This fun STEM activity is a perfect way to get creative with your 4- to 11-year-olds! The free activity sheet guides you through the simple steps to make a clay teacup for a celebration party or commemorative cup to keep or give away as a gift.
This activity is mapped to the UK curricula for design and technology and can be done at home or at school as a cheap DIY activity with air-dry clay. Let them develop hands-on skills using a coil pot method and discuss materials as you follow along with the activity steps to discover their inner engineer.
This exercise could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about manipulating materials to make products.
Activity: Make a DIY clay teacup
This is one of a set of free resources developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum. They are designed to support the delivery of key topics within design and technology. This resource focuses on building and decorating a teacup, using air-drying clay.
Download the activity sheet below to develop your hands-on practical skills and follow our step-by-step guide on how to make a commemorative cup, using the coil pot method.
Students will complete each step to conduct the activity for themselves. Once learners have completed their commemorative cups they can share them with the class. What went well? How could the cups be improved?
As an optional extension learners could add decoration to the inside of their cups.
This activity will take approximately 60 – 90 minutes to complete.
Tools/resources required
- Air-dry clay
- Yogurt pots or potatoes
- Felt tip pens
- Acrylic paint
- Small container for water/clay mix
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity students will understand how structures are made using clay and they will be able to make, assemble and decorate a teacup for a celebration.
The engineering context
Engineers use clay to make 3D models of structures and even products like cars. Automotive engineers will make clay models of new cars to test how streamlined they are in wind tunnels.
Download the free Make a DIY clay teacup activity sheet below!
All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.
The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation.
