Sculpture: make a simple clay animal
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can create a simple clay animal sculpture.
Key learning points
- Understand how to use a card template to create a basic animal shape in clay.
- Explore texture by using tools and objects to create patterns on clay surfaces.
Keywords
Perforate / perforations - a line of tiny holes that helps you to cut or tear something more easily
Texture - the feel or appearance of a surface
Common misconception
Pupils may feel the need to cut the clay straight away before connecting the dots.
Encourage pupils to connect the dots carefully first before cutting. Consider giving them a light pencil or tool to trace the outline before cutting.
Teacher tip
Print simple animal silhouettes on card for pupils to perforate around, or offer animal-shaped cutters for those who need extra support. Set up a texture station with tools like forks, leaves, or shells, and remind pupils to press gently to avoid flattening their clay shape.
Equipment
Air-dry clay (or standard modelling clay) animal templates, toothpicks or blunt pencils, rolling pins, clay tools or plastic cutlery, water pots, table covers and aprons.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is a template used for?
Q2.Match the word to its meaning:
Q3.Put the steps in the right order to create a playdough plaque:
Q4.What do we call how something feels, like bumpy or smooth?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What does it mean to perforate clay?
Q2.Match each art word to what it means:
Q3.Adding texture helps your artwork look more .
Q4.Put these steps in the right order to make your clay animal:
To help you plan your 2 art and design lesson on: Sculpture: make a simple clay animal, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 2 art and design lesson on: Sculpture: make a simple clay animal, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 art and design lessons from the Reclaimed materials: drawing and sculpture unit, dive into the full primary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.