In the chicken coop.(Early Childhood Studio Lesson)(live demos to enliven kindergartners)(Brief article)

At the Michigan Art Educators Association State Conference's "Kids and Clay" show, I really liked a lesson I learned from teacher a fellow teacher, Christine Obeid. Back at my school, I used it to great success with my kindergartners. In the lesson, students make clay chickens and chicken coops.

Introducing Chickens

Read aloud a book such as Dora's Eggs by Julie Sykes. Provide pictures of chickens for students to refer to while working. If possible, bring in a live chicken for students to observe (in a cage).

Procedures for Clay Chickens

Have students use a golf-ball size amount of clay to make a pinch pot to serve as the body of the …