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Grade: 3 and up
Age: 8 and up

Activity Summary:

Paperclay is a wonderful modeling material that you and your kinderartists will love working with. It is easy to use, non-toxic and it air-dries without the need for ovens or kilns. Here's how to make a paper clay fish.

What You Need:

• Creative Paperclay®
• Waxed Paper Or A Sandwich Bag
• An X-ACTO® Knife or Popsicle Stick for the younger ones
• Acrylic Paints
• Paint Brush
• Rolling Pin
• Glue and Water Mixture in a spray bottle (80% water 20% glue)
• Paper Clip
• Drawing paper and pencils
• Scissors
• Sequins or other small found objects
• Paperclay Tips

What You Do:

1. Talk about the ocean and discuss the kinds of fish and mammals who live there.
2. If possible, look at books and poster that show pictures of the undersea world.
3. Your students can then draw out some designs based on what they have learned.
4. These designs should then be cut out of the paper to be used as a template.
5. Roll out the Paperclay® between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic from a sandwich bag with the rolling pin until it's 1/8" thick.
6. Peel back the waxed paper or plastic.
7. Place the fish patterns that have been drawn and cut out on top of the flattened Paperclay® and cut out Paperclay® fish with an X-ACTO® knife or popsicle stick.
8. Peel off fish pattern.
9. Smooth the rough edges with a wet finger or a paint brush and a drop of water.
10. Push a paper clip into the top of the moist Paperclay® fish. This is so you can hang your fish later on.
11. Let the paperclay dry a day or so. You can speed up the process by putting it in an oven for about 30 minutes at 250 degrees, or by placing them in direct sunlight.
12. Be sure to turn them over after they're half dry so both sides dry evenly.
13. Paint as desired.
14. After the paint dries, spray with an 80% water, 20% glue solution. You could also use a spray varnish but the glue and water mix is far less toxic.
15. Rhinestones or other found objects can be glued on to the fish after the glue dries to make them sparkle.
16. After all is dry, hang the fish from the ceiling or in front of a window.

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