Week of 1/23/22 - Clay and weaving

I started another 2 week rotation with 4th and 5th grade this week. A 5th grade parent helped me carry 600 lbs. of clay from Freeform Clay and Supplies in her truck! A staff member at the store helped load the clay in the parent's truck who drove them to school in her pick up truck. As I was unloading the clay from the truck, my colleague, a 3rd grade teacher walked up and started helping me put the boxed clay in my cart and wheeled it to my classroom. All of this from start to finish took less than an hour. Teamwork truly makes the dream work!! 

 I planned 5 different projects for my 5 5th grade classes - this way pieces don't get mixed up and I know which class worked on what project so pieces are easy to separate. My goal for all 5th graders was for them to know where clay comes from, what the words wedging, kiln, pinching and coiling mean and how they can use additive (while slipping and scoring) and subtractive processes.

The 1st class created spoons incorporating a coil method and pinching the end to make the bowl of the spoon! These turned out beautiful and it was interesting to see how the added pieces to the handle or used carving tools to remove clay to create textures.

               

2nd class created owls! Pinch technique for the body with coiling for the eyes, how awesome are these?

 

3rd class made pinch pots and added coils to them. Focus on creating textures using an additive or subtractive process.

 4th class created cacti - bowls from pinching technique with cactus made from coils. I wanted their cacti to stay standing and reminded them several times to do a great job slipping and scoring.

 

The final class created animals using pinch pots for the body. My initial plan was to have them create pigs but some students asked to pick an animal themselves! There were elephants, bees, ducks and several pigs! It was the last class on Friday and I was so happy to see all the different pieces!

On to bisque firing once our kilns are fixed.

4th graders created woven artworks - The purpose here was for students to experience the tactile aspect of art while using yarn of different thicknesses, knowing the difference between weaving and knitting, a class discussion about how fabric is made and understanding the concept of over and under and repeating it. We looked at how weavers in India and Ghana sit and weave at a traditional loom and I shared my handwoven sarees from India. This way students are able to associate this activity with fabric in a broader context and appreciate hand weaving as a beautiful art form.