This is a favorite experience I like to do with my students to:

  1. encourage them to write and draw on the pavement outdoors
  2. let them experience taking turns while doing a group project
  3. introduce them to following directions or a recipe
  4. use measurement in a real-life situation

I have found that children who normally do not color on the pavement (often times, boys) are more interested to do it when they have made the chalk themselves – and chosen the color of the chalk to make.The goal of this experience changes depending upon the age of your students. With the youngest students, we make the chalk together. With older students, you could give small groups the instructions and let them work cooperatively to make the chalk themselves. 

To make the chalk, you need:

Plaster of Paris, called “Gips” in Germany. I’ve attached a link, not because I endorse that product, but just to give you an example.

Large mixing bowl and spoon

Recycled toilet paper rolls

Wax paper (optional)

Masking tape

Tempera paint  *Ask the children which colors they would like to make? Black chalk is a favorite of mine, but I let the kids choose the colors that inspire them.

Plastic sandwich bags

Scissors

Directions:

  1. (Optional) Prepare the toilet paper rolls by cutting them lengthwise. Make the tube slightly smaller in diameter and tape them well down the length of the cut you made. Cover one end with tape. If you don’t cut the toilet paper tubes – the chalk will be the size of the toilet paper tube. I like the chalk to be slightly smaller in diameter so the preschool children can hold them more comfortably.
  2. (Optional) Roll the wax paper into a tube and insert it inside the toilet paper rolls. Sometimes, I have experienced that the wax paper gets in the way when working with young children. You can experiment with filling the tubes with and without the wax paper and see which you and your students prefer.
  3. Many instructions say: Mix 2 parts Plaster of Paris with one part water, mix well.* Then add paint, mix well. Try that. If the mixture is too wet, add more Plaster of Paris by the spoonful until you get a batter that is slightly wetter than mashed potatoes. *This is the measurement part. Ask your students how they will know they have used 2 parts Plaster of Paris and 1 part water.
  4. Put the chalk batter into a sandwich bag. 
  5. Cut one corner of the sandwich bag so the chalk batter can be piped into the toilet paper rolls by squeezing the sandwich bag.
  6. Gently tap the tube on the sidewalk or table so the chalk batter settles. 
  7. Pipe more chalk batter into the tube until it’s full. Tap and fill as needed.
  8. Don’t waste chalk batter! Fill up a tube with all the remaining chalk batter. You will have a piece of “rainbow chalk”!

Don’t be afraid!

We are discovering and learning by doing. You can’t make mistakes here. Anything that happens is a learning experience and a catalyst for discussion with your students.

If the chalk batter is too wet, what happens to the paper tube? 

If the chalk batter is too dry, what happens when you are filling your tube?

If the chalk batter is wet, how many days does it take to dry?

Does wet, medium wet or drier chalk batter effect the quality of the chalk when it’s dried?

Where is the best place to put our chalk tubes so they will dry? (We put our chalk on the heater inside the classroom. Often the chalk is dry by the next day.)

The next day…

Have the children peel the cardboard tube off their chalk. Is it easy? Is it difficult? Why?

Is there a difference (removing the cardboard or in the look of the chalk) for the tubes in which you used wax paper to line the tubes compared to the ones without wax paper?

Finally! It’s time! Let your children express their creativity with their colourful chalk!