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