Close your eyes. Think of a memory, any memory. Where are you in this memory? What do you see? Who are you with? What does it smell like where you are? Do you smell crisp leaves or maybe freshly baked cookies? What do you hear? Do you hear birds chirping or maybe your favorite song playing? How do you feel in this memory?

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During my time student teaching, I created a clay unit for 6th and 8th graders called Shaping Memory. I led students through a memory visualization exercise similar to the one stated above. Students created coil vessels based on a personal memory. This unit was key in helping me build relationships with students. If students were not sure of a memory they wanted to remember, I asked them to think of a dream instead. While students worked on their project, they enjoyed re-telling the story of their memory to their peers. As a result of this project, students created art that had personal meaning to them and I was able to learn something meaningful about each student. 

 

How can objects help us preserve memories or stories?