This Lesson keeps getting better...

Ever have one of those projects that you love to teach, but you keep re-vamping it every time?  For me, it is the Kindergarten Texture Plaques.  When I first began teaching 15 yrs ago (yikes) it was a lesson I taught to the Kindergarten as a way of exploring texture, and introducing clay and texture tools.  It was a big blob of clay, and we strung yarn through them, and wore them home.  Fun.  Then, I found a couple awesome packs of alphabet cookie cutters.  We began to cut out their first initial, out of the best section of their textured clay.  Even better.  This year, the lesson fell around Valentines day, so I first had them cut out a heart from their textured clay, and then we rolled coils and made their first letter to attach to the heart (including those language/writing skills).  I just so happened to have a huge donation of rainbow shoelaces (random) which we strung onto the hearts, and those finished with more time were allowed to use my beads to create a pattern on both sides.  The kids are delighted, and so excited to wear them home.  We used tempera cakes to paint them, and I had them put a coat of Acrylic Polymer Medium over the top to add a little shine.