Basic Cray Magnet Techniques

Overview

Lesson 3 of 9 in Crafting Connections: Art and Friendship. Students explore cray magnet as a three-dimensional art material, practising shaping, joining, texturing and adding colour. They create small forms that communicate an idea about friendship or connection.

Learning intentions

• WALT explore and control cray magnet using basic making techniques.
• WALT use shape, texture and colour to communicate meaning.
• WALT explain how a three-dimensional form can represent a friendship idea.
• WALT give and respond to constructive feedback about artwork.

Success criteria

• I can shape cray magnet into a recognisable small form.
• I can securely join pieces and add at least one texture.
• I can use colour choices purposefully to communicate an idea.
• I can explain what my form represents and describe one next step.

Curriculum links

• Developing practical knowledge of visual arts elements, techniques, processes and materials.
• Developing ideas in response to a theme, personal experience and relationships.
• Communicating and interpreting meaning through visual art.
• Responding to and evaluating artworks using appropriate visual arts language.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Welcome and connection Display the lesson goal and introduce the focus: “How can a small three-dimensional form show friendship?” Open with the opening question and visual hook. Invite students to briefly share words associated with friendship, such as trust, support, belonging, humour or teamwork.

2. 5–15 minutes – Teacher demonstration Use the technique demonstration slides while modelling with cray magnet. Demonstrate:

• shaping a ball, coil, pinch form and simple symbol
• joining by pressing, blending and checking the seam
• creating texture with fingers or safe classroom tools
• adding colour by blending coloured material or applying colour as directed by the product instructions Emphasise using small amounts, keeping the material clean, and making joins strong. Ask: “Which technique could make a form feel soft, connected, supported or joyful?”

3. 15–20 minutes – Plan a friendship symbol Distribute the friendship form planning sheet. Students draw a quick plan and label the intended shape, join, texture and colour. They write one sentence explaining the friendship idea they want the form to communicate. Confer with students to ensure their ideas are achievable within the available time.

4. 20–40 minutes – Individual making Students make one small cray magnet form based on their plan. Encourage them to work from large shapes to smaller details, test joins before adding decoration, and use texture and colour deliberately. Display the making-process and self-check slides as a visual reminder. Circulate and ask: “What does this part communicate?” and “How could you make that join stronger?”

5. 40–48 minutes – Partner feedback Students place their work and plan where a partner can see them. Use the Visual Arts Critique Cards to guide a short feedback exchange. Each student describes what they notice, identifies the friendship idea they read, and offers one specific suggestion. The maker decides whether to accept and apply the suggestion.

6. 48–55 minutes – Refine and photograph Students make one purposeful improvement, such as strengthening a join, increasing texture, clarifying a shape or adjusting colour. They complete the reflection section of the friendship form planning sheet and, if possible, photograph the form beside its written explanation for the unit record.

7. 55–60 minutes – Share and tidy Invite three or four students to share their forms and explain how a technique helped communicate meaning. Return to the plenary reflection slides and ask students to complete the sentence: “My form communicates friendship by…” Students clean their workspaces, store unfinished pieces safely and wash hands.

Resources

• Cray magnet or suitable modelling material in a range of colours
• Individual work mats or boards
• Safe modelling tools, such as craft sticks, blunt plastic tools and texture-making objects
• Aprons or table coverings
• Small containers or labelled bags for unfinished work
• Camera or tablet for documenting work
• the lesson slide deck
• the friendship form planning sheet
• the Visual Arts Critique Cards

Assessment

• Observe students’ control of shaping, joining and texturing techniques during the demonstration and making phase.
• Review plans and finished forms for purposeful use of shape, texture and colour to communicate a friendship-related idea.
• Listen to partner feedback and read reflections for visual arts vocabulary, explanation of meaning and an appropriate next step.

Differentiation

• Provide pre-portioned material, technique demonstration samples and a visual step sequence for students who need support with motor planning or working memory.
• Offer sentence frames: “My form represents…”, “I used texture to show…”, and “My next step is…”. Allow students to explain orally or through labelled drawings.
• For students with sensory or fine-motor needs, provide tools for handling the material, gloves if appropriate, larger forms and a quieter workspace.
• Extend confident makers by requiring two contrasting textures, a more complex interlocking join, or a form whose meaning changes when viewed from different angles. Ask them to explain how the design achieves this.