On the first day of this project our student teacher, Ms. Prather, taught the 2nd graders about coins and symbols. The students brainstormed ideas for their coins on a worksheet by writing four things that they liked to do for fun or something about themselves. After writing their ideas down, they drew a picture of something that could symbolize each thing they wrote. The next step was to cut out their favorite image and transfer the drawing onto a styrofoam printing plate. They did this very carefully by tracing their lines with a dull pencil with the paper on top of the plate.
On the second day, the students learned about clay and transfered their image from the plate onto the clay. They first created a slab of clay by punding and rolling the clay to the thickness of their finger. Then, they traced their printing plate three times and cut them out to create the coins. Finally, the students pressed and rubbed the printing plate into the clay to create an impression of their symbol.
The coins are now in the kiln to be fired. Next week the students will paint them and trade some with other students in the class!
