Here are some classroom ceramics ideas and projects that are designed to spark students and teachers imaginations. You will need the clay body of your choice, a plywood board, cardboard or newspaper, damp cloths to wrap and plastic bags large enough to store unfinished work in progress without it drying out. Everyday household utensils can make excellent clay-working tools. Dull knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, screws, paper clips and crumpled foil are all excellent for cutting, shaping, and texturing the clay. A damp sponge is used to smooth joints.
Perhaps the most elementary of clay making lesson plans is the pinch pot. Students begin by shaping clay into a round ball which should sit comfortably within the students hands. Holding the ball in the palm of one hand, the thumb of the other hand is gently pressed into the center of the ball. The ball is turned with short movements until the thumb reaches about 1/2" from the bottom. The rotating pot is drawn up between the thumb working on the inside and the fingers working on the outside until the desired shape is attained. Another simple classroom ceramic technique is coiling - the age old method of pottery making by layering coils of clay one upon the other and then smoothing them together in order to form the shape and size desired. A base is made by flattening a ball of clay to 1/4" thick. Then coils are hand rolled to pencil diameter, and then gently pressed onto the base. The coiling continues upward being firmly joined together and smoothed as the process progresses until the desire size is attained.
Other simple art lesson plans involve slab construction. Beginning with a simple slab, there are endless possibilities for student and teacher creativity. Everything from funny faces, miniature animals, decorative boxes, wall plaques, and even jewelry can all begin with a clay slab. Students roll out a clay slab with a rolling pin or broom handle to about 1/4" thick, depending upon the requirements of the project. To make a box, first determine the size of the top, bottom, and sides of the box. Make paper patterns, and cut out the pieces from the clay slab. Using a paper clip or pin, the edges where the two clay pieces will join are scored and brushed with slip. Then the edges are assembled and gently pressed into place. The edges are sealed and tamped firm with a smooth stick, a dull knife, or a chopstick.
To make a wall vase for holding dried flowers cut a semi-circular piece of clay from the slab and attach it to a back piece of clay slab by scoring the edges and brushing with slip. A hole for hanging should be drilled in the back piece above the geometric center of the vase. Other creative ideas for slab construction are sun and moon plaques of any number of possible designs. It is also easy to make jewelry by cutting out slab shapes and then forming them into pendants, bracelets, or entire necklaces. While the clay pieces are still damp a toothpick is used to make holes for stringing or hanging.
There are many easy and exciting classroom ceramics techniques and clay making lesson plans suitable for even elementary students. These art lesson plans are meant to be merely suggestions to spark your students and your own creativity.
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