The student demonstrates that new substances can be made when two or more substances are chemically combined and compare the properties of the new substances to the orignal substances. The student demonstrates that changes can be measured and graphically represented. Clay, earth, and mud were the first materials to be shaped by early humans. These materials were the ones easiest to find outdoors. Archaeologists have dug up clay tablets and pottery from ancient times.
Clay tablets tell the story of humankind before the era of writing.
Old jugs, bowls, and figurines tell how earlier civilizations lived, what they ate and what was important in their lives. The process of mixing clay and water is still used in pottery making today. When mixed with water clay forms a paste that is easily molded into various sizes and shapes. The object is then heated in a very hot oven to remove the water and to harden the clay, making it quite strong. The kind of material used to make the pottery object is called a ceramic.