Environments and Materials

We’ve curated a collection of resources from our Teaching Preschools, Opal School and other curious minds for you to explore. Use these images, stories, tools, videos and articles as a spark — we hope you’ll find inspiration. This collection is intended to invite you to think alongside us about what happens when materials are used for tools for thinking within classroom environments.

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Black line Drawing: Where do I start?
Practice
Publications and Tools

Black line Drawing: Where do I start?

Exploring Paper

Exploring Paper

First Experience with Tempera Paint
Environments and Materials

First Experience with Tempera Paint

First Experience with Tempera Paint (excerpt from The Field Guide, Chp. 3) written by Melinda Hayward, former Prescott Teaching Preschool teacher and Carolyn Potts, Studio…Read More.
Suggested Classroom Materials List
Environments and Materials
Tools and Publications

Suggested Classroom Materials List

We often go into schools and conduct workshops where people ask us where we get all of the interesting art materials we use. We’ve prepared…Read More.
Using Potter’s Clay with Young Children
Environments and Materials

Using Potter’s Clay with Young Children

  For young children the sensory world is a source of satisfaction, and imagination is the source of exploratory delight. And, it is these inclinations…Read More.
Oil Based Clay
Environments and Materials
Tools and Publications

Oil Based Clay

Preparing an invitation to explore a new material is like setting a table- a table of possibilities.  Taking the time to make the organization of…Read More.
The Wonder of Intelligent Materials
Environments and Materials

The Wonder of Intelligent Materials

FROM THE OPAL ARCHIVE: This video shares images from Opal School classrooms of children working with a variety of different materials.Read More.