Toby’s Clay Pots

Toby and Gail make small clay pots in their art lesson. They smooth the damp sides with their fingers before putting the pots down.

Both pots sit on the same drying board. They are almost the same size, with round sides and a wide opening at the top.

“Which one is mine?” asks Toby. He remembers a thin line on his pot, but he cannot find it on either side now.

Gail looks at the bottoms with him. One has a small dent near the edge, where Toby had pressed with his thumb.

The teacher suggests making a simple mark underneath. Toby uses a wooden tool to press a small cross into the soft clay.

Gail presses a small circle under her own pot. They set both pots back on the board, leaving room between them to dry.

After the next lesson, Toby gently checks underneath. His cross is still there, so he knows which pot belongs to him.

He puts it beside Gail’s pot on the shelf. The two pots look alike, but their small hidden marks tell a different story.