Fifth Grade Clay Whistles

Ready for the kiln

Elephant in a party hat!

My Fifth grade classes are completing their clay whistles this week.  I couldn't be more proud of this group.  A few of the musicians actually played around with my tools for making the fingering holes and were successful in achieving tones for their ocarinas.  This is in no way an easy feat.  There has been many a time, I personally filled in the holes and gave up my attempts to reach this achievement.  I give the students a bit of freedom in creating their whistles.  The only guidelines are that they must create something from the animal, insect, bird or fish kingdoms and that it needs to be done well.  Meaning, it needs to be detailed and look clean and finished.  I stress making all the additive pieces by forming them from a beginning ball shape and detail  wins me over every time!  Here are a few pieces of green ware that are definitely worthy of sharing as well as some bisque pieces.  I have one more bisque firing before they begin to glaze.

bisque menagerie

Whimsical owl with a tie

Bisque ware waiting to be glazed