Clay Bird in a Nest

This is a cute Spring clay lesson I've taught to younger students, aged 6 and 7 (Grade 1,2). 

I found the idea for creating the bird's nest at the Almost Unschoolers blog.

We started by making very simple, low pinch pots. Then, using a grater, the kids grated blocks of clay until they had a little pile of twig/grass-like material. You could also use a garlic press, but we didn't have one and the grater seemed to work well enough. The kids love this step! 

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They patted this all around the outside of the pinch pot. Then they make a bird out of two balls of clay.  

I demonstrate how to 'scratch and attach' the head, wings, and beak using a toothbrush and water.  

Make some little oval eggs and stick them in the nest. 

Here's my sample after being bisque fired.

I lost the eggs somewhere along the way and had to make new ones...

Here's student work waiting to be glazed.

You can see some students had little birds hatching out of the eggs- so cute!

Mine after glazing- I like to use Mayco Stroke & Coat. The one below I actually over-fired (fired it at cone 6 instead of cone 06- whoops!) but it still survived, thank god, though the colours are much duller.