After the glue mixture had been applied and dried, the students from each table painted their platter. We named the fruit or vegetable and identified its natural color.
 
 

Vocabulary
Dragon, claws, emperor, robes, festivals, Son of Heaven, good fortune

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculpture tool, toothpicks
 
 

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
The students have been listening to stories of China. They have seen pictures of dragons and are familiar with its physical appearance.
Dragons are an important symbol to the Chinese culture. The dragon represents the emperor and good fortune. Only the emperor was allowed to wear the five clawed dragon on his robes.
The dragon is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac and the most powerful. Some families would plan the birth of their children during the Year of the Dragon to insure good fortune.
Mr. Eller brought slides of Chinese dragons as building ornaments, decorating garments, in paintings, on vases and dishes, and unique five clawed Imperial Dragon.
 

Body
The clay was divided into two rectangles.
One of the rectangles was rolled into a cylinder and a head and tail was shaped on the ends.
The shape of a dragon’s head was compared to a crocodile giving the students a model to shape.
(Mr. Eller demonstrated each step with his clay figure.)
The ears, eyes and mouth was shaped with the sculpture tool and toothpick.
The clay square was divided into four peices to make the legs.
Students chose to make Imperial Dragons with five claws or other dragons with four claws.
Scales were added to the body using the toothpicks.
Students’ initials were marked on the dragon for identification.
Dragons are placed in labelled corrugated lid for drying.

Conclusion
Students identified the symbolic meaning of dragons in Chinese culture. They recognize the differences between dragons.

Extension Activities
The students can describe the difference between dragons. 
The students are aware of the importance of dragons in Chinese art work.
 
 

Vocabulary
Tomb homes, bath houses, farm homes, animals, village

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculture tool

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Mr. Eller showed slides of Chinese tomb homes.
Students learned about basic one room agricultural family homes.
Some homes were shared with animals.
Other homes had the animals outside confined by walls.
Roofs were designed with overhanging eaves to remind them of trees.
Slides of estate homes were shown.
Body
The clay is divided in the usual method.
Cubes are made to form the base of the house. (See Lesson 4)
Flat roofs were made with square pieces of clay. Bill Eller demonstrated how to blend the corner of the house with the roof using the sculpture tool.
The assorted houses were placed together to form a Chinese “village” (for the China Fair). 

Conclusion
Compare the homes of today with the homes in China.
How did people keep warm in the winter?
How do we obtain our food today compared with the past?

Vocabulary
Chops, reverse intials, stamps

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculpture tool, toothpicks

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Samples of Chinese chops were brought in for the students.
Mr. Eller showed slides of chops.
The students were able to name the Chinese zodiac animals that were the carved on the top. (The students are familiar with the animal associated with their year of birth).
The students would use their initials for the chops.
We explained the letters needed to be written in reverse to appear correctly when stamped.
To help the students understand this concept, we used a mirror to reflect letters written backwards.
Body
The clay was divided in the usual manner. 
A sphere was formed and shaped into a cube. (Lesson 4)
The students’ carved their initials backwards into one side of the cube.
An animal or handle was shaped and attached to the cube.
 

Vocabulary
Emperor, Qin Shihuang, Xian, army, soldiers, officers, horses, Great Wall
 

Materials List
Clay, shirts, newspapers, wire cutter, wooden sculpture tool, toothpick

Lesson Procedure Outline:
Introduction
Bill Eller showed slides of the figures found in Xian. 
He calls attention to the differences in the soldiers’ facial appearance, weapons and attire.
The students named people they could make into a clay figure.
Body
The students made figures of their choice.
Some students made baseball players and basketball players.
 

Conclusion
This project was difficult for the students. For future projects, busts are a better choice. The figures were not joined properly and fell apart during drying. 

Extension Activities
Read the Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahey. The story involves soldiers and an Emperor as well as the seven brothers.
Read the Empty Pot which contains a kind and wise Emperor.
 
 
 
 

TEACHER REFERENCES
Williams, Suanne (1996). Made in China. California: Pacific View Press. 

Pan, Lynn (1998). Encyclopedia of the Chinese Overseas. Singapore: Archipelago Press. 

STUDENT BOOKS
Chin, Charlie (1996). China’s Bravest Girl. New York: Children’s Book Press. 
Demi (1990). Empty Pot. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Demi (1993). Dragons and Fantastic Creatures. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Goldstein, Peggy (1991). Long is a Dragon. San Francisco: China Books and Periodicals, Inc.
Hong, Lily (1995). The Empress and the Silkworm. Illinois: Albert Whitman and Co.
Lawson, Julia (1993). The Dragon’s Pearl. New York: Clarion Books.
Tompert, Ann (1996). The Jade Horse. Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press.
Yep, Laurence (1997) The Dragon Prince. United States: Harper Collins.