Grade 2 Art And Craft Modelling – Pellets Technique Notes
Art & Craft — Modelling: Pellets Technique
For: Class 1–3 (age 7) — Kenya
What is the Pellets Technique?
The pellets technique is a way of making shapes from clay or play dough by rolling small balls (called pellets). Pellets can be joined together to make animals, food, people and simple objects.
Materials (Kenyan classroom friendly)
- Air-dry clay or soft play dough (colourful)
- Flat board or plastic plate to work on
- Small container of water (for joining)
- Plastic knife or modelling stick
- Old newspaper or mat to keep desks clean
- Apron or old shirt
Learning goals
- Roll and shape pellets with hands.
- Join pellets safely to make simple objects.
- Use creativity to make Kenyan animals or foods (e.g., mbuzi/goat, kuku/chicken, maize).
Step-by-step: How to make a pellet
- Take a small piece of clay (size of a pea).
- Rub it between your palms in a gentle rolling motion — make a round ball.
- Make several pellets of the same size for parts like eyes or legs.
Tip: Keep pellets the same size for symmetry (e.g., two eyes).
How to join pellets (safe method)
- Press pellets lightly where they meet to make them stick.
- For stronger join: roughen both joining surfaces with a little scratch from a modelling stick.
- Moisten a tiny drop of water on the scratch, then press together. Wipe away extra water.
- Press gently until the pieces hold.
Simple class projects (easy & Kenyan)
- Maize: Make small yellow pellets for kernels. Press them on a curved clay cob shape.
- Kuku (chicken): 1 big pellet for body, 1 smaller for head, small pellets for eyes and beak.
- Mbuzi (goat): Use pellets for body, head, legs and horns. Join with water and press.
Classroom activity idea (20–30 mins):
- Show how to roll pellets (demo 3 minutes).
- Children make 6 pellets each (5–10 min).
- Build a simple animal or food & share with neighbour (10–15 min).
Safety & clean-up
- Do not eat the clay. Wash hands after lesson.
- Small pellets can be a choking risk. Keep out of reach of younger children.
- Use water sparingly to avoid sticky desks. Place scraps on newspaper for drying.
How to mark the work (simple)
Check that the child can:
- Roll smooth pellets by hand (Yes / No)
- Join pellets safely and neatly (Yes / No)
- Use imagination to make a Kenyan object/animal (Yes / No)
Questions to ask the children
- What did you make? Tell me about it.
- How did you join the pellets?
- Which colours did you choose and why?
Quick rhyme to remember:
Roll, roll, gentle and round — pellets ready, place them down!
Teacher note: Use local clay or homemade play dough (flour, salt, water, oil) when supplies are limited. Encourage neat hands and teamwork.