Art and Design · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Creating Coil Pots with Clay

Active learning lets children feel clay’s resistance, watch coils stack, and see their own hands shape form and function. These kinesthetic and visual experiences help young learners internalize balance, texture, and structural integrity in ways worksheets cannot.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Art and Design - Sculpture

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Pairs

Demonstration: Coil Rolling Basics

Model rolling clay sausages of even thickness on a flat surface. Have children practice in pairs, aiming for 20cm coils, then measure and compare lengths. Discuss why uniform coils matter for stacking.

Construct a stable coil pot by joining clay coils effectively.

Facilitation Tip

During the demonstration, keep a second lump of clay available to re-roll if your first coil breaks, so students see you troubleshoot in real time.

What to look for

Observe students as they build. Ask: 'Show me how you are scoring the clay before you add the next coil.' Listen for their explanation of why scoring is important for a strong join.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Building Stable Pots

Provide scored bases. Groups stack 5-7 coils, applying slip at each join and checking stability by gentle shaking. Rotate roles: roller, joiner, stability tester. End with 10-minute drying.

Compare the process of making a pinch pot to making a coil pot.

Facilitation Tip

When groups build pots, circulate with a ruler to quietly measure coil thickness and point out when it’s too thick or thin.

What to look for

Hold up two finished coil pots, one with visible coil lines and one smoothly finished. Ask students: 'What is the difference between these two pots? How do you think the artist made this one so smooth?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Pinch vs Coil Comparison

Pairs make a small pinch pot then a mini coil pot side-by-side. Note differences in height, time, and strength on sticky notes. Share one pro and con per method with the class.

Explain how to smooth the coils to create a unified surface.

Facilitation Tip

For the Pinch vs Coil Comparison, set out two completed pinch pots and two coil pots on a tray so students can pass them and feel the weight differences.

What to look for

Give each student a small card. Ask them to draw one step in making a coil pot and write one word to describe that step (e.g., 'roll', 'score', 'slip', 'join', 'smooth').

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Smoothing Challenge

Display half-built pots. Demonstrate kidney tools, ribs, and fingers for blending seams. Children smooth their pots, timing themselves for even surfaces, then vote on smoothest examples.

Construct a stable coil pot by joining clay coils effectively.

Facilitation Tip

During the Smoothing Challenge, provide only one smoothing tool per pair so they must take turns and discuss techniques aloud.

What to look for

Observe students as they build. Ask: 'Show me how you are scoring the clay before you add the next coil.' Listen for their explanation of why scoring is important for a strong join.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model slow, deliberate steps and narrate thinking aloud, especially when joins fail. Avoid rushing to ‘fix’ student work; instead, ask, ‘What do you notice about that seam?’ to guide reflection. Research shows young children learn spatial reasoning through repeated physical practice rather than abstract explanation.

Students will roll even coils, join them with scored surfaces and slip, and finish pots with smooth seams. They will explain why strong joins matter and how thickness affects stability. Completed pots will stand upright without collapsing.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Building Stable Pots, students may skip scoring because they assume coils will stick simply by pressing them together.

  During Building Stable Pots, provide a tray of pre-roughened clay edges and a small brush for slip. Pause the activity and ask, ‘What do you see on this edge? Why do we do this before adding the next coil?’ Let students test a join without slip to feel the difference.

• During Building Stable Pots, students believe thicker coils automatically make stronger pots.

  During Building Stable Pots, give each group three small clay balls to roll into coils of different thicknesses. Stack them on a tile and let students observe which stacks stand tall and which slump, guiding them to measure and compare widths.

• Students think their first coil pot should look flawless without cracks or uneven seams.

  During Building Stable Pots, intentionally create a crack in one pot before the activity and point it out. Say, ‘This crack tells us the clay is thirsty. What could we do to fix it?’ Then let students rebuild that section while you circulate to normalize iteration.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning