This is a clay lesson that I developed inspired by the book The Pot That Juan Built, by Nancy Andrews-Goebel. It was written about Mexican ceramic artist Juan Quezada and his traditional style of hand-built ceramics. The book which you can find here describes how Juan uses natural resources in the creation of his artwork. It was the first demonstration that I presented in my curriculum class that focused on the connection of nature as a provider for artists. Below you will find info on the lesson I initially created, and also a second version I created for a higher grade level later in my time at school.
The first lesson was for second grade and introduced the coil method for clay. The photo to the right shows the materials used for the lesson. Materials need are air-dry clay, watercolor paint or tempera, water, toothbrush, paintbrush, pop cycle sticks, sponge, and the before-mentioned book. I created this lesson specifically for classrooms that do not have access to a kiln and/or glazes. However, the lesson could easily be adjusted to use those materials. First students would learn how to create a coil as well as different ways to create a design with them. Then, they learn about the slip and score method of attaching clay. Once they have a handle of the techniques, students build their own version of pots inspired by Juan Quezada. Once they have dried (or been fired) students paint (or glaze) their pots using earthy tones and designs similar to the traditional Mexican ceramics described in the book
The second lesson was inspired by a lesson I found online here (Wordaboutherart) Instead of creating coil pots, students will create chia pets. The great thing is that the main idea behind the lesson doesn't have to be altered. It is still inspired by the book and relates to nature, only the skill involved for the art-making has been elevated.
As seen above, students first carve the shape of an animal of their choice. Next, they cut the shape in half and carve out the inside. This is where they learn about firing clay and the necessary thickness of clay walls and airflow needed when firing clay in a kiln. Once they have even wall thickness throughout the sculpture. Students learn how to slip and score the sculpture back together. Now they can add more of the fine details. When they are satisfied with their sculpture, demonstrate how to create the hole used to fill the chia pet with water when growing the chia seeds. Finally, they carve grooves into the area of the chia pet where they wish for the chia seeds to grow. THen it's time to fire them!
After firing, soak both the chia pet and chia seeds in water. There is some debate online as to how long you should soak the seeds, but I have found that somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes left me with the best results. Then apply the chia seeds to the sculpture making sure to press the seeds into the grooves. the groves will serve as a way to collect water around the seeds and help them grow. Next, cover the chia pet and place it in direct sunlight. After one to two days covered, you will start to see the seeds sprout. The above picture shows two days after I applied them. Now you can uncover the chia pet as the chia seeds grow. I do not have a photo of the final product just yet (the seeds are still growing) but I will update with a final project soon!
Comments