2nd Grade planning for clay sculpture

 

Prek clay explore

 

ceramics 4th grade

2ng grade ceramics unit

          I am trying to rethink my ceramics/clay unit and allow more of them in the planning. Allowing exploration of the media is an essential part of every unit. I observe what they know how to make, what their interest are, how they combine solids to make new shapes, whether they know how to use water to soften the media. I also pay very close attention to what their interests are. Are they making animals? are they making foods? In second grace kids are primarily still having a very exploratory relationship with clay. They wrestle with it, they make it too wet and make mud, and all of it is fine. Some kids do not learn from being told the clay turns to mud with too much water, some kids need to use too much water, are mud, experience frustration with this mud and THEN learn to not add too much water. Both routes are perfectly acceptable forms of learning. I say this because I was always that child who needed to learn for herself. I still remember drawing heads on top of legs for months and months until one day I noticed, all on my own, that legs did not stem from my head but that a whole body was there. This learning, at times, I find MUCH more valuable than one in which you are told, "hey, did you know a body is between your head and legs?". So I will gently warn and I say gently because I do not go all out with this warning, maybe because part of me still values this incidental learning much more over simply being told, what's fun in that?!!

I tweeted: "Giving students time to explore the new media allows then to brainstorm ideas and allows me to see what skills i need to teach @APSArts #apsarts #artsed"

Focus on texture -4th grade clay sculptures

As always we began the unit with one entire class dedicated to exploration. This time I also asked them to create these small texture samples. 

Exploring textures in clay. Thinking of having students look at Van Gogh’s drawings as inspiration. #ceramics #projectbasedlearnjng #choice #workthatmatters #sethgodin #clay #3dart #artsed #apsarts 

During the second class I gave them labels with varied textures such as feathers ripples of water, scales, etc....and asked them to match the labels to a texture one might use to crate that texture. (These are in Spanish, I teach in a Spanish Immersion school) 

I tweeted: "Exploring different textures in clay- #immersion #spanish #apsarts #artsed #ceramics #artteacherlife "

12/2/19

I learned during teaching this class today to never underestimate planning. I gave students a quick set of instructions on how to draw their ideas in a way in which we can "see" all 4 sides and set them loose. Last year I had all kids make mugs and allowed them to choose what they decorated their outside with, this year, I have chosen to not give them any uniting "umbrella" subject. I was a bit nervous at first but within 20 minutes I realized I had made a great decision in letting them choose. Students went right to work image googling their ideas, some wanted to make a car, some wanted to make a mug, others simply wanted to make a sculpture of a creature or animal their liked. The class was an hour and 10 minutes and every child sat for that long planning out their idea. 

I also encouraged the students to walk around and share their ideas with peers to get feedback. Here are two students discussing their ideas freely. 

Whether or not the image is drawn to scale does not matter. Whether or not it matches what they found on google images also does not matters. What matters is that the idea is clear to them. 

In noticing the variation of ideas coming forth I decided that next week I will have to give a brief lesson on proper attachment of pieces so that I do not have many pieces to repair after firing. I also encouraged them to keep thinking about their idea during the week and if they changed their minds all they'd have to do is bring in a revised sketch by the next class. 

2nd grade clay explorations

Kimmy Cantrell inspired reliefs